09-21-2004, 04:33 AM
Tanana Area Fishing Report for September 17, 2004
Fall is here, and this time of year usually brings excellent fishing opportunities in the interior.
Rivers/Streams
Salmon:
Silver salmon are in Clear Creek, a tributary of the Nenana River, but not yet in the Delta Clearwater River.
The Chitina Subdistrict dipnet Salmon fishery will remain open until September 30th. Silver salmon currently account for the bulk of the catches in Chitina as the sockeye numbers taper off.
Resident Species:
Lake trout fishing should be good in the Denali Highway Lakes. Although a good bit of time has to be invested in order to catch them, Harding Lake sports some monster lake trout and Arctic char. Quartz Lake fishers have also reported some success with Arctic char.
Try fishing for rainbows in Pile Driver Slough or in the many stocked lakes around Fairbanks and Delta. With the onset of fall weather the rainbows are more active and more apt to bite as the water cools.
The Harding Lake northern pike fishery is closed by regulation due to loss of spawning habitat over the past few years. It is illegal to target Harding pike even for catch-and-release purposes. But you can fish for pike through October 14th in Minto Flats.
Fall is a great time to fish for burbot in the Tanana River Drainage. This homely fish almost looks too ugly to eat, but is in fact a favorite of the savy angler's palate. Burbot is also known as poor man's lobster. Try simmering bite size chunks of burbot in a 50/50 mixture of chablis white wine and melted butter until it is the consistency of cooked lobster. Discard the wine-butter mix and dip in straight or seasoned melted butter to eat.
Arctic Grayling are moving downstream in the rapid runoff streams such as the Salcha and Chena. Larger fish will be available in the lower reaches where smaller fish are usually all that is around in the summer.
Whitefish may not be taken by spear or bow and arrow in the Chatanika River, you can still participate in this fall activity in the other rivers of the Tanana River Drainage.
The Chitina Subdistrict dipnet Salmon fishery will remain open until September 30th. Silver salmon currently account for the bulk of the catches in Chitina as the sockeye numbers taper off. Lakes
Try fishing for rainbows in Pile Driver Slough or in the many stocked lakes around Fairbanks and Delta. With the onset of fall weather the rainbows are more active and more apt to bite as the water cools.
The Harding Lake northern pike fishery is closed by regulation due to loss of spawning habitat over the past few years. It is illegal to target Harding pike even for catch-and-release purposes. But you can fish for pike through October 14th in Minto Flats.
In preparation for freeze up, it's not too early to start getting those ice shanties ready. Within the Tanana Drainage, Ice shanties that are not removed after the day's fishing must be registered with Fish & Game. The permit is free, but we must get the fishing license number of the permitee when the house is registered.
Stop in at the ADF&G offices on College RD for ice shanty permits, bottom contour lake maps, and stocked lakes information.
Always consult the appropriate sport fishing regulations for the waters in which you plan to fish. Regulations are available wherever fishing licenses are sold. Please call ADF&G at 459-7207 if you have any questions.
Unless conditions change drastically, this report will next be updated when the water is stiff enough to walk on.
As always, good fishing!<"}}}}><
Fall is here, and this time of year usually brings excellent fishing opportunities in the interior.
Rivers/Streams
Salmon:
Silver salmon are in Clear Creek, a tributary of the Nenana River, but not yet in the Delta Clearwater River.
The Chitina Subdistrict dipnet Salmon fishery will remain open until September 30th. Silver salmon currently account for the bulk of the catches in Chitina as the sockeye numbers taper off.
Resident Species:
Lake trout fishing should be good in the Denali Highway Lakes. Although a good bit of time has to be invested in order to catch them, Harding Lake sports some monster lake trout and Arctic char. Quartz Lake fishers have also reported some success with Arctic char.
Try fishing for rainbows in Pile Driver Slough or in the many stocked lakes around Fairbanks and Delta. With the onset of fall weather the rainbows are more active and more apt to bite as the water cools.
The Harding Lake northern pike fishery is closed by regulation due to loss of spawning habitat over the past few years. It is illegal to target Harding pike even for catch-and-release purposes. But you can fish for pike through October 14th in Minto Flats.
Fall is a great time to fish for burbot in the Tanana River Drainage. This homely fish almost looks too ugly to eat, but is in fact a favorite of the savy angler's palate. Burbot is also known as poor man's lobster. Try simmering bite size chunks of burbot in a 50/50 mixture of chablis white wine and melted butter until it is the consistency of cooked lobster. Discard the wine-butter mix and dip in straight or seasoned melted butter to eat.
Arctic Grayling are moving downstream in the rapid runoff streams such as the Salcha and Chena. Larger fish will be available in the lower reaches where smaller fish are usually all that is around in the summer.
Whitefish may not be taken by spear or bow and arrow in the Chatanika River, you can still participate in this fall activity in the other rivers of the Tanana River Drainage.
The Chitina Subdistrict dipnet Salmon fishery will remain open until September 30th. Silver salmon currently account for the bulk of the catches in Chitina as the sockeye numbers taper off. Lakes
Try fishing for rainbows in Pile Driver Slough or in the many stocked lakes around Fairbanks and Delta. With the onset of fall weather the rainbows are more active and more apt to bite as the water cools.
The Harding Lake northern pike fishery is closed by regulation due to loss of spawning habitat over the past few years. It is illegal to target Harding pike even for catch-and-release purposes. But you can fish for pike through October 14th in Minto Flats.
In preparation for freeze up, it's not too early to start getting those ice shanties ready. Within the Tanana Drainage, Ice shanties that are not removed after the day's fishing must be registered with Fish & Game. The permit is free, but we must get the fishing license number of the permitee when the house is registered.
Stop in at the ADF&G offices on College RD for ice shanty permits, bottom contour lake maps, and stocked lakes information.
Always consult the appropriate sport fishing regulations for the waters in which you plan to fish. Regulations are available wherever fishing licenses are sold. Please call ADF&G at 459-7207 if you have any questions.
Unless conditions change drastically, this report will next be updated when the water is stiff enough to walk on.
As always, good fishing!<"}}}}><