06/01/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 5 guests each of whom caught and kept a king salmon. The kings weighed between 20 and 41 pounds, and 3 where caught on green rainbow Spinning Cheaters, 1 was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-13 Kwickfish, and one was caught on a black and red Fatfish.
We still have charter space available this week and know where the kings are located with the present water conditions. Little Su is kicking out super fresh kings and plenty of large fish right now. Gie us a call at 907-7467-2199 if you would like to fish with us in the next few days.
06/02/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 5 guests who caught 4 king salmon weighing 25, 31, 39, and 52 pounds. The 52 pounder is our largest king salmon of the season so far and was caught on a Beau Mac Spinning Cheater as were 2 of the other king salmon. The remaining king salmon was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish. We also saw a moose, some bald eagles and a variety of other birds while fshing.
Little Susitna River — Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 2 king salmon.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 3 people who hooked and lost 1 king salmon.
David Dickson`s morning group did not show up, so since his boat was ready to go he went fishing himself and caught a 25 pound king salmon on a Spinning Cheater.
Mat-Su King Salmon Derby — 3 Fishtale Guests, Josiah Warta, Daniel Lange, and Josh Duplechain all won youth division weekly prizes for the first week of the Derby. After one week another Fishtale guest, Anita Bilek`s 28 pound king salmon was in 3rd place in the pro class division. Just goes to show, when fishing with Fishtale it pays to invest in a Mat -Su King Salmon Derby ticket.
A new derby record 66.8 pound king salmon was caught from the Deshka River during the first week of the derby and several other large fish have been caught this season. Even small and average sized fish can win significant derby prizes so remember weighing in your fish before you cut it up can pay off.
06/03/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 5 guests who caught 5 king salmon, 4 of which they kept. The 4 keepers weighed 26, 25, and 25, and slightly less than 10 pounds. The released fish weighed somewhere around 10 pounds. Water conditions are low and clear and the 3 larger king salmon and 1 smaller king were caught on Beau Mac Spinning Cheaters, while the remaining salmon was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish.
Little Susitna River — The water level continues to drop, and even though there are good numbers of king salmon present and we know which holes they are located in getting bites can be difficult. David Dickson guided 4 people on a morning trip who caught 3 king salmon weighing 23, 28, and 32 pounds.
Greg Acord guided 4 people in the morning who caught 3 king salmon and a jack king salmon.
Dave Osgood guided 4 people in the morning who caught 1 king salmon which weighed about 10 pounds.
Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group who got some light bites, but did not land a king salmon.
06/04/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 5 guests who caught king salmon weighing 25, 25, 23, 9, and 9 pounds. 3 kings were caught on Spinning Cheaters, 1 king was caught on a K-16X Kwickfish, and 1 king was caught on a Magnum Wiggle Wart. Water conditions were low and clear.
In the afternoon I fished with a friend and his wife, and we each caught and kept a king salmon. I did not weigh the fish, but would guess Bob`s fish at about 37 pounds, Deanna`s at about 32 pounds, and mine at about 16 pounds. 2 kings were caught on a K-15 green and chartreuse Kwickfish and the other king was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish.
Little Susitna River — David Dickson guided a morning group of 3 anglers who caught 1 king salmon, hooked and lost a second king salmon, and had several othe rbites.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 4 guests who faught 2 king salmon up to the boat and then lost them. They also caught 1 rainbow trout.
06/05/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 5 guests who caught 3 king salmon. Fish of about 15 and 25 pounds were released and a fish of about 10 pounds was kept. 2 fish were caught on Spinning Cheaters in the Green Rainbow pattern, and 1 fish was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish.
I guided an afternoon group of 3 guests each of whom caught a king salmon. The two larger fish weighed 39 and 48 pounds, and the third fish was released to the guest could keep fishing. The released king salmon looked to weigh 25-30 pounds. The largest king was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish, 1 king salmon was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-13 Kwickfish, and the released king salmon was caught on a magnum Wiggle Wart in the blue pirate pattern. The water was rising during the afternoon trip so that may make it more difficult to catch fish tomorrow.
