Alaska Rainbow Trout Fishing

Susitna River

Divided into six units, the Susitna River drainage boasts fishing throughout the year!

My First Fishing Trip by Bryn Hiner

Being a “city girl” the opportunity to go sport fishing had never come up, and the closest I ever came to “fishing” was watching the guys tossing fish at the Pike Place Market in Seattle.  My husband had other ideas, and promptly set out to correct this sad omission in my upbringing.  We set out in the wee hours from our home in Anchorage for a two and half hour road trip north on the George Parks Highway to Talkeetna.  By around 7:00 a.m. we hopped on a Mahays water taxi boat for a short trip up the Talkeetna River to Clear Creek, where we arranged to be picked up later in the day.  The guide advised us to keep a close watch out for bear, and that the fishing had been good in the past few days.  We hiked along the banks of Clear Creek for about ½ hour until we found just the right spot, which we had pretty much to ourselves. 

With enough bug spray for a small troop, and a smelly cigar to chase away the flies, my husband set about the task of teaching me the finer arts of fishing.  The early August day was fine and clear, with a warm stream of sun and light cooling breeze and I settled into the blissful surroundings far from the “city”.  My first few casts were barely a few feet away as I stood in the crystal clear icy waters, but I was content to let fish come find me.  My husband was catching and releasing Silver’s with annoying frequency while I fumbled with my gear and despaired of landing a fish.  After about the 5^th or 6^th declaration of “Fish On” by my husband, I was ready for a break, and retreated to the bank for a snack.  Thus replenished I waded back in to the gently flowing creek and made another cast.  Within minutes I was so shocked to realize I had a “Fish On” that I nearly dropped my rod.  With coaching from my husband, I somehow managed to reel the respectable little Silver in to the shallows where we got him in a net, and I had my first ever catch! 

The rest of the day was an enjoyable blur; with several more fish landed, and no bears to disturb us, we headed home satisfied and successful.  In the last dozen years, more trips have followed around the state, including the wild rushing waters of the Klutina, the popular Kenai River, and the reliable Ship Creek in Anchorage, to name a few, though nothing can match the thrill of that first catch.  Our Alaska Rainbow Trout Fishing adventures continue with new places to explore and familiar favorites to re-visit.  “Fish On”!!!