It’s a fishing day

Buskin River (Kodiak) fishing conditions · Alaska

Tomorrow, 6 am–6 pmSteelhead

The bite peaks at 65.

Log a trip here
Right now: 65 for steelhead, marginalTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Steelhead, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 6512 pm
  2. 65
  3. 65
  4. 653 pm
  5. 65
  6. 65
  7. 586 pm
  8. 58
  9. 58
  10. 589 pm
  11. 58
  12. 58
  13. 65Sun
  14. 65
  15. 65
  16. 583 am
  17. 58
  18. 58
  19. 656 am
  20. 65
  21. 65
  22. 659 am
  23. 65
  24. 65
  25. 6512 pm
  26. 65
  27. 65
  28. 653 pm
  29. 65
  30. 65
  31. 586 pm
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 659 pm
  35. 65
  36. 65
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Steelhead range 40–55°

Wind
5 mph

From the north

Light
Daylight

Sunset 5:10 pm

Sky
Chance Rain And Snow Showers

32% chance of rain

Air
38°F

NWS hourly forecast

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alaska non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Steelhead

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

65MarginalTomorrow, 6 am–6 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Steelhead bite in 40–55° water, best near 48°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 2–60 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Catch and release only today. Kodiak Road Zone: steelhead and rainbow trout are catch-and-release only and must be released immediately. November 1–April 30, only unbaited artificial lures or flies. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Kodiak Road Zone

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on steelhead

Sockeye Salmon

Sockeye salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

30Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Sockeye salmon bite in 40–60° water, best near 52°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Sockeye salmon is here Jun–Aug. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kodiak Road Zone fresh water: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 20" or longer are 5 a day in combination, 5 in possession, only 2 of which may be sockeye, and only 2 coho January 1–September 15 (1 coho from September 16). Under 20", 10 a day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Kodiak Road Zone

Season here: Jun–Aug. More on sockeye salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

30Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Coho salmon bite in 44–58° water, best near 53°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Coho salmon is here May–Oct. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

2 a day (Jan 1–Sep 15); 1 a day (Sep 16–Dec 31)

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kodiak Road Zone fresh water: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 20" or longer are 5 a day in combination, 5 in possession, only 2 of which may be sockeye, and only 2 coho January 1–September 15 (1 coho from September 16). Under 20", 10 a day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Kodiak Road Zone

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Pink Salmon

Pink salmon

Oncorhynchus gorbuscha

30Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Pink salmon bite in 42–60° water, best near 52°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Pink salmon is here Jul–Aug. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

5 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kodiak Road Zone fresh water: chum, coho, pink and sockeye 20" or longer are 5 a day in combination, 5 in possession, only 2 of which may be sockeye, and only 2 coho January 1–September 15 (1 coho from September 16). Under 20", 10 a day. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Kodiak Road Zone

Season here: Jul–Aug. More on pink salmon

Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden

Salvelinus malma

30Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

No water reading here right now. Dolly Varden bite in 38–58° water, best near 48°.

Why

Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Dolly Varden is here May–Oct. Holds 1–15 ft down.

Keep

10 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kodiak: Arctic char/Dolly Varden are 10 a day, 10 in possession, no size limit. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Nov 6, 2026 · Kodiak Road Zone

Season here: May–Oct. More on Dolly Varden

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.35 inHg

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today5:10 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow8:39 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Major solunarToday 10:40 am–12:40 pm
  • Minor solunarToday 3:40 pm–4:40 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 11:10 pm–1:10 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Emergency orders in effect

Alaska changes limits and seasons in season. These ADF&G orders cover the Kodiak area and override the limits below where they differ.

From the ADF&G emergency order list, checked daily; the list last changed Nov 5. Read the order itself before you fish.

Fish in the river

Daily Alaska Department of Fish and Game counts at this water, against the last four seasons. Every Alaska count station

  • Buskin River Chum

    8 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 23. A typical 2022–2025 run: 33.

    Most fish pass Jul 25 – Sep 5, half by Aug 9.

  • Buskin River Coho

    1,704 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 27. A typical 2022–2025 run: 2,369.

    Most fish pass Aug 25 – Sep 26, half by Sep 14.

  • Buskin River Pink

    265,830 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 27. A typical 2022 and 2024 run: 26,348.

    Most fish pass Aug 6 – Aug 27, half by Aug 13.

  • Buskin River Sockeye

    2,016 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 27. A typical 2022–2025 run: 8,913.

    Most fish pass Jun 11 – Jul 21, half by Jun 24.

  • Buskin River Steelhead

    0 counted in 2026

    Counting ended Sep 23. A typical 2022–2025 run: 19.

    Most fish pass Jun 4 – Jul 7, half by Jun 11.

Counts are fish past the station, not a catch forecast, and are preliminary. Checked daily; the numbers last changed Nov 5.

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The Kodiak road-system river beside the airport, fished from the Buskin River State Recreation Site for sockeye in June and coho from August, with a fall steelhead run. ADF&G counts every run at the weir.

Kodiak Road Zone: salmon 20" or longer are 5 a day combined, only 2 sockeye, and only 2 coho through September 15 (1 coho from September 16). Steelhead and rainbow trout are catch-and-release. November 1–April 30, only unbaited artificial lures or flies.

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Buskin River (Kodiak)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Buskin River (Kodiak) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Buskin River (Kodiak)?

Buskin River (Kodiak) is listed on this site for 5 commonly-targeted species: Sockeye Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead, Pink Salmon, and 1 more. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Buskin River (Kodiak)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Buskin River (Kodiak) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Buskin River (Kodiak) have?

Buskin River (Kodiak) has shoreline / wading access. There is no pier or boat ramp at this location. Kodiak Road Zone: salmon 20" or longer are 5 a day combined, only 2 sockeye, and only 2 coho through September 15 (1 coho from September 16). Steelhead and rainbow trout are catch-and-release. November 1–April 30, only unbaited artificial lures or flies.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Buskin River (Kodiak)?

state agency regulations apply at Buskin River (Kodiak). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Buskin River (Kodiak) tidal water?

No. Buskin River (Kodiak) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.