Matanuska Valley lakes * * *

Trout, grayling, landlocked salmon, pike

Excellent grayling fishing at Canoe Lake and rainbows at Big Beaver and Big Lake. Only unbaited, single-hook lures allowed in Kepler-Bradley complex, which boasts big rainbows in Long Lake. Catch-and-release only.

Willow area lakes * * *

Trout, grayling, pike

Try pike in Nancy Lakes Recreation Area before the water warms up. Long Lake, Memory Lake, South Rolly and Redshirt lakes all worth a try. Willow and Lynne lakes have trout.

Sheep Creek * *

Trout, grayling

If water is low and clear, areas near the mouth can prove productive. Flowing waters along Parks Highway are catch and release for rainbows until June 15.

Montana Creek * *

Trout, grayling

Despite the sunshine, it's still early for kings. Size-6 smelt patterns or flesh patterns can be deadly for grayling and catch-and-release rainbows in the main channel. Enjoy the solitude before the king salmon masses arrive.

Little Susitna River * *

King salmon, rainbows

Kings are beginning to show, although sunny weather has boosted runoff and river clarity is an issue. "Most of the time, though," said Mike Hudson of Three Rivers Fly & Tackle, "higher water gets fish starting to move."

Willow Creek * *

King salmon, trout, grayling

Don't expect kings for a couple more weeks, but enjoy the room to roam and try casting for catch-and-release trout near the river mouth if the water is clear. Try egg-sucking leeches.

Eklutna Tailrace * *

King salmon

Laid-back atmosphere makes this stocked fishery off the Old Glenn Highway a fun destination, even if fishing is slow. Park a lawn chair on the bank, and soak up the sun. Fish? Don't get your hopes up, but an early king may wander through -- and Dolly Varden are there to take up the slack.

REMOTE FISHERIES

Deshka River * *

King salmon, trout, grayling

Worried about a second consecutive poor run, Fish and Game has already restricted anglers -- bait is banned and anglers can keep kings only on Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. Just 7,500 kings made it past the weir last season -- down from 58,000 in 2004, 32,000 in 2006 and 17,500 in 2007. "It's certainly a bad situation," says Andy Couch, owner of Fishtale River Guides in Palmer. "Nobody really wins; everybody loses." Fishing is limited to 6 a.m.-11 p.m., and remember to get your king salmon stamp first.

Lake Creek *

King salmon, rainbows

If the water is clear rainbow trout fishing can be very good, depending on water conditions.

Talkeetna River * *

Rainbow trout, Dollies, grayling

Rainbow fishing can be good early in the season as fish begin moving around.

ANCHORAGE AREA

Twentymile River * * *

Hooligan

Eagles and gulls are excellent indicators the small oily-but-tasty smelt are on the move. Get a tide book and check for the flood tide. Only Alaskans can participate, and a resident fishing license is required.

Local lakes * * *

Trout, graying, char, pike, salmon

Fish and Game dumped 413 rainbow averaging 8.3 inches into Jewel Lake in April, and other local lakes will follow suit this month. Campbell Lake boasts some beefy arctic char. Fish and Game appears to have successfully wiped out northern pike in Cheney Lake with a pesticide and plans to resume stocking soon.

Ship Creek * *

King salmon

The first reported king was Saturday, a sign Anchorage's favorite urban fishery will only get better. Try the incoming tide. The Slam'n Salm'n Derby opens June 12, nearly a week later than last year.

KENAI PENINSULA

Deep Creek * *

King salmon, Dollies

Opens 12:01 a.m. Friday, the first weekend opening of the season. The sunshine may yield high muddy water. Baits such as eggs or herring work best near the river mouth.

Ninilchik River *

King salmon, Dollies

On same opening as Deep Creek for three-day weekend. Big crowds of winter-weary anglers are typical the first weekend. Watch for high water.

Homer Spit *

King salmon

Kings should be finding their way to Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon soon. Snagging is prohibited. Trolling offshore for king can be productive too.

Anchor River *

King salmon, Dollies

Opened last weekend and again on Wednesday. "There were not a lot fish caught; maybe 10 on Saturday," said Cathy Aronstam of the Anchor River Inn. "The water level is pretty low -- it's pea colored -- but it looks like we might get some rain."

Kasilof River * * *

King salmon, steelhead

Typically sees more than 2,000 returning kings but doesn't pick up until June. Christian Garreau of the Crooked Creek RV Park said kings are trickling in and some steelhead are still returning. "It's very low," he said of the river. "Since we didn't have that much snow, it melted early. Looks like it's going to be very low this year."

Upper Kenai River *

Dollies

Flowing waters of Kenai watershed closed to rainbow trout fishing.

Lower Kenai River * *

King salmon

Still early, but fishing historians will note that Les Anderson pulled his world-record 97-pound king out of the Kenai on May 17, 1985. As water levels rise, fishing should improve. The river sonar started May 16 and has counted 162 kings in four days. Last three years have been very consistent, with about 15,000 kings passing the sonar.

Clam Gulch * * * *

Razor clams

Wielding a shovel could be more potent than wielding a rod over Memorial Day weekend. Good minus tides every day, peaking at -4.5 on Monday and -4.7 on Tuesday. Diggers report lots of small clams on the east coast of Cook Inlet. To find the big ones, take a flight to the west side, which could be a marvelous weekend outing if sunshine persists.

MARINE FISHERIES

Outside Resurrection Bay * * *

Halibut, rockfish

Fair fishing for halibut east of the bay. Seward Jackpot Halibut derby set to start June 1. Tim Berg earned $10,000 last year for his 320-pounder. Lingcod fishing closed until July 1.

Resurrection Bay * * *

Salmon, halibut, rockfish, cod

Halibut are near the mouth of the bay, and trollers are picking up some king salmon. Limit for kings is two per day.

Deep Creek offshore * * *

King salmon, halibut

Trollers are picking up king salmon using herring, hoochies, tube flies and spoons. A corridor one mile from shore between Anchor Point and Deep Creek is popular. Flashers often help attract fish. And if the kings aren't around, there should be eating-size halibut available.

Prince William Sound * * * * *

Halibut, shrimp, rockfish

Alaskans can access the Sound now that the Anton-Anderson Tunnel is open to Whittier. A permit is needed to shrimp. Halibut off Lone Island and Strawberry Channel produced numerous catches last weekend, particularly at low tide. Rockfish daily bag limit is four per day, eight in possession. Only two may be non-pelagic species.

Kachemak Bay * *

King salmon, halibut, rockfish

Trollers are finding some kings on the south side of the bay, and stocked salmon should return to Halibut Cove and Seldovia within weeks.