Southcentral Alaska
Fishing Spots
Salmon fishing
Anchorage-
Downtown Anchorage's Ship Creek offers great
king salmon fishing and the ultimate in angling convenience.
And after king season ends, fish for silvers! Salmon Derbies
are held each June and August.
Around the city, numerous lakes are stocked with Rainbow
Trout, Dolly Varden, landlocked salmon, Arctic Char and Arctic
Grayling. Canoe and paddleboat rentals are available from
various vendors in town. ADF&G Web site
Short Drives
- Bird Creek: An excellent silver and good pink
salmon fishery an hours drive south of downtown.
- Mat-Su Valley Lakes: Just 40 minutes north find
a whole system of quiet and productive lakes for trout
fishing, Arctic Char, and landlocked salmon. Of note, the
Deshka and Susitna rivers have strong runs of King and Coho
Salmon respectively.
Longer Drives
- Kenai & Russian Rivers: Famous for big fish
and "combat fishing," visitors may see anglers lined up
here shoulder-to-shoulder trying their luck. Guided salmon
fishing floats are available on the Kenai ( to the largest
sportfish-caught king salmon weighing in at 97 lbs., 4
oz./44.8 kg. caught) and other popular sites.
- Montana, Sheep, Talkeetna, Little Susitna Rivers
& Willow Creek: North of town by a couple hours,
these rivers are great salmon and trout streams. Guided
trips up the Talkeetna and its many tributaries are
available. The Little Susitna River ranks number 2 for
Silver salmon fishing.
- Halibut and Other Saltwater Fishing: Prince
William Sound (Whittier) is just over an hour away,
Resurrection Bay (Seward) is 2.5 hours, and Kachemak Bay
(r) is 5 hours south. (There are quick commuter flights to
both Seward and r.) Alaska boasts the world record for
sportfish-caught halibut - a hefty 450 lbs. (202.5
kg.).
Fly-in Trips
Air taxi (float plane) rates average about $50 per hour per
person for a party of four persons. Most air taxi operators
offer fly-in services not only during the traditional fishing
season but during the winter as well, for excellent ice
fishing.
- Susitna River Drainage: This area is known
worldwide for its tackle-busting king salmon. Anglers often
return with fish weighing in excess of 65 pounds/30kg! Well
known streams include Lake Creek, Talachulitna River,
Talkeetna River, Deshka River or Alexander Creek.
- Bristol Bay Drainage: Further west, anglers will
discover the trophy waters of numerous streams in the Lake
Clark, Lake Iliamna, and King Salmon region. Fly-in float
trips to various locations are also available. Saltwater
fishing options include quick flights to Seward or r or a
longer flight to Kodiak Island or Dutch Harbor.
Get your Fishing License Online! For the
most current information, contact (907) 267-2100.
Weekly Fishing Reports
Fishing
reports are available May through September. The
weekly fishing reports are provided by the Alaska Department of
Fish and Game.
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