Mat-Su Valley Blog

Pink salmon are far from the most desired salmon in Alaska's streams, but they also provide a great opportunity to get out and test your hand fly fishing in Susitna Valley streams. Last week, I was joined by a college friend from 25 years ago who wanted to do some Alaska salmon fishing. We loaded up...

For many, when the last salmon run ends in the fall, fishing season is over. But in the Mat-Su Valley, that's only the beginning of the "hardwater" season. From Lake Louise to Denali State Park, ice fishing opportunities abound in the Mat-Su Valley. There are more than 80 stocked lakes in the Valley...

The second week of August brings the peak of the silver salmon season in the Mat-Su Valley, a great time to have some fun on the water and have some fresh salmon fillets for the grill. Silvers - also known as coho salmon - are popular because they provide a lot of action on the river, and they make...

Right beside one of the busiest highways in Alaska, the Glenn Highway, you'll find peace and serenity at Reflections Lake, which is one of the Mat-Su Valley's hidden gems. The lake is located at the Knik River Access ramp just north of Palmer on the Glenn Highway. Despite it being right beside the...

Just because it's the winter doesn't mean you have to spend your days indoors - there are lots of ways to enjoy the outdoors during the winter months! Here are five of our favorite ways: 1. Take a trip to Talkeetna. Winter is a great time to visit. You can even make it a weekend by taking the Alaska...

The first sign of spring is this weekend - the annual Mat-Su Outdoorsman Show at the Menard Center. You know that summer can't be too far away once the outdoor show season starts, and the Mat-Su show is the first one up on the calendar this year. The show, which runs Friday through Sunday (March...

Alaskans love summer, for good reason. But don't sleep on fall - there's a ton of great activities going on in the Mat-Su Valley in late September and early October. Here are five of our favorite things to do once summer is over, but winter is still a month or two down the road: 1. Take a hike....

The Nancy Lakes State Recreation Area is one of the crown jewels of the Alaska State Parks system and offers visitors a multitude of outdoor recreation opportunities, from canoeing and kayaking to fishing, birding, wildlife viewing and hiking. The area is located off the Parks Highway (Hwy. 3) near...

If your dream day begins by waking up at 3 a.m. on your day off, just so you can hit the river by 6 a.m., you aren't alone - you are a salmon angler and right now, the place to be is on the water, chasing king salmon as they enter Mat-Su Valley streams. King salmon fishing has been fair to average...

For many, when winter hits, the fishing gear gets put away for the season. But that doesn't have to be the case - ice fishing is a great winter pastime in the Mat-Su Valley, with opportunities to catch lake trout, landlocked salmon and more in a variety of locations. Just an hour north of Anchorage...