Current Sport Fishing Report
August 20, 2009
Personal Use
The Chitina Subdistrict is open continuously for the remainder of the sockeye run until closing at 11:59 PM, August 31. There will be no supplemental harvest for this fishing period. The Personal Use dip net fishery will re-open at 12:01 AM September 1, to allow fishing for any salmon but primarily silvers/coho until the end of the season, 23:59 PM September 30th. Currently, fishing has slowed due to high water levels. Fishwheels users have had to use boats to access their wheels. For more information on the water levels and fishing call Hem’s recorded hot line at 907-823-2200. The Miles Lake sonar was pulled on August 1. The total seasonal limit is 15 salmon for a household of one, and 30 salmon for a household of two or more and no king salmon may be retained as part of the limit.
The sonar equipment at Miles Lake stopped operating on August 1, 2009 numbers can be accessed at the Commercial Fisheries Miles Lake Sonar page or by following the 'Fish counts' link at the end of this report.
King Salmon Fishing
King salmon fishing is closed in all waters of the Upper Copper Upper Susitina River drainages.
Sockeye Salmon Fishing
Sockeye fishing is very slow in the Klutina, Tonsina and Gulkana Rivers. The counting tower on the Gulkana was pulled on August 11.
Silver Salmon
Silver salmon should start showing up in the Tonsina River drainage. The run and the fish are fairly small and fish are usually showing some spawning color.
Lake Trout
The larger lakes which include Lake Louise, Paxson, Summit, Susitna, and Tyone should continue to produce good catches of fish throughout the summer. Fishing in deeper water may be the only means of catching lake trout for the rest of the summer as lakes have turned over.
Stocked Lake
For the best rainbow trout fishing head out the McCarthy Road to Strelna, Silver, and Sculpin Lakes which offer the best opportunity to both catch more and a possibility to catch larger fish. Silver Lake was stocked with catchable rainbow trout. The rainbows were taken from Summit Lake in the Wrangell Mountains and transported by airplane. Silver Lake Sculpin Lake have walk in access only canoes and small boats may be carried in from the McCarthy Road. Tex Smith Lake on the Glenn Highway has been producing good catches of rainbows. Peanut and Tolsona Mountain Lakes are also excellent lakes for rainbow trout but an ATV is helpful to access them. These two lakes are not readily available to the road system and have been stocked in past years and receive little pressure. Stocked and wild lake depth maps can be found using the link at the end of this report.
Arctic Grayling
The larger rivers around Glennallen are cloudy from much needed rain. Rivers to try are the Gulkana River on the Richardson Highway and the Little Nelchina River on the Glenn Highway which should improve as the week’s progress. Meiers Lake on the Richardson Highway has a healthy population of grayling. Small flies either wet or dry are worth a try. Many of the small lakes on the Lake Louise Road contain grayling populations and on the Nabesna Road, Long Lake and Jack Lake are good bets for grayling. Moose Creek in Glennallen is open to use of bait and this makes for a golden opportunity for teaching younger and inexperienced persons to fish.
Dolly Varden
Rivers and streams to try are the Big and Little Tonsina and the Klutina River along the Richardson Highway.
