Fishing in Alaska public spots, conditions & reports
3 of 24worth the trip today
Mostly Pacific halibut and sockeye salmon today. Each spot is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
Small Craft Advisory at 3 spots
Hold Ctrl and scroll to zoom
Go 1Worth the trip 2Marginal 2Sit it out 16Click to zoom in, drag to move, right-click to zoom out
Best in Alaska right now
Sitka100 now · Sitka BoroughKvichak River75 now · Lake and Peninsula BoroughKenai River72 now · Kenai Peninsula BoroughBuskin River65 now · Kodiak Island BoroughKasilof River60 now · Kenai Peninsula BoroughHomer / Kachemak Bay53 now · Kenai Peninsula BoroughWhittier / Passage Canal53 now · Chugach Census AreaSeward / Resurrection Bay48 now · Kenai Peninsula Borough
Every Alaska spot
24 public spots, best first. Each is scored for whatever is in season and biting best there.
Kvichak River (Bristol Bay)Lake and Peninsula BoroughSockeye salmon
43° water · 5 mph wind
75Worth the trip
Homer / Kachemak BayKenai Peninsula BoroughPacific halibutSmall Craft Advisory
47° water · 5 mph wind · incoming tide
53Sit it out
Fish in the rivers
The latest Alaska Department of Fish and Game counts, against the last four seasons.
- Anchor River Coho
6,040 counted in 2026
Counting ended Sep 28. A typical 2022–2025 run: 2,718.
Most fish pass Aug 12 – Sep 9, half by Aug 28.
- Anchor River Dolly Varden
2,297 counted in 2026
Counting ended Sep 28. A typical 2022–2025 run: 3,288.
Most fish pass Jul 15 – Sep 6, half by Aug 3.
- Anchor River Steelhead
702 counted in 2026
Counting ended Sep 28. A typical 2022–2025 run: 860.
Most fish pass Aug 27 – Sep 27, half by Sep 10.
- Buskin River Pink
265,830 counted in 2026
Counting ended Sep 27. A typical 2022 and 2024 run: 26,348.
Most fish pass Aug 6 – Aug 27, half by Aug 13.
- Buskin River Sockeye
2,016 counted in 2026
Counting ended Sep 27. A typical 2022–2025 run: 8,913.
Most fish pass Jun 11 – Jul 21, half by Jun 24.
- Buskin River Coho
1,704 counted in 2026
Counting ended Sep 27. A typical 2022–2025 run: 2,369.
Most fish pass Aug 25 – Sep 26, half by Sep 14.
When the runs come
For the rivers we cover, when the middle 80% of each counted run usually passes, and the date half of it is through. From ADF&G's daily counts in earlier seasons.
King (Chinook)
- Ninilchik River 10% by Jun 6, half by Jun 21, 90% by Jul 28, in 2022–2025Jun 21
- Anchor River 10% by Jun 8, half by Jun 29, 90% by Jul 23, in 2022–2025Jun 29
- Little Susitna 10% by Jun 21, half by Jul 4, 90% by Jul 17, in 2022–2025Jul 4
- Gulkana River 10% by Jun 27, half by Jul 15, 90% by Aug 2, in 2022–2025Jul 15
- Chena River 10% by Jul 9, half by Jul 21, 90% by Jul 30, in 2022, 2023 and 2025Jul 21
- Salcha River 10% by Jul 12, half by Jul 21, 90% by Jul 30, in 2022–2025Jul 21
- Kenai River (Chinook) late run 10% by Jul 11, half by Jul 29, 90% by Aug 13, in 2022–2025Jul 29
- Russian River 10% by Jul 20, half by Aug 1, 90% by Aug 18, in 2022–2025Aug 1
Sockeye (red)
- Buskin River 10% by Jun 11, half by Jun 25, 90% by Jul 21, in 2022–2025Jun 25
- Russian River early run 10% by Jun 15, half by Jun 25, 90% by Jul 7, in 2022–2024Jun 25
- Little Susitna 10% by Jun 11, half by Jul 9, 90% by Aug 1, in 2022–2024Jul 9
- Gulkana River 10% by Jun 15, half by Jul 18, 90% by Aug 5, in 2022, 2024 and 2025Jul 18
- Kasilof River (sockeye) 10% by Jun 28, half by Jul 19, 90% by Aug 2, in 2022–2025Jul 19
- Kenai River (late-run sockeye) 10% by Jul 16, half by Jul 25, 90% by Aug 8, in 2022–2025Jul 25
- Pasagshak 10% by Jun 30, half by Jul 25, 90% by Aug 3, in 2022 and 2025Jul 25
- Jim Creek 10% by Jul 27, half by Aug 3, 90% by Aug 19, in 2023–2025Aug 3
- Russian River late run 10% by Jul 25, half by Aug 8, 90% by Aug 27, in 2022–2025Aug 8
Pink (humpy)
- Little Susitna 10% by Jul 25, half by Aug 1, 90% by Aug 6, in 2023–2024Aug 1
- Buskin River 10% by Aug 4, half by Aug 10, 90% by Sep 1, in 2022–2025Aug 10
