All Upper Copper River waters stay closed to king salmon as dipnet openings continue

King salmon fishing in the Upper Copper River drainages is over for 2026. All waters of those drainages are closed to king salmon fishing, and an emergency order bars king salmon retention in the personal use fishery for the rest of the season, restrictions the Alaska Department of Fish and Game reiterated in its Aug. 20 Upper Copper/Upper Susitna fishing report. Anglers must immediately release any king salmon caught incidentally while fishing for other species.

Two fisheries remain open. The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net fishery opens at noon Friday, Aug. 21, through noon Sunday, Aug. 23; again from noon Friday, Aug. 28, through noon Sunday, Aug. 30; then continuously from 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 1, through Sept. 30. The Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence salmon fishery stays open through Sept. 30, with no emergency orders specific to it. Sockeye are still entering the Gulkana River, which the department suggested as an option for sport-caught fish.

Conditions matter for trip planning. The upper Copper River is flowing above average after warm days earlier this month, though cooler weather is forecast; the Gulkana River and non-glacial small streams are running low. The Copper River flow gauge in Chitina has been offline since June 15 due to equipment issues. Pippin, Old Road, Round, Tex Smith and 2 Mile lakes are scheduled to be stocked with rainbow trout next week.

The restrictions arrived in stages. Alaska News previously covered ADF&G's July 6 catch-and-release restriction in the drainage, the full sport closure effective July 10, and the Chitina dip net shutdown from July 6 through 12 after a record-low sonar count. The Miles Lake sonar count ended July 28 with a below-average run. No comment from affected anglers or dip netters was available.

Anglers holding an Upper Copper River King Salmon Sport Fishery Permit, new this year, must report online by Aug. 31, even if they never fished or never caught a king. Questions go to the Glennallen office at 907-822-3309.