The Knik River region includes the Knik, Matanuska, and Little Susitna Rivers. This area offers a wide variety of fishing for both natural and stocked fish. The Little Susitna offers big natural kings and silvers, while the Knik offers a stocked fishery. Jim’s Creek offers the closest red salmon fishing to Anchorage, while the Nancy Lake Recreation area offers the region’s best pike fishing. Numerous lakes stocked with rainbows, char and grayling also litter this region
Available species: King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Red Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden, Arctic Grayling, Northern Pike
Hot Spots: Eklutna Tailrace, Jim’s Creek, Little Susitna Boat Launch, Kepler - Bradley Lakes, Nancy Lake, South Rolly Lake
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Fishing Spots
This unique fishÂery, about 25 miles north of AnchorÂage, is comÂprised of a small, artiÂfiÂcial eddy of water that comes down from a powÂer plant and conÂnects to the main stem, Knik RivÂer. The glacial-fed water looks murky and blue-gray, and there’s very litÂtle curÂrent. While you won’t find much soliÂtude here, you can usuÂalÂly find a spot to set up a lawn chair for some lazy fishÂing. There’s abunÂdant parkÂing, too, as well as restrooms.
The SusitÂna RivÂer is a major drainage sysÂtem in the Denali region. The rivÂer flows south from the SusitÂna GlacÂiÂer and the AlasÂka Range and evenÂtuÂalÂly turns west to flow through the TalÂkeetÂna MounÂtains and then south to Cook Inlet. The SusitÂna is not floatÂable because of Devil’s Canyon downÂstream. Access to the hisÂtoric Valdez Creek Mine is on the east side of the SusitÂna RivÂer. The mine is now closed and the land is being reclaimed.
On the north side of the bridge is a turn out with good access to CariÂbou Creek Bridge. It’s a good spot to stretch your legs, let the kids skip rocks, or conÂtemÂplate flow. As ThoreÂau said ​“He who hears the ripÂpling of rivers utterÂly despairs of nothÂing!” If you’re a rivÂer runÂner, this is the launch for the Lion’s Head whiteÂwaÂter run. Class III and Class IV water awaits, and you can run this with Nova Guides.
A good dirt road, with plenÂty of pull-outs, leaves the main highÂway on the south side of the road. The ​“AlasÂcom Road” runs four miles across the valÂley floor. There are sevÂerÂal lakes, stocked with trout and grayling, for fishÂerÂmen, and plenÂty of campÂing spots. It’s quiÂet, and there’s great canoeÂing and bird watchÂing on the lakes. It’s a popÂuÂlar weekÂend desÂtiÂnaÂtion for AnchorÂage folks, so you might not be alone. And in the fall, you’ll see… ...more
Avoid the crowds and explore a local favorite. This 6.2‑mile out-and-back trail, locatÂed in WilÂlow, AlasÂka, takes travÂelÂers on a windÂing jourÂney along boreÂal forÂest floor. The payÂoff is at the turnÂaround point, which feaÂtures views of Red Shirt Lake’s shoreÂline. At the lake, fish for northÂern pike and keep an ear out for loons, which freÂquent the area.
The ChickÂaloon RivÂer runs strong and fast out of the TalÂkeetÂna MounÂtains of cenÂtral AlasÂka on its way to merge with the largÂer MatanusÂka RivÂer which runs into Knik Arm of Cook Inlet. There is a 33-mile secÂtion of rivÂer that is Class II and III+ and could become a bit more with high water flows. This is not a trip for beginÂners! It is a superb weekÂend trip for groups with good raftÂing gear and good read and run skills, as the main stretch of… ...more