Little Susitna River — Neal Sanderlin guided morning and afternoon groups, but both groups failed to catch a king salmong.
06/06/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guide a morning group of 4 guests who caught 5 king salmon and kept 4 of them. The released fish weighed about 10 pounds, and the kept fish weighed 42, 29, 25, and 9 pounds. Kings were caught on a silver and green magnum Wiggle Wart, green and chartreuse K-15 Kwickfish, silver and chartreuse Fatfish, and 2 were caught on a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish.
I guided an afternoon group of 4 guests who caught 3 king salmon on a silver and chartreuse Fatfish, a silver and chartreuse K-16X Kwickfish, and a green and chartreuse K-15 Kwickfish. The 2 kept fish weighed 25 and 18 pounds, while the third fish which was released weighed about 10 pounds.
Little Susitna River — Neal Sanderlin guided group of 4 guests who caught 1 king salmon. The river is starting to rise slightly and we`re hopeful that with a little more water king salmon msy start biting better.
06/07/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 6 guests who caught 5 king salmon only 4 of which they kept. The fish weighed between 8 and 40 pounds and all of them were caught on either K-15 or K-16X Kwickfish.
I guided an afternoon group of 5 guests who caught one king salmon weighing 31 pounds on a K-15 green and chartreuse Kwickfish. There were more anglers competing with us for holes in both the morning and afternoon.
Little Susitna River — Neal Sanderlin guided a group of 4 guests who each caught and kept a king salmon. Water continues to rise somewhat, but remains quite clear.
David Dickson fished with a friend and he caught a king salmon and his friend faught and broke off a king salmon.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group, but I haven`t talked with him.
06/08/2004
Susitna River Tirbutaries and Deshka River — I guided 4 guests who caught 2 rainbow trout on magnum Wiggle Warts, but no king salmon. There were swarms of kings in the Deshka River, but give me credit for finding a way not to catch them. One of the guests did manage to hook two kings on bait at the Deshka, but that was all the kings we hooked for the entire trip. Over 1,600 king salmon swam through the weir on the largest weir passage day of the season so far.
06/10/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 2 king salmon wieghing 28 and about 20 pounds, and a jack king salmon. The fish were caught on a orange magnum Wiggle Wart and a orange Spinning Cheater. The jack salmon was caught on a Fatfish plug.
I guided an afternoon group of 5 guests who caught 2 king salmon weighing 37 and 23 pounds. One king was caught on a green and chartreuse K-15 Kwickfish and the other was caught on a Fatfish plug.
Neal Sanderlin, Dave Osgood, and David Dickson also guided trips on the Little Susitna River.
Mat-Su King Salmon Derby — 2 Fishtale Guests entered prize winning king salmon during week 2 of the derby. Dale Tilton weighed in the 2nd largest fish of the week at 52.5 pounds and Chris Miller weighed in the 3rd largest fish of the week at 48.3 pounds. This once agains shows it pays to have a derby ticket when fishing with Fishtale.
06/10/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught one 24 pound king salmon on a silver and orange magnum Wiggle Wart.
In the afternoon I fished with 6 family members and we caught one king salmon weighing 29 pounds on a spinning cheater.
Dave Osgood guided a group of 5 guests who caught 2 king salmon.
David Dickson guided a group of 4 guests who caught 1 king salmon weighing 33 pounds.
Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 1 king salmon. He also guided an afternoon group of 4 guest, but I do not know how they did.
06/11/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 3 king salmon. 2 were caught on K-15 Kwickfish plugs, and 1 was caught on an orange Beau Mac Spinning Cheater.
I guided an afternoon group of 4 guests who caught 4 king salmon weighing 38, 27, 24, and 24 pounds. All 4 king salmon were caught on an orange Spinnning Cheater.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 5 guests who caught some king salmon, but I did not have the opportunity to talk with him after his trip so I do not know how many.
Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group that caught no king salmon.
David Dickson guided a group of 2 guests that did not catch a king salmon.
Water continues to drop on the Little Susitna River and should be considerably lower tomorrow.
