Are new coho salmon restrictions and closures coming soon for Mat-Su?

Unless Alaska Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Doug Vincent-Lang uses his emergency order authority, Mat-Su is likely to see coho sport restrictions and harvest closures for 2026 similar to those issued over the last three years, a retired state fish and game sport fish biologist and former board member told me this week.

Following Upper Cook Inlet coho salmon conservation-oriented changes adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries in March 2026, an unprecedented delay in state legal review of newly adopted fishery regulations has prevented the regulations from being signed by the lieutenant governor. Even after signing, there is a 30-day delay before the regulations become effective.

According to Vincent-Lang, the same delay in legal review has also prevented board-adopted regulation changes from the earlier Area M and Bristol Bay meetings from being implemented at the start of those commercial fishing seasons.

Retired state fish and game sport fish biologist and former board member Larry Engel told me Tuesday that that if the state fails to use a more precautionary harvest approach with the Upper Cook Inlet drift gillnet fishery this year's Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon returns may be as poor as those in 2023, 2024 and 2025.

According to Engel, the commissioner clearly has the authority to take a more precautionary approach for Northern Cook Inlet coho conservation through emergency order authority. But the department has been reluctant to follow a precautionary approach with commercial fisheries, he said.  

Precautionary commercial harvest opportunities could follow the board-adopted intent from the March 2026 statewide meeting and would reasonably address a three-year trend of inadequate measured coho salmon spawning escapements at the Deshka and Little Susitna rivers.

Even after Northern Cook Inlet commercial and sport fishery restrictions, followed by coho salmon harvest closures during 2023, 2024 and 2025, weir counts at the Deshka and Little Susitna rivers appeared inadequate to meet the state’s established coho salmon escapement goals for both rivers.

The dilemma is whether the commissioner should use emergency order authority to better ensure adequate Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon passage through the Central District of Upper Cook Inlet, following board-adopted intent, or allow a pattern that has proven to overharvest northbound coho salmon during the past three years to continue in 2026.

Without adjustment, Engel's assessment is that Northern Cook Inlet commercial setnetters and Mat-Su Valley sport fisheries could see additional coho salmon restrictions and closures in 2026, and Northern Cook Inlet coho salmon spawning escapements may once again be inadequate to meet state-established goal ranges.

Eklutna Trailrace and Knik River salmon winding down 

Based on conversations with anglers and guides fishing both the Knik River side channel and Eklutna Tailrace, the king salmon return appears to be smaller than last year's return. Fishing there has started to slow, particularly in the Knik River side channel, which is also affected by rising, more turbid glacial water conditions.

This small hatchery-enhanced king salmon fishery is the only legal option for targeting and harvesting ocean-run king salmon in the Mat-Su Valley in 2026. The current fishery is a sharp reduction from the early 2000s, when king salmon sport fishing and harvest opportunities were allowed throughout the Susitna River drainage and at the Little Susitna River.

For perspective, I've guided guests who harvested more king salmon in a single day at the Little Susitna River, Deshka River and other Susitna River tributaries than all the guests I've guided through June 23, 2026, at the Knik River side channel combined — nine fish.

Mat-Su king (chinook) salmon counts low

The Deshka weir count was 3,253 king salmon through June 22, and the Little Susitna weir count was 49 king salmon through June 22. The state’s Lake Creek sonar count was 168 king salmon through June 20.

Targeting king salmon in the sport fisheries remains closed, with additional fishing gear restrictions in place through July 13 at all three locations because of inadequate king salmon return numbers.

In addition, the state announced that commercial salmon fishing will be closed in Upper Cook Inlet's Northern District on Thursday, June 25.

https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/applications/dcfnewsrelease/1786483686.pdf

Copper River personal use slowdown.

In an email, the state’s sport fisheries biologist Tracey Hansen of Glennallen said:

"Because total salmon passage into the Copper River this season has been tracking behind the target management objective, conservative management of the personal use fishery is needed moving forward until salmon passage at Miles Lake substantially improves. The fishery will only be open for a 72-hour period next week: beginning at 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 26, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, June 28."

Copper River drainage king salmon

Hansen also said king salmon passage through the Miles Lake sonar is tracking similarly to weak run years and, because of that, management actions to restrict king salmon harvests in sport and personal use fisheries are forthcoming.

Note: King salmon harvest in the personal use fishery is not scheduled to open until July 1.

Sockeye salmon – coming soon

State biologist Oliver Querin said Mat-Su anglers may want to prospect for sockeye salmon at lower Fish Creek or Cottonwood Creek during the coming week.

Note: Salmon fishing is open only near the tidal sections of these streams, and salmon fishing at Cottonwood Creek is limited to weekends.

Querin also said state fish and game officials expect to install the Fish Creek weir around July 1, with fish passage information posted on the state’s fish and game website shortly afterward.

Dustin Slinker of The Bait Shack on Ship Creek in Anchorage recently posted a photo of a sockeye salmon harvested from Ship Creek and said he knew of three sockeye salmon harvested the same day. In other words, some early sockeye salmon have already been present in the tidal section of at least one Northern Cook Inlet stream.

State fish and game also counted 53 sockeye salmon passing the Little Susitna River weir through June 22.

Eklutna Tailrace is also known for producing some of the earliest sport-caught Mat-Su sockeye salmon, often taken by drifting shrimp under a bobber.

Northern pike

Jim Tilton of Deshka Landing Charters and Lodge said his guests have been catching good numbers of northern pike on fly-in trips to Trapper Lake and another remote location farther north.

Dan Suprak of Alaska Chinook Charters also reported a successful recent guided pike trip at Big Lake.

Keep in mind that the Big Lake Pike Derby is scheduled for July 25.

Stocked lakes trout

Corey Berg said his guests have been catching trout on every trip, although not necessarily in spectacular numbers.

I've noticed angler activity on some of the lakes closer to Palmer has slowed recently, but the state stocks a plethora of Mat-Su Valley lakes that may provide some of the best fishing and harvest opportunities during the coming week.

Good Luck and Fish On!

Andy Couch has guided Mat-Su Valley fishing trips for more than 40 years and is a member of the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission and the Matanuska Valley Fish and Game Advisory Committee. Statements and quotes in this column represent specific organizations or individuals only when noted.