Tanana Drainage Management Area
Fishing Opportunities

Minto Flats is a large wetland complex approximately 35 miles west of Fairbanks, within the Minto Flats State Game Refuge.  The area contains a number of large and small lakes which drain into the Tolovana River via Goldstream Creek, numerous sloughs, and the Chatanika River.  Summer access is by boat or floatplane only.  Minto Flats is known for its large population of northern pike.  These fish are often aggressive summer feeders and can be a thrill to hook and land. 

Northern pike are aggressive summer feeders and fishing with surface lures such as artificial frogs and/ or mice is often productive.  Because northern pike are fish eaters, large silver spoons and rubber fish patterns also work well.  Early in the open water season, northern pike are often found in the shallow water right near shore, which sometimes requires precision casting to entice them to bite.  Later in the summer weedless lures are often required, and steel leaders are a must when fishing for northern pike.

The Minto Flats lake complex may be accessed by boat in two ways, both of which require long drives and fairly long boat rides.  The first is from the Murphy Dome Road Extension (approximately 25 miles west of Fairbanks).  You can launch a jet boat into the Chatanika River after traveling 12 miles down an unmaintained, rough, dirt road.  Both the road down to the Chatanika River and the launch require high-clearance four-wheel drive vehicles, and access to the boat launch may require chains during periods of wet weather.  After launching your boat, you travel downriver to Goldstream Creek, then up the Goldstream Creek to the lakes.

The second way is to launch a prop or jet boat into the Tolovana River at the Village of Minto (off the Elliott Highway).  The Chatanika River enters the Tolovana River about 10 miles upstream of Minto.  Goldstream Creek is another 25 miles up the Chatanika, and Minto Lakes are another 5 miles up Goldstream Creek.  The lakes of Minto Flats can also be accessed by float plane, and there are a number of air taxi operators in Fairbanks who provide that service.

Northern Pike

Begin: June 152
Ends: October 287

Before you go fishing please check the regulations.