Interior Alaska is an area that provides drive-to and fly-in oppportunities to catch many of Alaska's sport fish. In addition to wild populations of fish, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game stocks lakes with arctic char, rainbow trout, grayling, silver salmon, and king salmon.
Interior Alaska Rivers and Streams: Most of the major rivers in Alaska look like coffee with too much cream. The water is filled wth silt deposits from melting glaciers in the Alaska Range. Fish use the major rivers (Yukon, Tanana, Copper, Susitna) as highways to their spawning grounds and summer feeding areas. The fish live mainly in the clear streams that branch off the major rivers. The Chena, Chatanika, Salcha, Volkmar, Tolovana, and Gulkana Rivers hold the fish in their cold, clear water. Grayling hold in the major rivers during the winter in a state of torpor. Lake trout, whitefish, pike, and burbot survive all winter below the thick Alaskan ice. Here is a list of central Alaska rivers, streams, creeks and sloughs that hold catchable fish.
Chena River: This medium-sized river runs through Fairbanks and gets strong fishing pressure from the 85,000 residents of the North Star Borough. The Chena used to be a premier river for arctic grayling, but over-harvesting in the 1970's depressed the population to dangerous levels by the mid 1980's. The river has been designated catch-and-release for grayling for most of the 90's. The upper river features larger grayling to 18 inches. Salmon can be caught below the Chena Flood Control Project Dam during spawning season in July and August. The king salmon fishery has become more popular lately. Burbot, pike, whitefish, and sheefish are found in the river and are usually an accidental catch on a fly rod. The Chena flows into the Tanana River near Fairbanks.
Salcha River: The Salcha is a small river that flows in the Tanana River about 40 miles southeast of Fairbanks. There is good to excellent grayling fishing in the mid to upper river. Chum salmon spawn here, but the big attraction is a decent run of king salmon in July. Hundreds of fishermen try their luck catching these 20-40 pound fish. (These are not the super giants of the Kenai Peninsula.) These fish have come all the way from the Bering Sea after swimming a thousand miles. (Note: Some people do eat these fish, but most release them. The flesh tends to be soft and less palatable due to the chinook's loss of fat during the tremendously long journey from the ocean.)
Chantanika River: This small river flows into the Tanana to the west of Fairbanks. Three species of salmon (king, chum, silver) spawn in this river. You might run into a sheefish, pike, or burbot. There are large whitefish in the river, but numbers are way down. There was a whitefish-spearing season in September, but it was closed when the population declined. The arctic grayling fishing is good to excellent. You will be more likely to catch a 10 inch grayling rather than a 16 inch specimen though.
Delta Clearwater River: This small river near Delta Junction is a fly fishers dream. The river holds a population of large grayling, but the numbers are down resulting in a designation of catch-and-release this year. It is not unusual to catch grayling 15-17 inches in size. These are beautiful fish with distinctive markings. There is concern that there are not enough small fish in this crystal clear river to replace the older adults. The hatches of mayflies in summer are impressive. There is also a popular fishery for silver salmon in late September. Silvers enter the river to spawn after swimming for nearly a thousand miles.
Piledriver Slough: This clearwater offshoot of the Tanana River is a popular stream to fish for arctic grayling and stocked rainbow trout. The grayling fishing is catch-and-release to protect the wild fish from moderate to heavy fishing pressure. Larger grayling can be caught in areas away from direct road access. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game stocks the slough with thousands of hatchery-raised rainbow trout. Also present, but a rare catch, are northern pike, whitefish, sheefish, salmon, and burbot. This slough is about 20 miles southeast of Fairbanks.
Gulkana River: This river is a longer drive from Fairbanks, about 200 miles. The main attraction of this medium-sized river is its run of king salmon and native rainbow trout. The Gulkana flows into the Copper River, which drains into the Gulf of Alaska near Cordova. This is a beautiful river that also holds grayling, burbot, and red salmon. The river has numerous access points from the road and guiding operations can help you hook into a beautiful rainbow or king.
Some other central Alaska rivers, streams, and sloughs that hold fish are: Badger Slough off the Chena river (Good early season grayling), Goodpaster River (Good fishing, but you'll need a riverboat), Birch Creek (129 miles north of Fairbanks on the Steese Highway), Tolovana River (Decent pike and grayling fishing), Brushkana Creek (on the Denali Highway; small char and grayling in a beautiful boulder-filled stream), Julius Creek (Near Nenana with a run of king and silver salmon).