06/12/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 3 king salmon. One king salmon was caught on a silver and chartreuse K-15 Kwickfish and 2 king salmon were caught on a orange Spinning Cheater.
I guided an afternoon group of 4 guests who caught one king salmon weighing 18 pounds on a silver and chartreuse Kwickfish. After lots of fishing pressure and boat traffic in the morning we had trouble getting bites in the afternoon. Infact, we did not get our first strike until there wos only an hour left in the charter, and then we got strikes in the last three holes we fished and finally caught the salmon in the last hole.
06/13/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 4 king salmon. All of the salmon were caught on an orange Spinning Cheater. We were fortunate to locate an agressive school of salmon and caught three salmon on three drifts in a row through the hole where we found the fish.
I guided an afternoon group of 3 guests who caught 2 king salmon and hooked and lost 3 additional salmon. 4 of the 5 fish were hooked casting #5 silver Flashtrap Spinners and the 5th king salmon was hooked casting a silver B. C. Steel Spoon. In addition we located other groups of salmon, but were unable to get them to strike.
Neal Sanderlin also guided a group who limited on king salmon.
06/14/2004
Sustina River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 6 guests who kept 6 king salmon weighing from about 18 to 56 pounds. Most of the fish weighed about 20 to 25 pounds. 1 king was caught on an M2 Flatfish, 1 king was caught on an orange Spinning Cheater, 3 king salmon were caught on K-15 Kwickfish, and the 56 pounder was caught on a silver blue and chartreuse Fatfish crankbait.
I guided an afternoon group of 2 guests who kept 2 king salmon of about 25 pounds. Both fish were caught on a silver and chartreuse K-15 Kwickfish.
Little Susitna River — David Dickson guided a morning group of 4 people who caught 2 king salmon and had additional action, but did not bring any more kings to the boat.
Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group who had enough action to limit the boat, but managed to land 2 king salmon.
Dave Osgood guided an afternoon group who caught 1 king salmon and ended up snagging some other king salmon. Later in the day the fish are getting spooky and harder to coax into striking. Hot sunny mid afternoons compound the situation.
06/15/2004
Susitna River tributaries and Deshka River — I guided a group of 5 guests who caught 9 king salmon weighing 12 – 33 pounds. King salmon were caught on K-15 Kwickfish, a blue silver and chartreuse Fatfish, an orange Spinning Cheater, Flashtrap Spinners,and flies.
06/16/2004
Susitna River Tributaries — I guided a group of 6 guests who caught 6 king salmon weighing about 25 – 45 pounds. King salmon were hooked on K-16X Kwickfish, K-15 Kwickfish, a Spinning Cheater, a blue silver and chartreuse Fatfish cranckbait. The 45 pounder was caught on a K-15 Kwickfish.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 3 king salmon and hooked, but lost 3 other king salmon. Most of their fish were hooked on Spinning Cheaters.
06/17/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I fished with 4 family members and David Dickson in the morning and we each caught and kept a king salmon. The largest one weighed 45 pounds and the other fish all weighed about 25 – 35 pounds. 5 king salmon were caught on Beau Mac Spinning Cheaters and the 45 pounder was caught on a green and chartreuse K-15 Kwickfish.
Little Susitna River — Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught one king salmon.
06/18/2004
Susitna River tributaries — I guided a morning group of 5 guests who kept 4 king salmon the largest of which weighed 40 pounds. They caught king salmon on Flashtrap Spinners, a magnum Wiggle
Wart, a Beau Mac Spinning Cheater, and a K-15 Kwickfish.
I guided one person in the afternoon who hooked and lost one king salmon, but did not manage to catch a king salmon. I found some fish, but we simply could not get any more to strike.
06/19/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 4 guests who caught 2 king salmon on Beau Mac Spinning Cheaters and hooked a couple more kings which they lost.
I guided an afternoon group of 5 guests who caught one king salmon on a purple magnum Wiggle Wart. The fish weighed about 10 pounds. They also hooked and lost one other king salmon, but we had a hard time getting bites during the hot sunny afternoon.
