Area Sport Fishing Reports
Anchorage

September 4, 2026

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon

• Ship Creek
  • Coho (silver) salmon fishing at Ship Creek has slowed considerably, and the run is winding down. A few late silvers will be entering, so it could be worth a shot for any anglers who want to wet a line one last time with minimal company.
    • By emergency order, the bag and possession limit for salmon other than king salmon has been increased to six fish; all six may be coho salmon. Any king salmon that is caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
• Bird Creek
  • Salmon fishing has slowed down at Bird Creek especially for coho salmon. There are still a few zombie pink and chum salmon in the tide water section of the creek.
• Campbell Creek
  • Campbell Creek is open to coho (silver) salmon fishing through September 30. All salmon species other than coho salmon must be released immediately. Coho salmon are spread throughout the deep holes in Campbell Creek. Anglers should expect to sort through mostly blushed fish. Fishing has been fair for anglers over the last week using all types of gear (jigs, spinners, or eggs under a slip bobber) through deep holes and bends.

Rainbow Trout/Dolly Varden/Arctic Char

Chester and Campbell creeks are great places to explore right now. Trout will be trying to get in their last few meals before winter. Many salmon will be spawning in the upper reaches of the creeks until ice up. The best approach is to fish egg imitation patterns or beads behind schools of spawning salmon to target rainbow trout and Dolly Varden. Spinners, eggs, and brightly colored flies in the mainstem creek are also worth a shot.

Local Lakes

• Stocked rainbow trout are well-distributed throughout many of the Anchorage lakes. Fall stockings of rainbow trout are mostly wrapped up, so most lakes have freshly stocked rainbow trout as well as hold overs from the summer. Check out our stocking page to see what has been stocked recently.
  • Try slowly stripping a wet fly, casting small spinners or fishing small bait under a bobber to catch these stocked fish. With the cooler weather settling in, good fishing can be found throughout the day. As the days get cooler, fish will be found shallower.
  • Symphony Lake is open to sport fishing. Anglers have reported excellent catch rates of Arctic grayling and catching the occasional rainbow trout. For fly anglers, try stripping bead head nymphs or small streamers. For spin casters, size 0 or 1 spinners will do the trick. It can be great late season location to catch grayling before the snow flies.
• Fishing on base? Areas on Elmendorf and north of the Glenn Highway need a Department of Defense identification card (DoD ID) or to be accompanied by a person possessing a DoD ID. Additionally, you need to register and obtain a permit through RecAccess.

Special Species Information

Northern pike

Northern pike are not native to Anchorage area lakes. If you catch a pike in any Anchorage area lake, do not release it and immediately report it to the invasives reporting page here.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip:

• Effective August 7, Emergency Order 2-SS-2-45-26 increases the bag and possession limit for salmon, other than king salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, in the Ship Creek from its mouth upstream to a cable 100 feet downstream of Chugach Power Plant dam, to six fish.
• Effective July 3, Emergency Order 2-KS-2-38-26 closes Ship Creek to sport fishing from its mouth upstream to a cable 100 feet downstream of the Chugach Power Plant Dam through July 13, 2026 and closes Ship Creek to the retention of King salmon for the remainder of the year.

Don't forget to purchase your 2026 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), 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 licenses through the ADF&G online store and print them off from the comfort of your own home.

Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2026 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Anchorage Office at 907-267-2218.