Mat-Su sockeye opens up — but the kings stay closed

Two Mat-Su sockeye fisheries opened this week, giving anglers a fresh shot at salmon — but the openings come stitched with restrictions, and against a backdrop of kings still locked down almost everywhere.

Fish Creek off Knik-Goose Bay is open daily through July 14, and Cottonwood Creek is open weekends only, from its mouth up one mile. Both carry gear and boundary rules that differ from statewide regs, so checking the current emergency orders first isn't optional. Fish and Game just set a weir at Fish Creek to count the run, and a few early sockeye are already in the inlet; the biologist calls Cottonwood early but worth a try.

The bigger picture is the split you've seen all season: sockeye opening up while kings stay shut. Emergency orders close the Susitna, the Little Susitna, and all of West Cook Inlet to king fishing, and tighten gear elsewhere. The lone exception is the Eklutna Tailrace — still the only open king harvest in Northern Cook Inlet, and running good right now, because those are hatchery fish. For everything else, there's Jim Creek (all species but kings through July 31), pike at road-accessible lakes like Big Lake and Nancy Lake, and freshly stocked rainbow trout.