June 2026 Alaska Fishing Reports
June is our best month for catching king (Chinook) salmon in the Mat-Su Valley between Anchorage and Denali National Park. We are guiding king salmon fishing trips in June 2026 to the Knik River side-channel below Ekltuna Tailrace. If you want to fish for / hope to catch a large ocean-run king salmon in the Mat-Su Valley north of Anchorage, Eklutna Tailrace and the Knik River side-channel below is the only location open for fishing for Alaska’s official state fish at the start of the 2026 season. This location is open to salmon harvest 365 days per year, on a 24 hour per day basis, with bait and multiple hooks allowed the entire time. While a few king salmon are taken in May and July from this location, the month of June is when most of the king salmon are harvested here. The water is usually clearer and shallower earlier in June, causing king to bunch up and wait for higher runoff levels before continuing their migration up the side-channel to their destination at Eklutna Tailrace. Later in. the month as the river becomes higher and cloudier the king salmon migration through the side-channel picks up speed. After a heavy rain or warm spell melting Knik Glacier the river level can rise substantially and become more clouded with glacial silt, which can slow down the king salmon catching at this location. The action picks up again, whenever a spell of cooler weather causes the river to drop / clear, or during times of large releases of cleaner water through the Eklutna power plant, down the tailrace, and into the Knik River side-channel.
The Knik River side-channel will be our primary location when fishing for ocean-run salmon during June, however, we’ve also caught some sockeye salmon, chum salmon, and even some extremely early-run coho salmon from Little Susitna River in late June. Therefore, depending upon river conditions, we may also guide a few trips to Little Susitna River or other locations for other species– especially during the later half of June and certainly during July. Note: Our guest have caught king salmon on diving plugs, Flashtrap Spinners, and Fire Cured salmon roe. By far the bait accounted for most of our guests king salmon during the 2025 season, however, we are willing to switch things up and try different tactics (sometime it pays off)!
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