Area Sport Fishing Reports
Yukon

July 2, 2026

Local conditions

• With a later-than-average breakup and deep snow, rivers and streams within the Yukon River drainage are now approaching normal flows and are clearing.
• July's typical dry and warm weather can increase the chances of wildfires, which can spread quickly with windy conditions, as occurred in recent years. Therefore, please be careful with campfires, matches, or other fire sources when fishing and camping during hot, dry, and windy conditions. Also, lightning strikes from thunderstorms can contribute to fire activity, so be aware of this when camping. A good source for recent wildfire and smoke activity is at UAFSMOKE.
• Currently, road conditions for the Steese, Dalton, and Taylor Highways are rated as fair, except for the portion between Dietrich Camp at milepost 210 and Atigun Pass, which is currently difficult due to flood repairs. Before driving these highways, check the current road conditions at Alaska 511 for the latest updates. Also, be aware that the first 60 miles of the Taylor Highway are paved, and the remaining sections are gravel. Most of the Dalton Highway is gravel, and the first 81 miles of the Steese Highway are paved, and the remaining gravel.
• For the second year in a row, a temporary closure of the Nome Creek Road will occur for 2026 for the section of road that leads to Ophir Creek Campground from the Nome Creek Bridge and will be in effect through September 30, 2026, or until construction is completed. The road will be open on weekends, federal holidays, and for moose hunting during September 1-15. When the road is open, travelers should expect traffic controls and delays of up to 20 minutes. For updated information, check Nome Creek Road Construction.
• Be aware that if you plan to float the Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River in the White Mountains National Recreation Area - from the Nome Creek put-in for approximately 100 remote miles to the gravel bar commonly used as an aircraft take-out - a new river channel that opened in 2025, just upstream of the Borealis-LeFevre Cabin, has recently been reported to be filled with logs and debris. The strong current may pull watercraft into this channel, creating a significant hazard. The BLM has recommended that floaters line around it upstream where the channel splits. The Beaver Creek website has more information and coordinates for this new river channel.
• Also, for those planning to float the Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River, be aware that during 2023 a potentially hazardous new river channel was discovered a few miles downriver from the Upper Birch Creek Wayside (MP 94.1) that may require an approximately ¼ mile portage. Before floating either of these two streams, contact BLM at (907) 474-2200 for updated information. New river channels can take years to clear debris and become safe for boating.

Freshwater Fishing

Arctic grayling

• Arctic grayling are ubiquitous throughout the Yukon River drainage. Post-spawning Arctic grayling will be at their summer feeding locations, where they will remain throughout most of July and August. In general, older and larger adult Arctic grayling will occupy the upper reaches of a river or stream, graduating to smaller adults and juveniles lower in the drainage. Many of the streams accessed from the Steese, Dalton, and Taylor Highways are headwater streams.
• Nome Creek and Birch Creek (Ikhèenjik River), which can be accessed from the Steese Highway, are running low and clear and offer excellent fishing opportunities for Arctic grayling. Only catch-and-release fishing for Arctic grayling is allowed in Nome Creek, which is located within the White Mountains National Recreation Area. NOME CREEK IS RESTRICTED TO CATCH-AND-RELEASE ONLY FOR ARCTIC GRAYLING.
• Streams within the Fortymile River drainage and along the Dalton Highway are also running clear, and fishing opportunities for Arctic grayling are good.
• Popular gear used to capture Arctic grayling is shiny spoons when the streams are wide enough and colorful jigs for narrower streams and creeks. Mosquitoes, mayflies, and other insects are numerous in Interior Alaska, and flies mimicking these pesky insects would also be enticing to a hungry Arctic grayling.
• Watch our video How to Fish for Arctic Grayling to learn what you will need to know to successfully target Arctic grayling.

