Alaska Fishing Reports

Mat-Su - Upper Kenai Peninsula - Seward & Resurrection Bay - Homer & South Kenai

Latest fishing report as of September 25, 2005

Upper Kenai Peninsula Fishing Report

Emergency Orders and In-season Regulation Changes

• Although the Emergency Order that increased the red salmon limit to 6 per day remains in effect, anglers will find very few, if any, bright sockeye salmon in the Kenai River.
• Bait and multiple hooks are currently allowed in the Kenai River up to the Upper Killey River. From the Upper Killey upstream to Skilak Lake, only unbaited single-hook gear is allowed.
• The upstream reaches of Quartz Creek, Cooper Creek, and the Snow River are Closed to ALL Fishing September 15 through October 31, in order to protect spawning fish.
• The Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery closed as scheduled on July 31.
• The Kasilof River personal use dipnet fishery closed as scheduled on August 7.

King Salmon — Kenai River & Kasilof River

• The Kenai and Kasilof River King Salmon fisheries has closed as scheduled on July 31.
• The cumulative Kenai River late-run king salmon sonar passage is estimated to be 35,712 fish through August 1.
• In the Kenai River below the Soldotna bridge, anglers caught an estimated 25,000 and harvested an estimated 15,000 late-run king salmon in 2005. The average time it took an unguided angler to catch a late-run king salmon was 10 hours and the average time it took a guided angler to catch a king salmon was 8 hours.

Sockeye Salmon — Kenai River & Kasilof River

• The Kenai River and Kasilof River red salmon late runs are over. There’s a slight possibility that anglers may catch a bright fish, but it’s not very likely.
• Although this year’s Russian River sockeye salmon late-run exceeded the midpoint of the escapement goal of 30,000 – 110,000 fish, the run is considered to be below average in number.

Kenai Silver Salmon Fishing Report.

• Angler success for Kenai River and Kasilof River silver salmon declined during this reporting period. Some anglers reported filling their daily limits in less than an hour, while other anglers reported that they could not fill their daily limits after fishing all day. Silver salmon angler success is expected to improve as the run continues to develop in the Kenai.
• Winds and rain have made the fishing on the Kenai River difficult as the water level is up and the river is fairly colored. High winds were hampering the boats fishing the Kenai over the weekend. We expect fishing to pick up as these conditions improve.
• Anglers reported that silver salmon have continued entering the Swanson River in good numbers, and angler success has been steadily fair to good. We are seeing this success rate drop as the run comes to an end. Few actual fish were spotted on friday.

Resident Fish — Kenai River

• Anglers targeting Dolly Varden and rainbow trout reported good to excellent success in the Kenai River, both above and below Skilak Lake. Anglers have reported catching and releasing trout well over 30 inches in length.
• Trout fishing is continually improving as the sockeye salmon spawning cycle continues into September. This time of year, trout most often target salmon eggs and carcasses.
• Both black and brown bears have been sighted at the Russian River and Upper Kenai River areas.

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Mat-Su - Upper Kenai Peninsula - Seward & Resurrection Bay - Homer & South Kenai

Latest fishing report as of September 25, 2005

Fishing Report for Seward and Resurrection Bay

Emergency Orders and In-Season Regulation Changes

• No Emergency Orders have been issued for this area.
• Beginning on September 1, bag and possession limits for king salmon change. Review these regulations on page 13 of the 2005 Southcentral Alaska sport fishing regulations booklet.

Salt Water - Resurrection Bay and Seward Fishing Report

Seward Halibut Fishing Report

• In late fall, halibut move into deeper waters, where they over-winter, so fishing typically starts to slow this time of year.

Seward Salmon Fishing Report

• Silver salmon should be closer to Seward beaches by mid-September. Bright fish are usually caught through early October.
• Anglers trolling off these beaches have good success until it's just too cold to go out.
• Shore anglers should fish during the incoming tide.
• Silver fishing outside the bay has also been good, when the weather cooperates.

Other salt water fishing in Resurrection Bay

• Lingcod fishing in North Gulf Coast waters continues to be very good.
• Rockfish fishing continues to be good. The closer you get to the Gulf the better the rockfish fishing will be.
• Rockfish also move into deeper waters this time of year to move away from high-energy areas created by large storm waves.

