Area Sport Fishing Reports
Upper Copper/Upper Susitna

June 26, 2025

Local Conditions

• The Copper River water level has risen to a more average water level for this date, with normal daily fluctuations of between 13 to 14 feet at the Chitina stage gauge. You can view the Copper River’s stage gauge in Chitina online at this NOAA website.
• According to weather forecasts for the remainder of this week and into next, more cloud cover and rain is expected, thereby decreasing daytime high temperatures to the mid-60s at lower elevations. This will likely result in water levels stabilizing and dropping slightly in the Copper River and its glacial tributaries like the Klutina and Tonsina Rivers.
• Rain in the Gulkana River drainage will likely cause the water level to increase, as well as increasing its turbidity.

Chitina Subdistrict Personal Use Dip Net Fishery

• The Chitina Subdistrict personal use salmon dipnet fishery is currently open. The fishery is schedule to remain open through midnight Sunday, July 6.
• During June 16-22, there were 88,012 salmon counted past the Miles Lake sonar. The preseason projection for this period was 71,202 salmon, which results in a surplus of 16,810 salmon.
• Through June 23, the cumulative count of salmon past Miles Lake sonar is 499,140. This count is approximately 141,500 fish greater than the expected cumulative count for this date. The rule of thumb is that it takes approximately 10-14 days for salmon to reach the dip net fishery from Miles Lake sonar, depending on water levels.
• Due to concerns about king salmon escapement, the personal use fishery will be restricted to no retention of king salmon for the remainder of this season. King salmon caught in the personal use fishery may not be kept. All king salmon caught must be released immediately and returned to the water unharmed.
• Chitina Subdistrict Personal Use permits and State of Alaska Sport Fishing licenses are currently available online at the ADF&G store and will also be available at Fish and Game offices and at vendors in Anchorage, Fairbanks and local communities. Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence permits are also available online and at the Fish and Game offices in Anchorage, Delta Junction, Fairbanks, and Palmer.
• Check the Chitina dipnetting page for more information on the personal use dip net fishery.
• If you haven't tried dipnetting before, or are interested in some helpful tips, be sure to watch the 4-part video series, "How to Dipnet for Salmon at Chitina" at the ADF&G website or on the ADF&G Youtube channel.
• Lastly, it’s always a good idea to make sure fishing is open in Chitina before making the drive. Call the 24-hour hotline for the Chitina Subdistrict personal use fishery at 907-822-5224.

Glennallen Subdistrict Subsistence Fishery

• The Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence salmon fishery is currently open and will remain open through September 30.
• Glennallen Subdistrict Subsistence permits are available online at the ADF&G store and at local ADFG offices in Anchorage, Delta Junction, Fairbanks, Glennallen and Palmer.

Sport Fishing

• All stocked lakes have been re-supplied with our finest rainbow trout and Arctic char.
• For a guide to local area small fisheries, check out ADFG’s website for Sport fishing Alaska rivers and lakes in the Upper Copper/Upper Susitna River Basin. This guide lists all the fisheries, species available, and mile markers along all the major highways crossing the Upper Copper and Upper Susitna Area.
• Anglers are reporting king salmon catches in the Gulkana River from the Richardson Highway Bridge to Sourdough and upstream to the West Fork. Fishing has been reported as slow and an Emergency Order prohibiting the use of bait and treble hooks in the Gulkana River drainage remains in effect.
• Sport fishing for king salmon opens in the Klutina and Tonsina Rivers on Tuesday, July 1.
• An Emergency Order has reduced the annual limit for king salmon in the Upper Copper River drainage from 4 to 1 fish. Sport anglers are only allowed to retain 1 king salmon this season from any of the tributaries open to king salmon sport fishing.
• Sockeye salmon fishing on the Klutina River has slowed down as of this past weekend. While sockeye continue to enter that system, radiotelemetry data show they are not entering in the numbers they were a week ago. The river is also running very high from the recent hot weather, making fishing difficult, but water level is anticipated to drop over the next several days.
• Be sure to watch the ADF&G video, "How to Fish for Klutina River Red Salmon" for helpful tips on fishing strategy, access points and camping options.

Emergency Orders

• Emergency Order 3-RS-1-10-25 opens the Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net salmon fishery for a 168-hour period from 12:01am Monday, June 30 through 11:59 pm Sunday, July 6 and closes the fishery to the retention of king salmon for the remainder of the season.
• Emergency Order 3-KS-1-09-25 reduces the king salmon annual limit from 4 to 1 fish and prohibits the use of bait and treble hooks in the Gulkana River drainage. King salmon harvested from the Upper Copper River drainage prior to June 20 does not count toward the newly reduce 1 fish annual limit.

ADF&G News

• The Glennallen ADF&G office has fishing rods to loan out as part of the ADF&G Rod Loaner Program. All you need is a current sport fishing license (for resident anglers 18 and older and non-residents 16 or older) to borrow a rod. You’ll have to provide your own tackle but rods are free of charge.
• Make sure to review the 2025 Northern Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary Booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.
• Be sure to follow the ADFG Sport Fishing Interior Alaska Facebook page or the ADFG Sport Fishing Interior Alaska Instagram page for the most up-to-date information about fishing in Interior Alaska. Note: This is a good page to follow to get keep track of all information about the Chitina Personal Use Salmon Fishery.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Glennallen office at (907) 822-3309.