Latest Fish Creek sockeye count: 1 on Sep 15, 2026 (ADF&G, preliminary). 2026 season count: 140,023 fish (Jul 3 – Sep 15).
- Latest daily count
- 1
- Sep 15, 2026
no change vs Sep 13 - 2026 season total
- 140,023
- Jul 3 – Sep 15
2025 to the same date: 42,573 - vs 3-year average
- 335%
- of the 2023–2025 average to Sep 15 (41,760)
- Peak day
- 19,203
- Jul 27, 2026
- 7-day total
- 5
- Sep 9 – Sep 15 (5 days counted)
down 96% vs the 7 days before
Above the goal range
ADF&G SEG goal: 15,000–45,000
2026 passage: 140,023 fish counted through Sep 15. Passage is the fish counted at the site (preliminary), not final escapement.
- 2026
- 2023–2025 average
- SEG goal
- Daily count
Chart data (weekly running totals)
| Date | 2026 running total | 2023–2025 average running total |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 30 | 0 | 0 |
| Jul 7 | 990 | 264 |
| Jul 14 | 5,723 | 3,024 |
| Jul 21 | 16,786 | 19,233 |
| Jul 28 | 79,646 | 25,678 |
| Aug 4 | 121,266 | 38,116 |
| Aug 11 | 136,115 | 40,707 |
| Aug 18 | 138,496 | 41,326 |
| Aug 25 | 139,387 | 41,628 |
| Sep 1 | 139,884 | 41,751 |
| Sep 8 | 140,018 | 41,760 |
| Sep 15 | 140,023 | 41,760 |
| Date | Fish counted | Change vs prior count | Season total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 4 | 28 | +7 | 139,973 |
| Sep 5 | 16 | −12 | 139,989 |
| Sep 6 | 19 | +3 | 140,008 |
| Sep 7 | 7 | −12 | 140,015 |
| Sep 8 | 3 | −4 | 140,018 |
| Sep 10 | 1 | −2 | 140,019 |
| Sep 11 | 1 | 0 | 140,020 |
| Sep 12 | 1 | 0 | 140,021 |
| Sep 13 | 1 | 0 | 140,022 |
| Sep 15 | 1 | 0 | 140,023 |
| 2026 season total | 140,023 | ||
| 2023–2025 average to the same date | 41,760 | ||
Source: ADF&G daily fish counts, preliminary; ADF&G can revise them. Days with no count above zero are skipped.
Fish Creek Sockeye Salmon Fish Counts
Real-time and historical weir counts tracking Sockeye (Red) salmon on Fish Creek—a popular Mat-Su Valley fishery with personal use dip net opportunities.
Understanding Fish Creek Sockeye Runs
Fish Creek is a Knik Arm stream in the Mat-Su Valley. Fish are counted at an ADF&G weir 0.8 mile upstream of Lewis Road near Knik as salmon migrate upstream to spawn. This accessible fishery is popular for both sport fishing and personal use dip netting when runs are strong.
🐟 Sockeye Salmon Run (July – Mid-September)
The weir typically starts counting sockeye in early July, with peak passage in the second half of July. When escapement projections exceed 35,000 fish, a personal use dip net fishery may open between July 15 and July 31.
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About Fish Creek Sockeye Salmon Fishing
Fish Creek is a popular Mat-Su Valley sockeye salmon fishery located in the Knik Arm region near Knik. Unlike many Alaska salmon streams, Fish Creek is relatively accessible by road, making it a favorite destination for Anchorage and Mat-Su Valley residents. The creek supports a healthy sockeye run that often allows for personal use dip netting—a unique opportunity in Southcentral Alaska.
Run Timing & Peak Fishing
Fish Creek Sockeye typically begin passing the weir in early July. From 2022 to 2026 the run reached its midpoint at the weir between July 21 and July 28, so peak passage usually falls in the second half of July, though a few fish continue entering the system into mid-September. The weir counted 42,573 sockeye in 2025, within the goal range, and 140,023 in 2026 (preliminary), far above it.