Chum (dog)
- Little Susitna 10% by Jul 25, half by Aug 1, 90% by Aug 6, in 2022–2024Aug 1
- Buskin River 10% by Jul 30, half by Aug 8, 90% by Aug 27, in 2022–2023Aug 8
Coho (silver)
- Little Susitna 10% by Jul 28, half by Aug 2, 90% by Aug 10, in 2022–2025Aug 2
- Jim Creek 10% by Aug 8, half by Aug 20, 90% by Aug 29, in 2023–2025Aug 20
- Anchor River 10% by Aug 13, half by Aug 28, 90% by Sep 10, in 2022, 2024 and 2025Aug 28
- Buskin River 10% by Aug 29, half by Sep 4, 90% by Sep 26, in 2023–2024Sep 4
Emergency orders in effect
ADF&G changes limits and seasons in season. These orders are in effect today, by management area.
Anchorage 2 orders
- Liberalized Ship Creek Salmon Limits Increased Anchorage · issued Aug 6 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Ship Creek Closed To All Sport Fishing Through July 13 Anchorage · issued Jul 1 · in effect through Dec 31
Bristol Bay 2 orders
- Liberalized Nushagak-Mulchatna Drainage Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased Bristol Bay · issued Jun 29 · in effect through Dec 31
- Liberalized Wood River Drainage Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased Bristol Bay · issued Jun 29 · in effect through Dec 31
Haines/Skagway 2 orders
- Opening CORRECTED - Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Haines And Skagway Area Haines/Skagway · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Restriction Sport Fishing Regulations For King Salmon In Southeast Alaska And The Haines/Skagway Area For 2026 Haines/Skagway · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
Juneau 5 orders
- Opening North Gastineau Channel Saltwaters Reopening To Sport Fishing September 19, 2026 Juneau · issued Sep 17 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Montana Creek, Peterson Creek And Lagoon Closed To Coho Salmon Fishing Juneau · issued Aug 27 · in effect through Dec 31
- Opening CORRECTED - Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Juneau/Glacier Bay Area Juneau · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Restriction Sport Fishing Regulations For King Salmon In Southeast Alaska And The Juneau/Glacier Bay Area For 2026 Juneau · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
- Closure Section 11-A And Tenakee Inlet Personal Use And Sport Shrimp Pot Fisheries Remain Closed Juneau · issued Dec 17 · in effect through Dec 31
Ketchikan 2 orders
- Opening CORRECTED- Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Ketchikan Area Ketchikan · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Restriction Sport Fishing Regulations For King Salmon In Southeast Alaska And The Ketchikan Area For 2026 Ketchikan · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
Kodiak 6 orders
- Liberalized Saltery Cove Drainage Sockeye Salmon Limits Restored Kodiak · issued Aug 12 · in effect through Dec 31
- Restriction Saltery Cove Drainage Sockeye Salmon Limits Reduced Kodiak · issued Jul 28 · in effect through Dec 31
- Liberalized Ayakulik River Drainage Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased Kodiak · issued Jun 24 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Buskin River Closed To Sport Fishing For Sockeye Salmon Kodiak · issued Jun 22 · in effect through Dec 31
- Restriction Kodiak And Afognak Islands Rockfish Limits Modified Kodiak · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Dec 31
- Restriction Afognak Island Lingcod Limits Reduced Kodiak · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Dec 31
Kuskokwim 1 order
- Closure Kuskokwim River Drainage Coho Salmon Sport Fishery Closed Kuskokwim · issued Aug 7 · in effect through Dec 31
Mat-Su 4 orders
- Closure Little Susitna & Susitna River Drainages No Retention Of Coho Salmon Mat-Su · issued Aug 17 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Susitna And Little Susitna River Drainages No Retention Of Coho Salmon Mat-Su · issued Aug 17 · in effect through Dec 31
