It’s a fishing day

Ship Creek (Anchorage) 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: 25 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. 2512 pm
  2. 25
  3. 25
  4. 253 pm
  5. 30
  6. 30
  7. 336 pm
  8. 33
  9. 33
  10. 339 pm
  11. 33
  12. 33
  13. 33Sun
  14. 33
  15. 33
  16. 333 am
  17. 33
  18. 33
  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. 236 pm
  32. 23
  33. 23
  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
5 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:42 pm

Sky
Chance Light Snow

41% chance of rain

Air
29°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.

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. Ship Creek is the Anchorage exception to the 2026 king closure: 1 king 20" or longer a day, recorded at harvest, plus 10 under 20". There is a combined annual limit of 5 kings 20" or longer across the Cook Inlet areas. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Ship Creek

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

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. Ship Creek below the Chugach power plant dam: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and all 3 may be coho. May 15–July 13, fishing is allowed only from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Ship Creek

Last checked 20 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.42 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:42 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:46 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

The only urban king- and silver-salmon fishery in downtown Anchorage — a hatchery-supported run that lets anglers hook chrome-bright salmon within sight of the skyline. Kings arrive late May–June, coho in August; the tidal flats at the mouth are notoriously soft (and dangerous) glacial mud, so anglers fish the banks.

The one Anchorage stream open to king salmon in 2026: 1 king 20" or longer a day. Coho and other salmon are 3 a day combined. May 15–July 13, fishing is allowed only 6 a.m.–11 p.m.

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 Ship Creek (Anchorage)?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Ship Creek (Anchorage)?

Ship Creek (Anchorage) 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 Ship Creek (Anchorage)?

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 Ship Creek (Anchorage) 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 Ship Creek (Anchorage) have?

Ship Creek (Anchorage) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. The one Anchorage stream open to king salmon in 2026: 1 king 20" or longer a day. Coho and other salmon are 3 a day combined. May 15–July 13, fishing is allowed only 6 a.m.–11 p.m.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Ship Creek (Anchorage)?

state agency regulations apply at Ship Creek (Anchorage). 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 Ship Creek (Anchorage) tidal water?

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