Our Mat-Su fishing report shares the season’s highlights, from early runs to peak action, plus the trends and updates that shaped the year. Whether you are planning your next trip or just following the season’s story, this update offers a clear snapshot of how the year has unfolded on Mat-Su waters.

Mid-August on Fish Creek is a mix of beauty and mud, with the tides ushering in fresh runs of coho and sockeye.

Dip Netters Fill Freezers at Fish Creek

July 29, 2026

Dip netters are seeing a lot of success. Reports of multiple salmon landing in a single dip have brought out the crowds, with families working hard to fill freezers before the fishery closes at the end of the month. The household limit for participants sits at 25 salmon for the permit holder and 10 salmon for each additional household member, and that kind of volume explains the energy at Fish Creek right now.

Access runs from ADF&G markers near the mouth of Fish Creek upstream to markers roughly a quarter mile up, open to both boat and shore fishing between Knik Arm and the Knik-Goose Bay Road bridge. Anglers need a 2026 Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit plus a resident sport fishing license, and only one permit is allowed per household. Any king salmon caught must go back in the water unharmed.

One thing worth repeating for anyone headed out: much of the property along Fish Creek downstream of the bridge, and all of it south along Knik Arm, is privately owned. Respect the no trespassing signs and get permission before crossing private uplands. With a run this strong and the season winding down fast, Fish Creek should stay busy through July 31.

Fish Creek Carries the Sockeye Season

July 21, 2026

Fish Creek is once again the place to be for early-season sockeye, and this year the weir counts ran among the highest for this point in the season. The sport fishery there closed July 14 as usual, but the strong numbers paid off: ADF&G projected an escapement of more than 35,000 sockeye and opened the Fish Creek personal use dipnet fishery at 6 a.m. on July 19, running through 11 p.m. July 31, 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily. All salmon except king can be kept, and any king hooked has to go straight back in the water. A few sockeye have also shown up in the Knik River drainage, and anglers should start seeing fish at Cottonwood Creek, the Talkeetna River drainage, Little Susitna River, and Lake Creek as the season builds. Coho, chum, and pink salmon remain scarce for now, but that’s expected to change as July rolls on.

The king salmon picture stayed tough this month. Counts posted July 7 showed 6,205 fish at the Deshka River, 1,275 at Lake Creek, and just 481 at the Little Susitna, numbers that once again suggest escapement goals won’t be met in 2026. It’s a trend serious enough that Deshka River and Little Susitna stocks may come up for a Stock of Management Concern designation at the next Board of Fisheries cycle. On a brighter note, Susitna River drainage streams opened to bait and multiple-hook fishing on July 14, and the Lower Susitna personal use dipnet fishery opened July 11, giving anglers more tools and more opportunity even while kings stay off the table.

Trout Fishing Focus while Kings Stay Closed

June 26, 2026

The Susitna and Little Susitna River drainages stayed closed to king salmon fishing all month, a decision ADF&G made back in February after forecasts pointed to another weak return. Gear stays restricted to a single unbaited, artificial lure across the drainage for anyone fishing other species. The lone exception is the Eklutna Tailrace and Knik River side channel, which stays open year-round with bait allowed and remains the only place in the Mat-Su to legally keep a king salmon.

Trout Anglers Make the Most of It

Flowing waters in the Palmer-Wasilla Zone, including Cottonwood Creek, stayed closed to all fishing until June 15, and many Parks Highway waters held to catch-and-release only for rainbow trout through that same date. Once those waters opened back up, trout fishing gave valley anglers plenty to do while everyone waited on the first real salmon push. It’s a quieter month by design, but a necessary one for a king run that needs every bit of protection it can get.

Trout and Grayling Open the Season While Kings Stay Off Limits

May 29, 2026

ADF&G announced back in February that the Susitna and Little Susitna River drainages would stay closed to king salmon fishing for the entire 2026 season, a call driven by weak forecasted returns across Southcentral Alaska. The Little Susitna closure also comes with a gear restriction, limiting anglers targeting other species to one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure. It’s a hard start to the season for anglers who look forward to king fishing every spring, but it’s the kind of conservative call ADF&G has been leaning on across the region this year.

Early Season Still Has Plenty to Offer

Not everything is closed, though. The Eklutna Tailrace and Knik River side channel stayed open 24 hours a day with bait allowed, giving anglers their one real shot at hatchery kings this spring. Elsewhere, trout fishing picked up nicely in open waters as the valley thawed out, and the Little Su Public Use Facility boat launch, parking, and campground opened for the season. The first king of the year typically shows up right around the end of May or start of June, so anglers had reason to stay hopeful even with most of the drainage closed.

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2025 Fishing in Mat-Su

Fall Fishing until Freeze-Up

Rainbow trout fishing in Mat-Su Valley remained good to excellent through September until freeze-up. Trout follow spawning coho in late September, and pike fishing also stays productive until freeze-up. Lakes around Palmer and Wasilla provide opportunities through early fall, with ice fishing starting after freeze-up. This wraps up Mat-Su’s 2025 open water fishing season; see you next year!

