It’s a fishing day

Eklutna Tailrace fishing conditions · Alaska

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

Chinook salmon is the best bet here today.

Log a trip here
Right now: 23 for chinook salmon, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Chinook 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. 2312 pm
  2. 23
  3. 23
  4. 303 pm
  5. 30
  6. 30
  7. 336 pm
  8. 33
  9. 33
  10. 339 pm
  11. 33
  12. 33
  13. 23Sun
  14. 23
  15. 23
  16. 233 am
  17. 23
  18. 23
  19. 236 am
  20. 23
  21. 23
  22. 239 am
  23. 23
  24. 23
  25. 2312 pm
  26. 23
  27. 23
  28. 233 pm
  29. 23
  30. 23
  31. 336 pm
  32. 33
  33. 33
  34. 339 pm
  35. 33
  36. 33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Chinook salmon range 42–58°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:38 pm

Sky
Slight Chance Light Snow

22% chance of rain

Air
31°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Steady

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.

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

33Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

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

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Chinook salmon is here Apr–Oct. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 1 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Eklutna Tailrace is the Knik Arm exception to the 2026 king closure: open year-round, 1 king 20" or longer a day, 1 in possession, plus 10 under 20". Annual limit of 5 kings 20" or longer, recorded at harvest. After keeping a king 20" or longer you may not fish king salmon waters again that day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Eklutna Tailrace

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

33Sit 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. Eklutna Tailrace: 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. Youth-only king and coho fisheries (15 and under) run 6 a.m.–6 p.m. on the third Saturdays of June and August. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Eklutna Tailrace

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.40 inHg, steady

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:38 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:45 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarToday 10:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 3:00 pm–4:00 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 Mat-Su 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

The outflow channel of the Eklutna power plant off the Old Glenn Highway, stocked with king and coho salmon. It is the one Knik Arm water open to king salmon in 2026, fished from a road-side access with parking.

Kings open year-round: 1 a day 20" or longer (annual limit 5), plus 10 under 20". Coho and other salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day, and all 3 may be coho. Rainbow/steelhead are catch-and-release. Youth-only king and coho days are the third Saturdays of June and August.

Nearby

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

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Eklutna Tailrace?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Eklutna Tailrace?

Eklutna Tailrace is listed on this site for 2 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Coho 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 Eklutna Tailrace?

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 Eklutna Tailrace 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 Eklutna Tailrace have?

Eklutna Tailrace has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Kings open year-round: 1 a day 20" or longer (annual limit 5), plus 10 under 20". Coho and other salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day, and all 3 may be coho. Rainbow/steelhead are catch-and-release. Youth-only king and coho days are the third Saturdays of June and August.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Eklutna Tailrace?

state agency regulations apply at Eklutna Tailrace. 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 Eklutna Tailrace tidal water?

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