- Restriction Yentna River Subsistence Salmon Fishery Restriction Mat-Su · issued Apr 22 · no end date listed
- Closure West Cook Inlet Fresh Waters Closed To King Salmon Fishing Mat-Su · issued Feb 9 · in effect through Dec 31
North Gulf Coast / Res. Bay 1 order
- Opening Seward Lagoon Youth-Only Fishery Extended Through July 31 North Gulf Coast / Res. Bay · issued Jun 25 · no end date listed
Northern Kenai 2 orders
- Restriction Kenai River Drainage Coho Salmon Limit Remains At Two Fish Northern Kenai · issued Aug 27 · in effect through Nov 30
- Liberalized Kasilof River Sockeye Salmon Limits Increased Northern Kenai · issued Jun 24 · in effect through Dec 31
Petersburg 2 orders
- Opening CORRECTED - Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Petersburg Area Petersburg · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Restriction Sport Fishing Regulations For King Salmon In Southeast Alaska And The Petersburg/Wrangell Area For 2026 Petersburg · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
Prince of Wales Island 3 orders
- Opening CORRECTED - Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Prince Of Wales Area Prince of Wales Island · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Opening Southeast Alaska Regional King Salmon Sport Fishing Regulations For 2026 Prince of Wales Island · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
- Closure Kasaan Bay And Skowl Arm Sport Shrimp Pot Fisheries Remain Closed Prince of Wales Island · issued Jan 6 · in effect through Dec 31
Sitka 6 orders
- Liberalized REDOUBT BAY AND LAKE SUBSISTENCE AND SPORT SOCKEYE SALMON LIMITS INCREASED Sitka · issued Jun 30 · in effect through Dec 31
- Liberalized Regulations For Swan Lake Junior Trout Derby Sitka · issued Jun 3 · no end date listed
- Opening CORRECTED - Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Sitka Area Sitka · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Opening Southeast Alaska Regional King Salmon Sport Fishing Regulations For 2026 Sitka · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
- Restriction CORRECTED: Sitka Area Pelagic Rockfish Limit Reduced In The Sitka Area In 2026 Sitka · issued Jan 27 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Secions 13-B And 13-C Subsistence And Sport Shrimp Fisheries Closure Sitka · issued Dec 15 · in effect through Dec 31
Southeast 1 order
- Restriction Southeast Alaska 2026 Demersal Shelf Rockfish Sport Fishing Season Reduced For Nonresident Anglers Southeast · issued Jan 26 · in effect through Dec 31
Tanana 2 orders
- Opening Tanana River Drainage Chum Salmon Sport Fishery Closure Rescinded Tanana · issued Jul 8 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Tanana River Drainage Chum Salmon Sport Fishery Closed Tanana · issued Jun 17 · in effect through Dec 31
Upper Copper Upper Susitna 1 order
- Liberalized Ice House Registration Requirement For The Upper Copper-Upper Susitna Management Area Suspended Through May 31, 2027 Upper Copper Upper Susitna · issued Sep 14 · in effect through May 31
Yakutat 2 orders
- Opening CORRECTED - Southeast Alaska 2026 Lingcod Sport Fishing Regulations For The Yakutat Area Yakutat · issued Apr 6 · in effect through Nov 30
- Opening Southeast Alaska Regional King Salmon Sport Fishing Regulations For 2026 Yakutat · issued Mar 31 · in effect through Apr 30
Yukon 3 orders
- Closure Yukon River Drainage Closed To Sport Fishing For Chum Salmon In State Waters Yukon · issued Jul 15 · in effect through Dec 31
- Opening Yukon River Drainage Chum Salmon Sport Fishery Closure Rescinded Yukon · issued Jul 8 · in effect through Dec 31
- Closure Yukon River Drainage Chum Salmon Sport Fishery Closed Yukon · issued May 13 · in effect through Dec 31
From the ADF&G emergency order list, checked daily; the list last changed Nov 5.
