It’s a fishing day

Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) fishing conditions · Alaska

Sit it outno coho salmon window clears the bar in 36 hours

Coho salmon is the best bet here today.

Small Craft Advisory until Wednesday 5 pm
Log a trip here
Right now: 0 for coho salmon, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Coho salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 012 pm
  2. 0
  3. 0
  4. 03 pm
  5. 5
  6. 5
  7. 86 pm
  8. 8
  9. 8
  10. 59 pm
  11. 5
  12. 5
  13. 0Sun
  14. 0
  15. 0
  16. 03 am
  17. 0
  18. 0
  19. 06 am
  20. 0
  21. 0
  22. 09 am
  23. 0
  24. 0
  25. 012 pm
  26. 0
  27. 0
  28. 03 pm
  29. 0
  30. 0
  31. 86 pm
  32. 8
  33. 8
  34. 89 pm
  35. 8
  36. 8
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Coho salmon range 44–58°

Wind
5 mph

From the east

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:42 pm

Sky
Light Snow Likely

57% chance of rain

Air
35°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alaska non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Coho salmon bite in 44–58° water, best near 53°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Coho salmon is here May–Oct. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Bird Creek: closed to all fishing January 1–July 13. From July 14, salmon may be fished from the mouth up about 500 yards to the ADF&G marker: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 16" or longer are 3 a day, 3 in possession, and all 3 may be coho; under 16", 10 a day. Above the marker, no salmon fishing. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Bird Creek, lower 500 yards

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Pink salmon bite in 42–60° water, best near 52°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Pink salmon is here Jul–Aug. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Bird Creek: closed to all fishing January 1–July 13. From July 14, salmon may be fished from the mouth up about 500 yards to the ADF&G marker: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 16" or longer are 3 a day, 3 in possession; under 16", 10 a day. Above the marker, no salmon fishing. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Bird Creek, lower 500 yards

Season here: Jul–Aug. More on pink salmon

Chum Salmon

Chum salmon

Oncorhynchus keta

8Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Chum salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Chum salmon is here Jul–Aug. Holds 2–15 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Bird Creek: closed to all fishing January 1–July 13. From July 14, salmon may be fished from the mouth up about 500 yards to the ADF&G marker: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 16" or longer are 3 a day, 3 in possession; under 16", 10 a day. Above the marker, no salmon fishing. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Bird Creek, lower 500 yards

Season here: Jul–Aug. More on chum salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.42 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:42 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:43 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarToday 10:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 3:10 pm–4:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 11:00 pm–1:00 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Emergency orders in effect

Alaska changes limits and seasons in season. These ADF&G orders cover the Anchorage area and override the limits below where they differ.

From the ADF&G emergency order list, checked daily; the list last changed Nov 5. Read the order itself before you fish.

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

A Turnagain Arm stream at the Seward Highway south of Anchorage, with pink and coho salmon fished at the mouth from late July. The tidal flats of Turnagain Arm are dangerous glacial mud with a fast bore tide.

Closed to all fishing January 1–July 13. From July 14, salmon may be fished only in the lower 500 yards: 3 a day 16" or longer, all of which may be coho. Private land starts about 100 yards below the highway bridge markers; upstream of that, public access is the streambed only.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Whittier / Passage Canal30 mi · AlaskaBest tonight 9 pm to tomorrow 12 am
68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm)?

Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Coho Salmon, Pink Salmon, Chum Salmon. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) have?

Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Closed to all fishing January 1–July 13. From July 14, salmon may be fished only in the lower 500 yards: 3 a day 16" or longer, all of which may be coho. Private land starts about 100 yards below the highway bridge markers; upstream of that, public access is the streambed only.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm)?

state agency regulations apply at Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) tidal water?

No. Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.