Personal Use Dip Net Fishery
One of Fish Creek's most attractive features is the personal use dip net fishery. When escapement projections exceed 35,000 fish, ADF&G may open a dip net fishery between July 15 and July 31. In 2025, this fishery opened on July 23 for nine days, and in 2026 it opened from July 19 through July 31. This provides Alaska residents an opportunity to fill their freezers with high-quality wild salmon close to the road system—a rare convenience compared to the more distant Kenai River dipnet fishery.
Escapement Goals & Management
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has set the Fish Creek sockeye salmon sustainable escapement goal (SEG) at 15,000 to 45,000 fish. When runs are strong, ADF&G increases bag and possession limits. In 2025, ADF&G raised the bag and possession limit to 6 sockeye from August 9 to 16, and in 2026 to 6 fish from August 1 to 15, after the weir count reached 64,755 by July 27.
Access & Location
Fish Creek is one of the more accessible sockeye salmon streams in Southcentral Alaska:
• By Road: The open area runs from the mouth upstream to ADF&G markers ¼ mile above Knik Goose Bay Road
• Parking: Limited parking areas available—arrive early during peak times
• Trails: Walking trails provide access to fishing areas along the creek
The relative ease of access makes Fish Creek popular and can result in crowded conditions during peak fishing and dip netting periods.
Fishing Regulations
Standard Knik Arm drainage sockeye salmon regulations apply, though emergency orders frequently modify limits based on run strength. During strong returns, expect:
• Sport Fishing: Typically 3 sockeye/day, 3 in possession (may increase to 6/6 during strong runs)
• Personal Use: When open, head of household limits plus additional fish per household member
• Gear: Standard salmon tackle for sport fishing; dip nets for personal use when open
Always check current ADF&G emergency orders before fishing, as regulations change frequently during the season.
Tips for Success
• Timing: Monitor fish counts and plan your trip for peak passage periods
• Arrive Early: Parking fills quickly during dip net openings and weekends
• Watch Emergency Orders: Regulations change based on run strength
• Prepare for Crowds: This accessible fishery attracts many anglers
• Bring Proper Gear: Waders are essential; dip nets required for personal use fishery
Tracking Fish Creek Sockeye fish counts helps anglers anticipate dip net openings, time their trips for peak runs, and understand when liberalized limits may be in effect. The weir data provides accurate daily escapement counts essential for planning a successful fishing trip.
Fish Creek sockeye count: common questions
Plain answers on how the weir count works, what past seasons looked like and how the count opens the Fish Creek dipnet fishery. This season's numbers are in the season recap and live chart above. The figures below come from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) and were checked on October 21, 2026.
What is the Fish Creek weir count?
It is ADF&G's daily count of sockeye salmon, also called red salmon, passing its weir on Fish Creek, a Knik Arm stream in the Big Lake drainage of the Mat-Su Valley. Each day's count is added to a running total for the season. ADF&G uses it to judge the escapement goal and to decide whether to open the personal-use dipnet fishery.
Where is the Fish Creek weir?
0.8 mile upstream of Lewis Road near Knik. ADF&G says the weir sits upstream of the area open to fishing, so the count is of fish that have already made it past the sport and dipnet fisheries. The open area runs from ADF&G markers at the mouth upstream to markers a quarter mile above Knik Goose Bay Road.
When do Fish Creek sockeye run?
In July and early August. From 2022 to 2026 counting started between June 30 and July 5, and the run reached its halfway point at the weir between July 21 and July 28. The biggest single day came in the second half of July in each of those seasons:
- 2022: July 26
- 2023: July 21
- 2024: July 30
- 2025: July 21
- 2026: July 27
A few fish keep coming into September; in 2026 the last one was counted on September 15.
How many Fish Creek sockeye were counted in 2026?
ADF&G's preliminary 2026 count was 140,023 sockeye, from July 3 to September 15. That is the highest season total in ADF&G's online Fish Creek data, which goes back to 1996, and about three times the 45,000 top of the escapement goal. The biggest day was July 27, at 19,203 fish, followed by 14,894 on July 28.
What is the record Fish Creek sockeye count?
