Right now: 10 for rainbow trout, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours
Rainbow trout, 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.
1012 pm
10
10
233 pm
33
33
336 pm
33
33
309 pm
30
30
23Sun
23
23
233 am
23
23
236 am
23
23
239 am
23
23
2312 pm
23
23
233 pm
23
23
336 pm
33
33
339 pm
33
33
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out
Right now
Water
No reading
Rainbow trout range 45–68°
Wind
0 mph
From the
Light
Daylight
Sunset 4:46 pm
Sky
Chance Light Snow
40% chance of rain
Air
34°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.
No water reading here right now. Rainbow trout bite in 45–68° water, best near 55°.
Why
Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Rainbow trout is here May–Sep. Holds 3–20 ft down.
Keep
16" maximum · 1 a day
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Russian River and the Kenai above Skilak Lake: 1 rainbow/steelhead a day, 1 in possession, under 16". Closed to all fishing May 1–June 10; one unbaited single-hook fly or lure year-round. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.
No water reading here right now. Dolly Varden bite in 38–58° water, best near 48°.
Why
Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Dolly Varden is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.
Keep
16" maximum · 1 a day
Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kenai River flowing waters: Arctic char/Dolly Varden are 1 a day, 1 in possession, and it must be under 16". The Russian River is closed to all fishing May 1–June 10. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.
No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.
Water
No water reading here right now. Sockeye salmon bite in 40–60° water, best near 52°.
Why
Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Sockeye salmon is here Jun–Aug. Strong post-front high — bite typically shuts down. Holds 1–20 ft down.
Keep
3 a day
Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. Russian River: sockeye 3 a day, 6 in possession, no size limit, June 11–August 20. From 100 yards above the mouth to 600 yards below the falls, only artificial flies June 11–August 20; no salmon fishing above that marker. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.
No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.
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. Strong post-front high — bite typically shuts down. Holds 10–120 ft down.
Keep
1 a day
Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. Russian River: coho 1 a day, 1 in possession, July 1–September 30. A coho 16" or longer taken out of the water counts toward your limit. From 100 yards above the mouth to 600 yards below the falls, only artificial flies June 11–August 20; no salmon fishing above that marker. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.
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 Northern Kenai area and override the limits below where they differ.
A clear Kenai River tributary at Cooper Landing with an early and a late sockeye run, fished from the Russian River Campground and the anglers trail along the lower river. ADF&G counts both runs, and the coho that follow.
Fly-fishing only June 11–August 20 from 100 yards above the mouth to 600 yards below the falls; closed to all fishing May 1–June 10. Sockeye 3 a day, 6 in possession; coho 1 a day July 1–September 30. Rainbows 1 a day under 16". No salmon fishing above the falls marker.
Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.
12 pm
3 pm
6 pm
9 pm
Sun
3 am
6 am
9 am
12 pm
3 pm
6 pm
9 pm
Seward / Resurrection Bay32 mi · AlaskaBest tonight 9 pm to tomorrow 12 am
68Marginal
Kenai River (Soldotna)37 mi · AlaskaBest today 4 pm to tomorrow 6 am
80Worth the trip
Bird Creek (Turnagain Arm)38 mi · AlaskaNo window clears the barSmall Craft Advisory
8Sit it out
Questions people ask
Do I need a fishing license to fish at Russian River (Cooper Landing)?
Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Russian River (Cooper Landing) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website
What fish are commonly targeted at Russian River (Cooper Landing)?
Russian River (Cooper Landing) is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Sockeye Salmon, Coho Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Dolly Varden. 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 Russian River (Cooper Landing)?
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 Russian River (Cooper Landing) 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 Russian River (Cooper Landing) have?
Russian River (Cooper Landing) has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Fly-fishing only June 11–August 20 from 100 yards above the mouth to 600 yards below the falls; closed to all fishing May 1–June 10. Sockeye 3 a day, 6 in possession; coho 1 a day July 1–September 30. Rainbows 1 a day under 16". No salmon fishing above the falls marker.
Which state's fishing regulations apply at Russian River (Cooper Landing)?
state agency regulations apply at Russian River (Cooper Landing). 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 Russian River (Cooper Landing) tidal water?
No. Russian River (Cooper Landing) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.
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