The state report
No current report.
Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game hasn’t published one we can date.
Licenses and rules
Rules for what people fish for here
- Coho salmon2 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Chinook salmon20" minimum · 1 a dayKing salmon fishing in the Kenai River, the Anchorage area and most Kenai Peninsula fresh water is closed in 2026 by emergency order. Do not fish for kings, and release any you hook immediately. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Out of season · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Dolly Varden2 a dayKenai Peninsula: Arctic char/Dolly Varden in flowing waters are 2 a day, 2 in possession, no size limit; in lakes, 5 a day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Nov 6, 2026 · source
- Pink salmon3 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Sockeye salmon3 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Chum salmon3 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Arctic grayling2 a dayBristol Bay: 2 Arctic grayling a day, 2 in possession, no size limit. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Rainbow trout2 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: 2 rainbow/steelhead a day in combination, 2 in possession, only 1 of which may be 20" or longer. North of Point Adam there is an annual limit of 2 rainbow/steelhead 20" or longer, recorded at harvest. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Open · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Steelhead2 a dayKenai Peninsula flowing waters: 2 rainbow/steelhead a day in combination, 2 in possession, only 1 of which may be 20" or longer. North of Point Adam there is an annual limit of 2 rainbow/steelhead 20" or longer, recorded at harvest. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.Catch and release · Alaska non-tidal · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Pacific halibut2 a dayUnguided anglers: 2 halibut a day, 4 in possession, no size limit, February 1–December 31; closed in January. Charter (guided) anglers follow separate federal limits set each year by the IPHC and NOAA.Open · Alaska · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Rockfish2 a dayCook Inlet and Kachemak Bay in 2026, by emergency order: pelagic rockfish 2 a day, 4 in possession; nonpelagic 1 a day, 2 in possession, and no yelloweye may be kept April 1–June 30.Open · Alaska · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
- Lingcod35" minimum · 1 a dayCook Inlet and Kachemak Bay: July 1–December 31, 1 lingcod a day, 2 in possession, at least 35" long with the head on (or 28" from tail tip to the front of the dorsal fin with the head off).Open · Alaska · verified Oct 18, 2026 · source
Limits differ by water. Each spot page shows the limits for its own water.
What’s biting in Alaska
Species people fish for at Alaska spots, and how many of those spots are worth the trip for them today.
Coho salmonOncorhynchus kisutch1 of 20 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Sitka, AK88
Bites in 44–58° water
Chinook salmonOncorhynchus tshawytscha1 of 15 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Sitka, AK100
Bites in 42–58° water
Dolly VardenSalvelinus malma1 of 10 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Kenai River, AK72
Bites in 38–58° water
Sockeye salmonOncorhynchus nerka1 of 8 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Kvichak River, AK75
Bites in 40–60° water
Arctic graylingThymallus arcticus1 of 6 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Kvichak River, AK75
Bites in 39–60° water
Pacific halibutHippoglossus stenolepis1 of 5 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Sitka, AK100
Bites in 37–55° water
RockfishSebastes spp.1 of 5 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Sitka, AK88
Bites in 45–58° water
LingcodOphiodon elongatus1 of 4 spots worth the trip in Alaska
Best now at Sitka, AK88
Bites in 45–58° water
About fishing in Alaska
Alaska's 24 public access points span rivers and streams and the Pacific coast, across 9 counties. Across them, the species anglers most often target are Coho Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Pink Salmon, and Dolly Varden. Each is scored live on water temperature, tide or river flow, moon phase, barometric pressure, and weather. Always confirm current size, creel, and season limits with the Alaska state fishery agency before keeping fish — we flag any species whose regulations we haven't yet verified.
24 public access points across 0 water bodies. Data from NOAA, NWS, USGS, and Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game.