It’s a fishing day

Salcha River fishing conditions · Alaska

Sit it outno Arctic grayling window clears the bar in 36 hours

Water is 32°, below the 39–60° Arctic grayling like.

Log a trip here
Right now: 19 for Arctic grayling, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Arctic grayling, 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. 1912 pm
  2. 19
  3. 19
  4. 193 pm
  5. 29
  6. 29
  7. 296 pm
  8. 29
  9. 29
  10. 299 pm
  11. 29
  12. 29
  13. 29Sun
  14. 29
  15. 29
  16. 293 am
  17. 29
  18. 29
  19. 296 am
  20. 29
  21. 29
  22. 299 am
  23. 29
  24. 29
  25. 2912 pm
  26. 29
  27. 29
  28. 293 pm
  29. 29
  30. 29
  31. 296 pm
  32. 29
  33. 29
  34. 299 pm
  35. 29
  36. 29
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
32°F

Arctic grayling range 39–60°

Wind
0 mph

From the

Flow
7.61 ft gauge height

steady

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:09 pm

Sky
Slight Chance Light Snow

22% chance of rain

Air
26°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.

Arctic Grayling

Arctic grayling

Thymallus arcticus

29Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

32°
29°39–60° · ideal 50°70°

Why

Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Below Arctic grayling's active range (39–60°F). Holds 1–12 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tanana River area: 5 Arctic grayling a day, 5 in possession, no size limit. On the Salcha, fishing from the Richardson Highway bridge is prohibited, and only unbaited lures or flies are allowed except bait on hooks with a gap over 3/4". Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Tanana River drainage

Season here: May–Sep. More on Arctic grayling

Chum Salmon

Chum salmon

Oncorhynchus keta

29Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

32°
32°42–58° · ideal 50°68°

Why

Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Below chum salmon's active range (42–58°F). Holds 2–15 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Tanana River area: chum and coho salmon are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, no size limit. No fishing from the Richardson Highway bridge. Upstream of the marker about 2.5 miles above the bridge, salmon fishing is closed and any salmon caught must be released. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Salcha River below the upstream marker

Season here: Jul–Aug. More on chum salmon

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

32°
32°42–58° · ideal 50°68°

Why

Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Below chinook salmon's active range (42–58°F). Strong post-front high — bite typically shuts down. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · no harvest

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. King salmon fishing in the Tanana River drainage, including catch-and-release, is closed in 2026 by emergency order. Do not fish for kings. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Tanana River drainage

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

The water

  • Water temperature32°F
  • River7.61 ft gauge height · steady
  • Barometer29.52 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:09 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:56 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarToday 10:20 am–12:20 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 2:40 pm–3:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:50 pm–12:50 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 Tanana 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.

Fish in the river

Daily Alaska Department of Fish and Game counts at this water, against the last four seasons. Every Alaska count station

  • Salcha River Chinook

    1,970 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Aug 16. A typical 2022–2025 run: 1,186.

    Most fish pass Jul 12 – Jul 30, half by Jul 20.

  • Salcha River Chum

    10,304 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Aug 16. A typical 2022–2025 run: 1,376.

    Most fish pass Jul 19 – Aug 8, half by Aug 4.

Counts are fish past the station, not a catch forecast, and are preliminary. Checked daily; the numbers last changed Nov 5.

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 Tanana River tributary at the Richardson Highway southeast of Fairbanks, with a boat launch at the Salcha River State Recreation Site and Arctic grayling upstream. ADF&G counts its king and chum runs, and the USGS gauge at the bridge reads live water temperature.

Arctic grayling 5 a day. King fishing, including catch-and-release, is closed in the Tanana drainage in 2026. Fishing from the Richardson Highway bridge is prohibited. Only unbaited lures or flies, except bait on hooks with a gap over 3/4". No salmon fishing above the markers 2½ miles up.

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 Salcha River?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Salcha River?

Salcha River is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Arctic Grayling, Chinook 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 Salcha River?

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 Salcha River 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 Salcha River have?

Salcha River has a public boat ramp. Shore access at this location is limited. Arctic grayling 5 a day. King fishing, including catch-and-release, is closed in the Tanana drainage in 2026. Fishing from the Richardson Highway bridge is prohibited. Only unbaited lures or flies, except bait on hooks with a gap over 3/4". No salmon fishing above the markers 2½ miles up.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Salcha River?

state agency regulations apply at Salcha River. 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 Salcha River tidal water?

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