Willow Creek Search for Missing Fisherman

MAT-SU — The search for missing fisherman, Jerry Warner, 71, of Missouri, is in its second day on Willow Creek with dogs, boats, a helicopter, ATVs, and a ground search all a part of the effort.

Alaska State Troopers reported Warner overdue from a solo fishing trip on Willow Creek Sunday. He left, walking upstream about 11 am with possibly only a fishing pole for what was expected to be only a few hours on the water. Warner is visiting Alaska in an RV and was camped at the nearby Willow Creek Resort off the Parks Highway at mile 71.5. Troopers report he was last seen wearing a green camouflage ball cap, gray raincoat and green chest waders. He was not carrying a cell phone. He is reportedly an avid outdoorsman and goes on solo fishing trips often, Troopers report. A Trooper Helo-3 is performing an aerial search.

The search began at about 8 pm Sunday and was suspended around midnight/1 am due to darkness. Today (Monday) the search began about 5:30 am with numbers searching increasing to 40 or more, according to Nathan Graber, the Incident Commander for Willow Fire & Rescue with Matanuska-Susitna Borough Emergency Services. Graber reports that five boats are searching Willow Creek, focusing on the downstream today. He said today up to eight search dogs with MATSAR, a local nonprofit search and rescue group, and, later today, Alaska Search and Rescue Dogs, will be working different areas. MATSAR also brought in ATVs for a ground search. Willow EMS is also searching, and Alaska Mountain Rescue Group joins in the search this afternoon.

“It’s tough walking,” said Gary Klink, Chief of Mat-Su Borough Water Rescue. “It’s typical Alaska terrain—trees, brush, Devil’s Club, dense woods.” Klink said they worked until full-on darkness last night. “And didn’t come up with anything.”

On Sunday, the water level in Willow Creek at the Parks Highway was at just over 6.5 feet, well below the flood stage of 10 feet, according to the National Weather Service online data. Temperatures today are in the high 50s with 60 percent chance of rain and cloudy. The low temperature is expected to be at 50F tonight, according to the National Weather Service.

For more information call Alaska State Trooper PIO Beth Ipsen at 907.269-5654 or Mat-Su Borough Public Affairs Director Patty Sullivan at 907.861-8577 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

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