King salmon fishing is over for the year in the Upper Copper River drainages

King salmon fishing in the Upper Copper River drainages is over for 2026. All waters are closed to king salmon fishing, and an emergency order bars king retention in the personal use fishery for the rest of the season. Anglers must immediately release any king caught while fishing for other species.

Two fisheries remain open. The Chitina Subdistrict personal use dip net fishery runs noon Friday through noon Sunday, then noon Aug. 28 through noon Aug. 30, then continuously from Sept. 1 through Sept. 30. The Glennallen Subdistrict subsistence salmon fishery stays open through Sept. 30. Sockeye are still entering the Gulkana River, which Fish and Game suggested as an option for sport-caught fish.

Anyone 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.

The upper Copper River is running above average after warm days earlier this month, with cooler weather forecast. The Gulkana and non-glacial small streams are low. The Copper River flow gauge in Chitina has been offline since June 15 because of equipment issues. Pippin, Old Road, Round, Tex Smith and 2 Mile lakes are scheduled for rainbow trout stocking next week.

The closures came in stages through July, after a record-low sonar count. The Miles Lake sonar count ended July 28 with a below-average run.