01/22/2023
Northern Pike Fly Out Fishing
While Salmon and trout will always be my favorite fish to target, Northern Pike fishing in the Matsu Valley will always hold a very special place in my heart. When I was 10 years old, my dad and brother along with our neighbor and his young sons flew in a float plane across Cook Inlet from Anchorage to a remote lake and hopped in 2 boats. We motored around the lake for a half day catching over 100 Northern Pike fairly easily. Being in a truly wild untrammeled setting and catching large numbers of aggressive fish, created an amazing memory I will never forget. Part of our vision with Miller’s Riverboat Service and Susitna Rods is to help create these types of memories for our customers by providing an excellent guide service that offers an epic fishing opportunity while using the best fishing rods for the application.
For most Pike fishing situations in the Matsu Valley, which encompasses the Susitna River and its tributaries along with Knik Arm which encompasses Big Lake and the Nancy Lake system connected to the Little Susitna, I recommend the Susitna Rod Rx7 7'2" 2pc. medium (8-14lb. line) or medium heavy (10-17lb.) spin rods. These rods are durable sensitive, have superb strength and will easily cast a wide range of baits and sizes. Both of these rods are available for sale on our website under the rods / shop tab. This is the best 7' 2 pc. rod available on the market.
There is definately some quality Northern Pike fishing off the road system in the Anchorage and Matsu area, but the best most dependable fishing you will need to fly to. While Pike fishing is good throughout the summer months, early summer and early fall seem to provide the very best fishing. It is scary how aggressive these fish are. Northern Pike in the 20” to 25” class are the norm, with 40’’ fish available. Savage topwater bites on both fly, spin and baitcast gear are the norm. Weedless frogs and mouse patterns are deadly. If the fish become sluggish in the middle of the day, a herring below a bobber always produces. If catching large numbers of fish on custom fishing rods, not fighting crowds and enjoying a true wilderness experience is in your wheelhouse, you need to connect with Miller’s Riverboat Service and book a remote flyout fully guided pike fishing trip. Our fly out trips depart from Willow, Alaska only a 90 minute drive from Anchorage or 45 minutes from Wasilla.
Fish On!
Ben
Northern Pike taken back in 2018 at Lynx Lake casting a #4 silver vibrax with a Susitna Rod (Rx7 7'2" medium spin rod) REVS72M-2sb