Cottonwood Creek sockeye salmon fishery

Daymingo is the fastest way to check tonight's aurora forecast for viewing sites from Fairbanks to Southcentral, alongside daily Alaska salmon counts on the Kenai River, Kasilof River and Russian River, today's number, how it stacks up against last year and the 5-year average, and the weather right on the bank. Then pick a forecast day and Daymingo matches it to the hikes, biking, camping, breweries, sights and local events that actually work in those conditions across the region, so locals save time and visitors find the good stuff fast.

Salmon rivers we track

Kenai River, late-run sockeye counted by sonar at river mile 19 near Soldotna, home of the world-record king salmon. Kasilof River, sonar-counted sockeye near Kasilof, quieter than the Kenai with dipnet and drift fishing. Russian River, weir-counted sockeye at the Falls near Cooper Landing, classic combat sockeye fishing. Sockeye run roughly mid-June through September, peaking in July.

Areas we cover

Southcentral Alaska, coast to corridor: Anchorage, Eagle River & Chugiak, the Mat-Su Valley (Palmer, Wasilla, Hatcher Pass), Talkeetna, Girdwood & Portage, the Seward Highway & Turnagain Arm, the Kenai Peninsula (Cooper Landing, Sterling, Soldotna, Kenai, Kasilof, Ninilchik, Anchor Point, Homer and Seward), and the Glenn Highway east to Glennallen and the Matanuska valley.

Every area we rank, with its towns: Anchorage Bowl (Anchorage, Eagle River); Girdwood & Portage (Girdwood, Portage, Whittier); Mat-Su Valley (Palmer, Wasilla); Talkeetna (Talkeetna, Denali gateway); Glenn Hwy & Glennallen (Matanuska Glacier, Sheep Mtn, Glennallen); Eastern Kenai (Cooper Landing, Hope, Moose Pass); Seward (Seward, Resurrection Bay); Western Kenai (Soldotna, Kenai, Sterling); Homer Area (Homer, Ninilchik, Anchor Point); Fairbanks & the Interior (Fairbanks, North Pole, Chena Hot Springs).

Common questions

Where do I see live Kenai, Kasilof & Russian River fish counts?: Right here, Daymingo's Fish Counts page puts all three rivers' daily sockeye numbers on one screen, versus last year and the 5-year average, with riverbank weather. Counts come from Alaska Department of Fish & Game and refresh daily during the run.
When do the salmon run in Southcentral Alaska?: Sockeye (red) salmon run from about mid-June through September, with peak counts usually in July. The live numbers wake up in June when the run starts.
What can visitors and tourists do here?: Find weather-matched hikes, glacier and wildlife sights, breweries, campgrounds and RV parks, plus what's on while you're in town, see local events, the sights, or build a day with the trip planner.
Where can I fish near Anchorage?: Right in town: Ship Creek runs king and coho salmon minutes from downtown Anchorage, Bird Creek on Turnagain Arm gets a summer coho run, and Campbell Creek holds coho, rainbow trout and Dolly Varden. Anchorage also has ADF&G-stocked lakes, Jewel, DeLong, Sand, Cheney and Taku, planted with rainbow trout, Arctic char and landlocked salmon. Browse every fishing spot we map on the Where to fish page, and verify current regulations with ADF&G before you go.
Which lakes in Southcentral Alaska are stocked with fish?: Daymingo marks ADF&G-stocked waters among the fishing spots it maps, with the planted species noted on each card. Around Anchorage that includes Jewel, DeLong, Sand, Cheney and Taku lakes; in the Mat-Su, Kepler-Bradley, Matanuska, Finger and Big Lake; on the Kenai Peninsula, Sport, Watson, Engineer and Johnson lakes. Tap the Stocked filter on the Where to fish browse to see them all, and check ADF&G's stocking schedule since plant lists rotate year to year.
Can I fish in Alaska without a boat?: Yes, plenty of the best fishing here is from shore. On saltwater, try the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon and the end of the Homer Spit, the beaches at Anchor Point, Deep Creek and Ninilchik, or Seward Lagoon and Lowell Point. On fresh water, Ship Creek, Bird Creek and the Russian River are classic bank fisheries, and every stocked lake fishes fine from shore.
Where can I launch a boat on the Kenai River?: Daymingo tracks Kenai River launches top to bottom: Sportsmans Landing and Cooper Landing on the upper river, Jims Landing take-out, Bings Landing and Izaak Walton near Sterling, Swiftwater and Centennial parks in Soldotna, and Eagle Rock on the lower river. Each spot's card lists the launch fee, most run somewhere between $5 and $30. Fees and hours change seasonally, so verify locally before you tow.
Where should I fish the Kenai River today?: Daymingo's daily Kenai River fishing report maps where the sockeye are along the river right now, then lists every public bank access point on the Kenai, Kasilof and Russian with parking, fees, facilities, the walk to the water and seasonal closures. It reads the same live ADF&G sonar and weir counts as the rest of the site, so the picks move with the run rather than with the calendar. Check ADF&G for current limits and emergency orders before you go. Open the Kenai River fishing report.