Resurrection Bay Fresh Waters

• The Resurrection River fishery follows the same run timing pattern of the Seward beach fishery.
• Please respect private property and obtain permission before crossing over or fishing from, someone else’s land.
• Regulations for this fishery are on page 34 of the 2005 Southcentral Alaska fishing regulation booklet.

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Mat-Su - Upper Kenai Peninsula - Seward & Resurrection Bay - Homer & South Kenai

Latest fishing report as of September 25, 2005

Alaska Fishing Report for Lower Cook Inlet, Homer, the Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River.

Emergency Orders and In-Season Regulation Changes

• Snagging will be permitted in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon area beginning at 12:01 p.m. (noon), Wednesday, September 14, until 11:59 p.m. (midnight), Saturday, December 31. The Homer Spit Fishing Hole has been renamed the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon in honor of the retired ADF&G fisheries biologist who established the fishery.
• In all fresh flowing waters, only one unbaited, single–hook, artificial lure is allowed September 1 through December 31.
• The upstream areas of the Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River are closed to salmon fishing, but open to fishing for Dolly Varden and rainbow / steelhead trout. Rainbow/steelhead trout may not be retained or taken out of the water and must be released immediately.

Salt Water - Inland Waters Cook Inlet Fishing Report

Halibut Fishing

• Halibut fishing is slowing down throughout Cook Inlet. Anglers report finding the best fishing in waters 125-200 feet deep, especially around Flat Island, Point Pogibshi, and 25-30 miles west of the Homer Spit. Most fishing charters have closed for the season.
• Launching from the beaches of Deep Creek and Anchor Point is also slowing down, mostly due to weather. Boats have been traveling southwest 5-25 miles.
• Daily limit is 2 halibut, and 4 in possession.

Salmon Fishing

• Anglers will find success trolling for “feeder” king salmon throughout late fall and early winter. Feeder kings are fish that are fattening up, preparing for their eventual return to their home stream outside of Cook Inlet. Whole or cut herring are the most popular attractors. Troll herring behind a dodger/flasher taken to depth with a downrigger for the best results. Plastic hootchies or tube flies in green, chartreuse or blue trolled behind dodgers/flashers are often effective, as are variously colored spoons and spinners. Dressing the tackle with herring can improve success.
• In the area south of Bluff Point bag limits still apply, but kings caught between October 1 and March 31 do not count toward the annual Cook Inlet limit of 5 and don’t have to be written on the back of your fishing license.
• Salt water silver fishing has slowed. Some fish are still available in the Kachemak Bay area.
• The Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon is open to snagging until January 1, 2006, but most of the silvers have been taken already. A few silvers may straggle in to the Lagoon during the rest of September.

Other salt water fishing

• Lingcod season remain open until December 31. The minimum size limit is 35 inches, and the bag limit is 2 per day and 2 in possession.
• Rockfish fishing is also open all year. Most rockfish are taken while targeting halibut or salmon. Rockfish caught in less than 60 feet of water generally survive release. The bag limits are 5 rockfish per day, no more than 1 of which may be a non-pelagic species.

Shellfish including Razor and Steamer Clams

• The next series of good clamming tides runs October 16-20. Beginning in October good clam tides are at night - don’t forget to take a light! This is quite an enjoyable outing.
• Dungeness, King and Tanner crab, and shrimp fisheries are closed in Cook Inlet and the Outer Gulf Coast.

Fresh Water - Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik River Fishing Report

• Anchor River, Deep Creek, Ninilchik River or Stariski Creek will remain open to fishing until January 1. Legal gear is single-hook, unbaited artificial lures or flies. A single hook has only 1 point.
• The entire length of these streams are open to fishing, but salmon fishing is allowed only in the lower 2 miles of each stream.
• A few silver salmon will continue to enter the Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River until late September, but most are already upstream, spawning.
• Dolly Varden will continue to be available through ice-up. Dollies provide excellent action on light tackle. Try beads, flesh flies, egg patterns or small spinners.
• Daily limits for Dollies are 2 per day and 2 in possession.
• Steelhead fishing on the Anchor River peaks in mid-September. There may be a few steelhead trout lingering in the Anchor River in early October, but typically the run is over by then.
• Rainbow/steelhead trout may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately in these streams.
• Handle fish you intend to release with care. Don’t drag them up on shore; keep them in the water as you unhook them. If you can’t get the hook out, cut the line. Support the fish in the current until it swims away. Under no circumstances drag or kick the fish across the stream bank.

