By Andy Couch
During the 35 years I’ve been guiding salmon fishing trips on Little Susitna River my guests have experienced their peak week of king salmon catching success from the last week of May to the second week of July and every week in between those dates on different years. Yet, when people ask me what is the best time to catch king salmon, I usually mention the second and third week of June on the Little Susitna as the most consistently good weeks. I’m talking about fishing in the area downstream or near the Little Susitna River Public Use Facility campground and boat launch. Upstream near Houston, peak catch timing on most years would likely be a week or two later.
Weir passage timing and king salmon catching success on Deshka River can vary a considerably amount as well. Currently the Alaska Department of Fish and Game figures quarter-point of king salmon run passage on an average timing year is about June 12 or 13 at Deshka River Weir. Since the Deshka River king salmon spawning escapement goal is 13,000 — 28,000 fish above the weir, if run timing was exact 3, 250 kings would need to pass the weir by June 12 or 13 to meet the escapement range minimum when fishing regulations and impacts are consistent throughout the season. An extreme example of late run timing occurred in 2013 when the Deshka River Weir could not be installed until June 7 and only 861 king salmon had passed the weir through June 13. Despite that low passage number, at the normal quarter point of the run, in 2013 the minimum spawning escapement goal number was still exceeded by over 5,000 king salmon with 18,531 king salmon counted past the weir.
One only has to look back to last year to find an example of early run timing at Deshka River. Even under standard fishing regulations 4,779 king salmon had already swum past he weir through June 13, 2017, so it looked like the minimum Deshka River king salmon spawning escapement goal should easily be attained. Instead the king salmon weir passage rate dropped off dramatically and the minimum escapement goal number was not attained. While average run timing is a useful fishery management tool, actual run-timing varies each year.
Of equal concern is the size /age of king salmon in the return. Preseason for 2018 Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) was projecting a lower than normal return of 5 year old king salmon to the Deshka River. Most of the female king salmon are 4 and 5 year old fish, so a lower than normal abundance of older king salmon could easily translate into lower than normal production from the spawning that does occur. Some anglers are already concerned that they are seeing a high abundance of small male king salmon in relation to the number of older larger king salmon they have been catching. This clearly could be a trend throughout the season, however, salmon runs are notorious for having a preponderance of the female component come through at one time near the run’s peak. I’ve seen low abundance of female’s in the past, only to then have several days of catches that were made up primarily for female salmon. I’ve seen this in both king salmon and coho salmon. Through Tuesday of this week 785 king salmon had swum past Deshka River Weir.
So far of the 3 Mat-Su locations I’ve fished for king salmon in 2018 Deshka River has provided by far the most consistent king salmon catching opportunities, although all king salmon fishing at the Deshka is restricted to catch and release fishing with single hook artificial lures. This weekend could likely be the peak weekend for catching king salmon near the confluence of the Susitna and Deshka Rivers, as later in the season water temperatures are prone to rise and put king salmon off the bite — especially at this location. When the Susitna River is high, the Deshka River water near the confluence gets backed up and water temperatures are often the highest in the mainstream Deshka River drainage.
Upstream a few miles on the Deshka River, water conditions are often cooler later in the season with the salmon more active biters. Peak catching, therefore continues later in the season upriver.
Harvest number from the king salmon fishery out of the Little Susitna River Public Use Facility around last weekend averaged in single digits for the 4 days harvest is allowed (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday). After several days of warm weather raised and muddied the water, the Alaska State Parks exit survey did not record a single king salmon harvested on Monday. Water levels have risen since Monday, and will likely remain stable at the current high level into the weekend. More king salmon should be available in the fishery, however, water conditions may dictate how many of them get caught this weekend. Through Tuesday a total of 44 king salmon had swum past Little Susitna River Weir.
Note: ADF&G advises boaters to slow down when crossing the Little Susitna River and Deshka River weirs, and travel across the weirs over the light-colored boat gates.
When I talked with ADF&G Area Manager Sam Ivey on Tuesday he knew of no king salmon harvested from the Eklutna Tailrace yet this year. I know a few king salmon have been harvested in the portion of the Knik River open to king salmon fishing downstream of the tailrace. This is the only Mat-Su Valley king salmon fishery where bait is allowed, the seasonal limit remains at five per person, and multiple hooks are allowed. Some king salmon will likely be harvested at this location over the weekend, however, because of limited king salmon numbers and the number of Mat-Su residents and visitors wanting to harvest a king salmon, I suspect success rates will likely remain low through the weekend of June 9 and 10.
Good Luck and Fish On!
Andy Couch is a Mat-Su Valley fishing guide and also a member of the Matanuska —Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commision.