Northern pike

• Northern pike are also concluding spawning activities and, like Arctic grayling, are fairly ubiquitous throughout the Yukon River drainage.
• Good fishing for northern pike can be found in slower-moving waters like the lower portion of the Ikhèenjik River that crosses at mile 147 of the Steese Highway.
• Other popular fishing locations for large northern pike are at the mouths of major tributaries that drain into the mainstem Yukon River such as the Dall, Ray, Nowitna, and Innoko Rivers, and Hess Creek.
• The Yukon River is currently running high and muddy with lots of debris. Sport fishing conditions will improve for these voracious, visual predators once the water lowers and clears at the mouths of these tributaries.
• Popular lures that fishers have reported success in capturing northern pike include buzzbait, booyah, jitterbugs, shiny spoons, and shads. Northern pike have rows of sharp teeth, so be sure to bring pliers and a spreader in order to safely remove hooks, especially from larger fish.
• Be sure to watch the new ADF&G video, How to Fish for Northern Pike, for tips on how to successfully target and handle big pike.

Sheefish

• Sheefish continue to migrate upstream to summer feeding areas, and sport fishing has improved as the Yukon River flows at normal height and the confluences of major tributaries have cleared. Good fishing opportunities can be found at the mouths of major tributaries such as the Innoko, Koyukuk, Nowitna, and Porcupine Rivers. Large, shiny spoons are popular lures for capturing sheefish such as crocodiles, pixies, and daredevils, as well as various shads that mimic juvenile prey.

Salmon

King salmon

• Due to a preseason projection for a below-average king salmon run in the Yukon River, the sport fishery for king salmon was closed on February 19 throughout the Yukon River drainage, including the Tanana River. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing.
• Because king salmon runs in the Yukon River continue to experience historically low runs, including those crossing the border into Canada where approximately 40-50% of the salmon spawn, an ongoing 7-year agreement (effective until 2030) has closed Canadian-origin Yukon River Chinook salmon to all fishing, including subsistence, commercial, personal use, and sport fishing. This agreement applies only to Canadian-origin king salmon in the mainstem Yukon River and if inseason stock assessment information indicates that king salmon escapement goals and subsistence needs will be met, sport fishing restrictions may be relaxed in Yukon River tributaries commensurate with run strengths. Currently, the king salmon run is below average as predicted.

Chum salmon

• For summer chum salmon, the preseason forecast is for a poor run that will not meet spawning run goals due to the low run sizes of the 2021 and 2022 parent years. Therefore, effective May 15, all waters of the Yukon River drainage (excluding the Tanana River drainage, which is a separate management area) are closed to sport fishing for chum salmon.

Emergency orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:

• Emergency Order 3-KS-Y-01-2026 closes the Yukon River drainage, excluding the Tanana River drainage, to sport fishing for king salmon. 3-KS-U-01-26 closes the Tanana River drainage, which is a separate management area.
• Emergency Order 3-CS-Y-04-2026 closes the Yukon River drainage, excluding the Tanana River drainage, to sport fishing for chum salmon.
• 3-CS-U-09-26 closes the Tanana River drainage for chum salmon, which is a separate management area from the Yukon River drainage.

Catch-and-release techniques

• Because fish typically grow and reproduce more slowly at high latitudes and elevations, please use proper catch-and-release techniques to ensure the survival of the released fish such as:
  • Use lures with a single hook and crimp down the barb. Do not use bait.
  • Land the fish with a soft net and keep the fish in the water when removing the hook.
  • To release the fish, hold it gently facing into the current or in water without a current to gently cradle the fish and move it slowly back and forth until it swims away under its own power.

For More Information

ADF&G is mobile. You can purchase and display your fishing license, record your annual harvest (where applicable), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today! You can also purchase your fishing license through the ADF&G Online Store and print it off at home. Also, before heading out, be sure to review the Emergency Orders and the 2026 Northern Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary Booklet for the area you are fishing.

Check out ADF&Gs goFishAk interactive map to discover popular fishing locations and information on species run timing, fishing gear selections, and boat, angler, and floater access areas and tips.

For moe information, please call Yukon Area Management Biologist Lisa Stuby at 907-459-7202.