Interior Alaska Lakes: Alaska has over three million lakes. Tens of thousands are in central Alaska, but most are accessible only by float plane. We'll list only those that can be reached from the road, or by using a riverboat launched from the road system. Ice forms early (early October) and stays late (June) on lakes in the heart of Alaska.
Chena Lakes: These lakes are the remnants of the Chena Flood Control Project. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game stock these lakes with five species of fish: rainbow trout, silver salmon, arctic char, grayling, and king salmon. Fish don't grow very large here due to strong fishing pressure. This is a good belly boating lake due to excellent access and slightly warmer water.
Harding Lake: Harding Lake has naturally occuring populations of northern pike, lake trout, and burbot. The ADFG stocks arctic char and rainbows in this relatively shallow lake. Fly fishermen can stalk pike in the shallow and weedy edges. Every year someone catches a monster lake trout from its depths. This lake is not quiet on weekends; there are hundreds of cabins and recreational boaters using the waters, especially on Friday through Monday.
Little Harding Lake: Little Harding is designated a trophy fishing lake. This means artificial lures only, no ice-fishing, and catch-and-release of fish under 18 inches. The lake is stocked with rainbow trout and there are some fish over 18 inches long in its tea-colored waters. This lake can be fished with a canoe or belly boat and is not very fishable from the shore.
Birch Lake: Birch Lake is 60 miles from Fairbanks is stocked with char, rainbow trout, silver slamon, and grayling. It gets heavy road-side fishing pressure, especially for rainbow trout.
Quartz Lake: This medium-sized lake is heavily stocked with rainbow trout. There are some larger specimens available because the lake does not freeze to the bottom. The ADFG also stocks silver and king salmon, and arctic char in its waters. This lake features lots of camping sites and modern facilities.
Coal Mine Road Lakes: These eight lakes are about 100 miles from Fairbanks and are all stocked with arctic char, grayling, or rainbow trout. A four-wheel-drive or foot power is often needed to access these lakes. Fishing can be good and there are no modern facilities available at any of these lakes.
Summit Lake: This green-colored alpine lake holds lake trout, grayling, whitefish, and burbot. There is a boat launch, but the ice remains on the lake up to the beginning of July. The lake gets light fishing pressure, probably because there are numerous better-fishing lakes in the immediate vicinity.
Paxson Lake: This 14 mile-long lake is fish rich, but the lake trout go deep in summer. The Gulkana River uses this lake as one of its sources. Whitefish, lake trout, grayling, burbot, rainbow trout, and red salmon can be found in the lake. Ice-out is late, but can be the best time to fish due to the hungry nature of the fish. A boat is recommended, but you can fish from the shore in a handful of places. The river end of the lake is most productive.
Tangle Lakes: These series of alpine lakes are a source for the Delta River. The lake trout and grayling fishing can be excellent. Many smaller grayling can be caught in the Tangle River which connects the upper and lower lakes. Larger grayling live in the lake. Lake trout go deep in the summer; sinking lines, a boat, and some pateince might get you hooked into a laker.
Fielding Lake: Another alpine lake with lake trout, burbot, whitefish, and grayling. The fishing can be good at the right time of year. A boat is highly recommended to get to the best fishing areas. There are some cabins along the lake, but they are lightly used.
Minto Flats: This series of lakes holds several species of fish, but the attraction for the fly fisherman would be trophy-sized northern pike. Water wolves lurk everywhere. You have to drive about a hundred miles from Fairbanks, and a boat is recommended. The waters also hold burbot, sheefish, and whitefish.
Other lakes worth mentioning are: Many former gravel pits and ponds in Interior Alaska are stocked with rainbow trout and grayling. It is best to get a list from ADFG to find out which waters are stocked, and if they've been stocked recently. Craig Lake near Delta Junction (trophy lake for rainbow trout), Donna Lakes near Delta Junction are stocked with rainbows. Volkmar Lake can be accessed up the Tanana and Volkmar Rivers and offers excellent fishing. Landmark Gap Lake, Glacier Lake, Swede Lakes, Butte Lake, and Seven Mile Lake are all on the Denali Highway and hold fish (lake trout). Military property (Eielson AFB and Ft. Greely) holds many lakes with fish, but you need a permit to fish in these areas.
The list above is informal. Fish are everywhere and timing is everything when fishing in Alaska. The finest places to fish in Alaska are not in the Interior. Your best fishing is in the Bristol Bay area, the Kenai Peninsula, Prince William Sound, and Southeast Alaska; places closer to the ocean offering better fishing (large runs of salmon) over a longer period of time. Everyone has their home waters; ours are filled with lake trout, northern pike, and arctic grayling.
This page was last modified on November 29, 2004
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