Silver Salmon Closures and Gear Updates

August 20, 2025

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has issued two emergency orders affecting silver salmon fishing in the Mat-Su region. Starting August 21 and continuing through the end of the year, retention of coho (silver) salmon is prohibited in the Deshka River, including all waters within a half-mile of its confluence with the Susitna River. This closure responds to low coho escapement numbers, with only 831 fish passing the weir as of August 18 and a projected season total of 1,126, well below the goal of 10,200 to 24,100. During this closure, anglers are allowed to fish only with unbaited artificial lures, including treble and double hooks, but bait remains prohibited.

Similarly, the Little Susitna River is closed to coho retention from its mouth up to the Parks Highway starting August 21 for the rest of the year. Waters upstream of the Parks Highway bridge remain closed to all salmon fishing. Coho counts for the Little Susitna are also low, with 2,960 fish counted as of August 18 and a projected total of 4,239, falling short of the escapement goal range of 9,200 to 17,700. The same gear restrictions apply, requiring unbaited artificial lures and prohibiting bait use. These emergency orders aim to conserve the remaining coho salmon and help support recovery efforts in both river systems.

The Fish Creek emergency order with increased sockeye salmon limits was effective from August 9 through August 16, 2025. The fishery returned to the normal daily bag and possession limits of three salmon over 16 inches per day, with only two allowed to be coho salmon.

Coho Run Picks up in August and Bag Limit Adjustments

August 13, 2025

Experienced anglers are limiting fast at Fish Creek, but with determination most folks leave with a silver and a red or two.

August marks the peak of silver salmon season across the Mat-Su Valley. The Deshka River, Little Susitna, Jim Creek, and other local systems are producing coho catches, with many anglers reporting success fishing tides and early mornings. Fresh fish push in with each tide cycle, and spinners, cured roe, and brightly colored jigs are the most effective presentations.

Sockeye runs remain modest, but Fish Creek has provided one of the strongest red runs in the valley this year, prompting emergency orders to raise bag limits during a very short harvest window. Dolly Varden, rainbow trout, and Arctic grayling are also available throughout the valley for anglers seeking variety.

On August 10, 2025, Fish Creek saw 1,299 coho salmon counted, a clear step up from just 36 on the same date in 2022, and notably ahead of 431 in 2023 and 147 in 2024. The upward trend is unmistakable: from modest numbers in recent years to a much stronger showing in 2025.

Coho will remain the main target into  late August. Pink salmon are present but in lower densities compared to prime pink years. Water conditions can fluctuate rapidly with late summer rains, altering where fish hold. Jim Creek continues its Wednesday–Sunday schedule with closures on Mondays and Tuesdays.

Emergency Orders in August:

• Aug 2–3: Fish Creek Youth‑Only fishery.

• Aug 9–16: Fish Creek bag limits increased to six salmon per day (only two may be coho).

Early Coho Appear, Sockeye Trickling In During July

July starts with sockeye salmon trickling into a few Mat-Su streams, including Fish Creek and Jim Creek, but overall sockeye numbers remain modest. Most anglers continue targeting trout and Dolly Varden in tributaries with clear water. The first silvers of the season show up in Deshka and Little Susitna tidewater areas in mid‑July. Anglers fishing incoming tides with plugs or spinners see the best early results on coho.

Pink salmon runs build in even-numbered years, contributing bonus action in smaller creeks. Coho numbers steadily increase, drawing more angler traffic to access points on the lower rivers. Good weather windows allow for enjoyable fishing conditions, though some rivers run low by late month, concentrating fish in deeper holding areas.

Trout and Dollies Shine in June While Salmon Build

With kings closed and sockeye numbers still building, most June fishing focuses on rainbow trout, Dolly Varden, and Arctic grayling. Sockeye anglers start seeing a few fish in Jim Creek and the lower Susitna tributaries, but action is spotty. The water is generally clear and moderate in flow, ideal for light‑tackle fishing.

Sockeye counts improve slightly toward the end of June at Fish Creek, Jim Creek, and the Knik River tributaries, though runs remain small compared to coastal systems. Coho are still weeks away from significant activity. Trout fishing remains strong in clearwater streams and side channels, especially for anglers drifting beads behind post‑spawn chum salmon or using small streamers. King salmon fishing remains closed by prior emergency order (in effect for entire 2025 season).

Early-Season Action and Pre-Salmon Opportunities

May offers open-water fishing for trout, Dolly Varden, and Arctic grayling across the Mat-Su. Lakes, clearwater creeks, and mainstem sloughs hold fish eager to feed after breakup. Anglers use small spoons, spinners, and nymph patterns to entice strikes. Water levels rise with snowmelt but remain fishable in many locations.

By late May, a few early sockeye are reported in Fish Creek and other select runs, but numbers are very low. Angler activity increases around tidewater areas in anticipation of June sockeye and July coho arrivals. King salmon remain closed throughout the Susitna drainage, and all incidental kings must be released immediately without removal from the water.