Basking in 62-degree sunshine, Moreno could find worse ways to spend a weekday in Anchorage. But neither he nor the half-dozen anglers across the creek near the railroad bridge had any evidence of success.

"It's early," said Moreno, who was trying his luck at Ship Creek for the second time this season. "Hopefully I can catch one in a little while. I'd love a little fresh fish for dinner."

Might be the night to order takeout.

Heading into Memorial Day weekend, anglers throughout Southcentral were banking more on hope than hard evidence that the fishing gods would bless them.

Perhaps the best prospects lie toward the southern tip of the Kenai Peninsula, where the Anchor River king fishery was getting off to a quicker start than last year. The sonar fish counter located about two miles from salt water had counted 231 kings as of Tuesday, including a whopping 84 on Sunday.

That's considerably better than the 141 counted last year by the same day and may herald better times for a river that's struggled to rebuild failing king returns.

Late last year, the Alaska Board of Fisheries blessed the idea proposed by state fisheries biologists to change the existing 5,000 king salmon minimum to a range of 3,800-10,000 fish escaping upriver to spawn.

They argued that the 5,000 floor was established years ago when biologists only had crude estimates of the run's strength from aerial surveys. Since 2003, a weir has provided a more detailed count.

"We have more actual escapement data," said former area fishery biologist Nicky Szarzi.

The Anchor River king run hasn't topped 5,000 since 2008. Four years earlier, it exceeded 12,000.

But with gas prices edging up toward $5 a gallon, some Anchorage area anglers may choose to stick closer to home, even if their efforts amount to little more than casting practice.

"Ship Creek should provide for a good excuse to get out fishing this weekend," said Fish and Game's weekly fishing report. "Don't go with great expectations, but it will be better than mowing your lawn."

At the opposite end of the size scale, small hooligan are available on incoming tides to Alaskans bearing nets at Twentymile River south of Portage. Or perhaps they'll join the kings in Ship Creek -- as they did a century ago.

"Prior to settlement of Anchorage in 1915," reads a sign about the fishery on the banks of Ship Creek, "Dena'ina relied on the abundant stickleback (hooligan or needlefish) to be the first fish to enter the creek in spring.

"Elder Shem Pete reminisced, 'You put your hand in, it is full of needlefish.' "

In fact, the Dena'ina name for Ship Creek was DgheyayLet, meaning "where stickleback run."

Sadly, not much beyond stickleback should be running fast and furious this weekend. Here's a quick rundown.

Anchorage Area

Eagle River opens to king salmon fishing this weekend. Check Page 38 of the Southcentral regulation book to see exactly where and when you can fish.

Alaskans netting hooligan at Twentymile River are getting two to four a swipe on productive incoming tides.

Closer to home, Jewel, Delong, Sand and Campbell Point lakes were stocked last year and again late last week. The bag limit for rainbow trout, arctic char and grayling is two of each species, only one of which may be more than 12 inches.

Mat-Su Area

Chunky rainbows recently were stocked in Kepler-Bradley Lakes as well as Finger Lake, while Irene Matanuska, Seventeenmile and Finger Lakes received some nice-size char.

It's early for king salmon here, but across the Cook Inlet king fishing is improving daily on the Deshka River. Guide Andy Couch of Fishtale River Guides reported that all four anglers he took to the Deshka on Wednesday hooked a king, with a 27- and 23-pounder landed. A K-14X Kwikfish lure and a Spinning Cheater with cured salmon roe fished behind a jet diver both proved productive.

Prince William Sound

Shrimping has been up and down on the west side of the Sound, with overnight sets working best. Permits are mandatory.

The summer-long Valdez Halibut Derby opened Saturday.

Resurrection Bay

Trollers inside the bay can keep two kings a day. Both rockfish and cod have been abundant, but halibut fishing hasn't really taken off yet.

Lower Cook Inlet

In addition to the Anchor River, the lower portions of Deep Creek and the Ninilchik River open to king salmon anglers 12:01 a.m. Saturday through 11:59 p.m. Monday.

Anglers able to troll offshore have had early-season king success on the south side of Kachemak Bay, off Bluff Point, Point Pogibshi and north to Ninilchik. The corridor one mile offshore between Anchor Point and Deep Creek has been productive.

Experiment with a variety of depths up to 100 feet, particularly near kelp beds or near rocky points.

Tides don't favor clammers until June 1.

The Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby is off to a slow start with three 100-pound-plus fish on the leaderboard. Expect that to change soon.

Kenai Peninsula

King salmon fishing in the Kenai River ought to take off any time. Thus far, the cumulative sonar estimate of 364 kings is well ahead of last year's slow start. Rising water levels on both the Kenai and Kasilof rivers ought to help.

On various Kenai lakes, bait fished under a bobber, small spinners and spoons or fly fishing from a float tube can be productive in the weeks after ice-out.

---

Reach reporter Mike Campbell at mcampbell@adn.com or 257-4329.