Species Guide
Two roadside rivers and one of Southeast Alaska's biggest fall coho runs.
Haines is a river town first. Unlike the big saltwater charter ports, most salmon fishing here happens on foot along two road-accessible drainages: the Chilkat River, which parallels the Haines Highway northwest of town, and the Chilkoot River, a short, clear stream connecting Chilkoot Lake to salt water about 10 miles north of Haines. All five Pacific salmon spawn in these systems.
The headline fisheries are Chilkoot sockeye in midsummer and fall coho; ADF&G calls the Chilkat's coho return the third largest in Southeast Alaska. And after more than a decade of closure, Haines-area king salmon fishing reopened in 2026 with new restrictions, a notable event for the town. King rules here are fresh and tightly managed.
The Chilkoot River is the most accessible water: a one-mile road leads to Chilkoot Lake State Recreation Site, and most anglers fish from shore or wade below the ADF&G counting weir, or work the lake outlet. Sockeye run June through August, and the weir has counted returns on the order of 70,000 fish in a season, with pinks joining in July. The Chilkat is a bigger, glacial system fished from highway pullouts roughly between mileposts 4 and 25; it fishes best in fall, when colder weather clears the water.
Guided options in Haines lean toward river guides and fly-fishing outfits, plus a handful of small boat charters trolling the inlets, rather than a large offshore fleet. Spin anglers do well with orange or green Pixee-style spoons; fly anglers use egg patterns and streamers. Bait has been allowed year-round on both rivers under recent regulations.
Sockeye are the summer draw, June into August on the Chilkoot. Pinks show in July. Coho pick up in late September on the Chilkoot and early October on the Chilkat, and October is prime on the Chilkat once its glacial water clears. Chilkoot coho can run up to 20 pounds, and chum are abundant in the Chilkat in October as well. That fall timing is worth underlining: the best Haines salmon fishing happens after most Alaska tourists have gone home.
The reopened king fishery began mid-June in the Chilkat and Chilkoot Inlets (saltwater), carries new restrictions, and could be adjusted or closed by emergency order at any time. Recent daily limits have differed between the rivers too, on the order of three coho on the Chilkat but two on the Chilkoot, so read the current Haines/Skagway regs before keeping fish.
This is drive-park-and-fish country. A typical day is a rental car or guide truck, hip boots or waders, and casting from gravel bars, closer to a Kenai Peninsula river day than a Homer charter. The Chilkoot corridor is thick with brown bears when salmon are in, so keep your distance, follow posted rules, and fish with company. A nonresident license is $30/day or $145/year, with the King Salmon Stamp extra if you target kings.
| Period | What's happening | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mid-June – August | Sockeye run the Chilkoot; fished below the weir and at the lake outlet | Pinks join in July; expect bears along the river |
| June 15 onward (saltwater) | Recently reopened king fishing in Chilkat and Chilkoot Inlets | New, tight restrictions; subject to emergency order |
| Late September | Coho arrive in the Chilkoot River | Smaller run than the Chilkat's; recent limits differ by river |
| October | Prime coho on the Chilkat as glacial water clears; chum abundant | Third-largest coho return in Southeast Alaska per ADF&G |
Seasons and limits change — always confirm current regulations with ADF&G before booking.
Two windows: June through August for Chilkoot River sockeye (with pinks in July), and late September through October for coho. The Chilkat hosts one of the largest coho runs in Southeast Alaska and fishes best in October when its water clears.
As of 2026, yes: a saltwater king fishery in the Chilkat and Chilkoot Inlets reopened in mid-June after being closed for over a decade, with new restrictions. It is tightly managed and subject to emergency orders, so confirm current rules with ADF&G, and buy the King Salmon Stamp.
No. Most Haines salmon fishing is done from shore or by wading: the Chilkoot River below the weir is a one-mile drive off the highway, and the Chilkat is fished from pullouts along the Haines Highway. Local guides and a few small charters are available if you want help.
It's a roadside river fishery rather than a charter port: think waders and gravel bars instead of a 30-foot boat. That means lower costs, a fall-heavy season, and lots of bears sharing the water.
haines, Alaska
haines, Alaska
haines, Alaska