It’s a fishing day

Willow Creek (Susitna River) fishing conditions · Alaska

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

Coho salmon is the best bet here today.

Log a trip here
Right now: 31 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. 3112 pm
  2. 31
  3. 31
  4. 313 pm
  5. 36
  6. 36
  7. 366 pm
  8. 36
  9. 36
  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
No reading

Coho salmon range 44–58°

Wind
5 mph

From the north

Flow
163 cfs

steady · -7% in 24 h

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:40 pm

Sky
Light Snow Likely

60% chance of rain

Air
23°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

36Sit 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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Coho salmon is here May–Oct. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Susitna River Unit 2 flowing waters: chum, coho and sockeye 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho; pinks are a separate 6 a day. A coho 16" or longer taken out of the water must be kept. Willow Creek: salmon may be fished from the mouth to the Parks Highway; bait and multiple hooks July 14–August 31, only in the lower half mile. May 15–July 13, fishing is allowed only 6 a.m.–11 p.m. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Willow Creek below the Parks Highway

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Rainbow Trout

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

36Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Rainbow trout is here Jun–Sep. Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Catch and release only today. Rainbow/steelhead trout are catch-and-release only in the whole drainage and must be released immediately. Above the Parks Highway, one unbaited single-hook lure or fly year-round. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Entire drainage

Season here: Jun–Sep, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on rainbow trout

Arctic Grayling

Arctic grayling

Thymallus arcticus

36Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Arctic grayling bite in 39–60° water, best near 50°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Arctic grayling is here May–Sep. Holds 1–12 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Catch and release only today. Arctic grayling are catch-and-release only in the whole drainage and must be released immediately. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Entire drainage

Season here: May–Sep. More on Arctic grayling

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

36Sit 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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Pink salmon is here Jul–Aug. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

6 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Susitna River Unit 2: pink salmon are open year-round, 6 a day, 6 in possession, no size limit, separate from the chum, coho and sockeye limit. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Susitna River Unit 2

Season here: Jul–Aug. More on pink salmon

Chum Salmon

Chum salmon

Oncorhynchus keta

36Sit 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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Chum salmon is here Jul–Aug. Holds 2–15 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Susitna River Unit 2 flowing waters: chum, coho and sockeye 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho; pinks are a separate 6 a day. A coho 16" or longer taken out of the water must be kept. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Susitna River Unit 2

Season here: Jul–Aug. More on chum salmon

Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden

Salvelinus malma

36Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Dolly Varden is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Susitna River Unit 2 unstocked lakes and flowing waters: Arctic char/Dolly Varden are open year-round, 5 a day, 5 in possession, and only 1 of them may be 12" or longer. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Susitna River Unit 2

Season here: May–Oct. More on Dolly Varden

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

–Not scoredOut of season

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

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. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Chinook salmon is here Apr–Oct. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · no harvest

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. King salmon fishing is closed in 2026 by emergency order in the Susitna River drainage and the Knik Arm fresh waters (except the Eklutna Tailrace). 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 · Susitna River drainage

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • River163 cfs · steady · -7% in 24 h
  • Barometer29.43 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:40 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:51 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarToday 10:30 am–12:30 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 3:10 pm–4:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 11:10 pm–1:10 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

A clear Susitna River tributary at Willow, fished from the Willow Creek State Recreation Area near its mouth for coho, chum and pink salmon, with rainbow trout and Arctic grayling the rest of the season. Live flow from the USGS gauge near Willow.

Rainbow trout and Arctic grayling are catch-and-release in the whole drainage. Below the Parks Highway, salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day combined, only 2 coho; pinks are a separate 6 a day. King fishing is closed in 2026. Bait is allowed July 14–August 31, only in the lower half mile.

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 Willow Creek (Susitna River)?

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

What fish are commonly targeted at Willow Creek (Susitna River)?

Willow Creek (Susitna River) is listed on this site for 7 commonly-targeted species: Coho Salmon, Rainbow Trout, Arctic Grayling, Chinook Salmon, and 3 more. 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 Willow Creek (Susitna 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 Willow Creek (Susitna 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 Willow Creek (Susitna River) have?

Willow Creek (Susitna River) has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Rainbow trout and Arctic grayling are catch-and-release in the whole drainage. Below the Parks Highway, salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day combined, only 2 coho; pinks are a separate 6 a day. King fishing is closed in 2026. Bait is allowed July 14–August 31, only in the lower half mile.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Willow Creek (Susitna River)?

state agency regulations apply at Willow Creek (Susitna 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 Willow Creek (Susitna River) tidal water?

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