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Latest fishing report as of September 19, 2005.

Matsu Fishing Report for the Susitna River, Deshka River, Talkeetna River and Alexander Creek.

Emergency Orders and Regulation Changes

• All waters of the Susitna River and Fish Creek drainages are closed to the retention of sockeye salmon.

In-Season Regulation Changes

• Starting September 1, no bait is allowed in most of the Mat-Su valley flowing waters, and in the West Cook Inlet area flowing waters.
• Also starting September 1, many waters go to single hook: no treble/multiple hooks allowed.
• Long Lake in the Kepler-Bradley system, Wishbone Lake near Sutton, and X Lake near Talkeetna close to all fishing for the rest of the year on November 1.

Salmon - Special Notice, September 19, 2005: Northern Cook Inlet is still receiving record numbers of silver salmon in some streams. Good numbers of silvers are still entering area streams, and good silver salmon fishing is expected to continue through September. Best success comes from the Talkeetna River, upper Little Susitna, and the upper Deshka River.

• Willow Creek, Montana Creek, and the Eklutna Power Plant tailrace also usually see late silvers trickling in through mid-September. Jim Creek also has a late run of silvers through October.
• In early September, fair to good silver fishing can be found in the tributaries and sloughs of the Yentna and Skwentna rivers. Most anglers try at Moose, Indian, Bottle, or Hewitt creeks.
• Fair to good silver fishing should continue through mid-September in such West Cook Inlet streams as the Kustatan, Theodore, Chuit, and Lewis rivers.
• Silver fishing is still good in Wasilla and Cottonwood creeks. These are weekend-only fisheries, open only on Saturday and Sunday, and only from 6:00 a.m. through 6:00 p.m. those days.
• Silver fishing should be fair to good in the Little Susitna River. Downstream of the Parks Highway bridge, bait is allowed through September 30. Upstream of the bridge, the Little Su is single-hook, no bait year-round.

Resident Fish

• Rainbow trout fishing should be good to excellent until water levels drop and it's just too cold to fish. When water levels go down, look for trout in the deeper pools and side-sloughs, or in lakes.
• Keep in mind the single-hook, no bait restrictions are in place for many of the flowing waters.
• Only catch-and-release fishing for rainbows and grayling is allowed year-round in Montana Creek. In Willow Creek, rainbow trout may not be retained downstream of the Parks Highway bridge.

Mat-Su Lake Fishing Report: - Special Notice, August 31, 2005 - With the cooler temperatures of fall approaching, lake fishing should improve. Mat-Su Valley lakes provide excellent fishing this time of year as fish become much more active, and feed in shallower water. A stocked lake handout is available from Department of Fish and Game offices in Palmer and Anchorage to assist you in finding good lake fishing opportunities in the Mat-Su Area.

• In the Palmer/Wasilla area, Lorraine, Carpenter, Knik, Lucille, Kepler, Rocky, and Echo lakes are stocked with rainbow trout.
• Lakes stocked with landlocked salmon are Matanuska, Finger, Beverly, Loberg and Klaire.
• Arctic char are stocked in Benka, Finger, Irene, Long, Lynne, Marion, Matanuska, Prator, and Seventeenmile lakes.
• Along the Glenn Highway northeast of Palmer, Lower Bonnie, Seventeenmile, Slipper, Long, Ravine, Weiner, Knob and North Knob lakes all have rainbow trout.
• If it's Arctic grayling you're looking for, try Bruce, Canoe, Reed, Finger, Florence, Knik, Meirs, Lorraine and Kepler/Bradley lakes.

Northern Pike Fishing Report

• Pike fishing success will continue to improve until freeze up.
• For road-accessible pike fishing, try South Rolly, Tanaina, and Memory lakes.
• For fly-in pike fishing, it's hard to beat Alexander and Trapper lakes.
• Pike are also to be found in Sucker, Donkey and Eightmile lakes.
• For river fishing, try the sloughs of the Yentna and Susitna rivers.

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