The record in ADF&G's online data is 2026, at 140,023 sockeye (preliminary). The previous high in the online data was 126,836 in 2010. The biggest single day is still from 2010: 20,128 fish on July 21.
What were the Fish Creek sockeye counts in past years?
Season counts at the weir, from ADF&G's online data:
- 2026: 140,023 (preliminary)
- 2025: 42,573
- 2024: 37,943
- 2023: 44,764
- 2022: 58,351 (counting ended July 29)
- 2021: 22,271 (counting ended July 28)
- 2020: 64,243
- 2019: 76,031
- 2018: 71,556
- 2017: 61,469
ADF&G's 2024 Cook Inlet season summary marks the 2021 and 2022 counts as incomplete, and it lists 99,324 for 2021, far above the 22,271 in the online data. Final figures in ADF&G's reports can also differ slightly from the online data in other years; for example, its 2025 summary gives 42,616.
What is the escapement goal for Fish Creek sockeye?
15,000 to 45,000 sockeye, a sustainable escapement goal measured at the weir. Escapement is the number of fish that get past the fisheries to spawn. ADF&G also counts coho at the weir, against a separate goal of 1,200 to 6,000 coho.
When does the Fish Creek dipnet fishery open?
Only in strong years. Under the Upper Cook Inlet personal-use management plan, ADF&G can open a Fish Creek dipnet fishery by emergency order any time from July 15 to July 31, if it projects more than 35,000 sockeye will reach the weir. Recent openings:
- 2024: opened July 20, for 11 days
- 2025: opened July 23, through July 31
- 2026: July 19 through July 31, from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily
In 2026 ADF&G opened the fishery after 9,365 sockeye had passed the weir, because the count already projected more than 35,000. King salmon may not be taken in the dipnet fishery.
Who can dipnet Fish Creek?
Alaska residents with a resident fishing license and a household personal-use permit. ADF&G's annual household limit is 25 salmon for the permit holder plus 10 for each additional household member, and it is shared with the Kenai and Kasilof personal-use fisheries. Check the permit rules with ADF&G before you go.
How do the counts affect the sport bag limit?
When the weir count runs well above the goal, ADF&G can raise the sockeye limit. In 2025 it raised the bag and possession limit to 6 sockeye from August 9 to 16. In 2026, after the count reached 64,755 by July 27, it raised the limit to 6 from August 1 to 15, starting with the youth-only fishery on August 1 and 2, and opened the sport fishery to all anglers on August 3 instead of August 8. Sport fishing on Fish Creek is open seven days a week, from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., when the creek is open. Check ADF&G's sport fishing regulations and current emergency orders before you fish. This page is not a regulations source.
How does today's count compare with the average?
Check the season recap and chart above. They show the daily count and the running total for the season, with 3-year and 5-year averages and the goal range. Single days swing a lot, so the running total against the average for the same date is the better guide to whether a dipnet opening or a higher limit is likely. Current-year counts are preliminary and can be revised. On ADF&G's own table, days with no count show as a dash.
How is Fish Creek different from the Kenai dipnet fishery?
Fish Creek is a much smaller run, and its dipnet fishery opens only when the weir projects a surplus. The Kenai personal-use fishery normally runs from July 10 to July 31 unless ADF&G changes it by emergency order. Both count against the same household limit. See our Kenai River sockeye counts.
Where does the data come from?
The counts in the chart and the past-season totals above come from ADF&G's public sockeye count for Fish Creek. We republish them with averages so the trend is easier to read. The dipnet openings and limits come from ADF&G's emergency orders and its Cook Inlet season summaries.
How do I get alerts when new counts post?
In the Alaska FishTopia app, favorite the Fish Creek count and you'll get a push alert when a new count posts. The alert gives the day's count and the season total so far, and says whether the run is ahead of, on or behind the typical pace for the date, based on the 3-year average. The app also covers the Kenai, Little Susitna and other Alaska counts, plus tides, marine weather, sport fishing regulations and AI fish ID. It comes with a 3-day free trial, then $9.99 a year. Get it on the App Store or Google Play.