06/21/2004
Susitna River tribtaries — In the morning I fished with 5 family members and we caught and kept 5 king salmon ranging in size from 10 – 24 pounds. 4 king salmon were caught on magnum Wiggle Warts and the 5th salmon was caught on a Spinning Cheater.
In the afternoon I guided 4 guests who caught 3 king salmon the largest of which weighed 43 pounds. Two of the king salmon were caught casting with #5 Silver Flashtrap Spinners and the 3rd fish was caught with a silver spoon.
06/22/2004
Little Susitna River — Dave Osgood guided a group of 4 guests who caught one king salmon on a morning charter.
06/23/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 5 guests who caught 3 king salmon weighing from 20 – 32 pounds. One king salmon was caught on a Spinning Cheater, another on a purple Fatfish, and the third casting a silver #5 Flashtrap Spinner.
I guided an afternoon group of 4 guests who caught one king salmon of 25 pounds on a green magnum Wiggle Wart.
Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group of 4 guests who each caught and kept king salmon casting #5 brass and black Flashtrap Spinners and a #3 black Flashtrap Spinner.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught one king salmon.
06/24/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught 2 king salmon weighing 25 and 42 pounds. One king salmon was caught on a green magnum Wiggle Wart and the other was caught while casting with a silver #5 Flashtrap Spinner.
Neal Sanderlin guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught one king salmon while casting with Flashtrap Spinners.
Dave Osgood guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught one king salmon.
The River remains low and relatively clear and our hot weather continues.
06/25/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided 4 people in the morning who caught 2 king salmon weighing 23 and 28 pounds and a rainbow trout of about 22 inches. The king salmon were caught on a #5 Silver Flashtrap Spinner and an orange Beau Mac Spinning Cheater.
Neal Sanderlin guided a group of 3 guests who each caught and kept a king salmon while casting brass/black #5 Flashtrap Spinners.
Dave Osgood guided an afternoon group of 4 guests who caught one king salmon on a chartreuse Flashtrap Spinner.
The water level continues to drop.
06/26/2004
I ran one angler on a drop off trip today who caught and released a king salmon of and a jack king salmon on a silver and black #5 Flashtrap Spinner.
FIRST COHO SALMON CAUGHT
I also fished several hours myself and caught a silver or coho salmon on a #5 Silver Flashtrap Spinner. June 26 is the earliest I`ve ever caught a silver salmon or heard of an angler catching a silver salmon in 20 years of guiding fishermen on Little Susitna River. As mentioned in our preseason forecast we are expecting a large silver salmon return to the Little Susitna River during July, August, and September of 2004. Hopefully our new record (June 26) early silver salmon is the start of thousands more on their way up the river. Call now to reserve guided coho salmon fishing trips while most of our prime silver salmon dates are still avialable. 1-907-376-3687.
Neal Sanderlin guided 4 guests who caught and released several king salmon on brass and black Flashtrap Spinners and kept a 39 pounder and 2 jack king salmon.
06/27/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught 2 king salmon weighing 21 and 25 pounds on a M2 Flatfish and an oragne Spinning Cheater.
Fishing pressure was relatively light today, and the water continues to drop.
06/28/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a morning group of 3 guests who caught a king salmon of about 23 pounds and a chum salmon. Both fish were caught on a silver and chartreuse K-13 Kwickfish. In addition the group hooked one other fish on a K-14 Kwickfish and had a couple other light bites.
Neal Sanderlin guided a full day group of 3 guests who caught and released 7 king salmon on Flashtrap Spinners.
06/30/2004
Little Susitna River — I guided a group of 4 guests who hooked 3 salmon, but did not catch a fish.
David Dixon guided a group of 2 guests who caught 4 king salmon, the largest of which he estimated would weigh about 12 pounds. All the salmon were caught on #3 black Flashtrap Spinners.
After our trips were over, David and I checked out some of our silver salmon fishing spots, and I caught a jack king salmon and a silver salmon,and hooked and lost another silver salmon near the boat. All of the fish were hooked on a #5 Silver Flashtrap Spinner.