What’s Up With Mat-Su Coho Escapement Numbers?

Mat-Su coho salmon weir counts through Monday August 4, 2025 were:

Deshka River ———- 256 fish Sustainable Escapement Goal (SEG) 10,200 — 24,100

Little Susitna River — 968 fish SEG 9,200 — 17,700

Fish Creek ———— 704 fish SEG 1,200 — 4,400

Jim Creek ————- 841 fish No weir based SEG

The Deshka River Coho SEG is the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s (ADF&G’s) primary in season indicator for coho salmon abundance for the entire Susitna River drainage, but periods of low warm water can seriously delay coho salmon migration past Deshka River Weir. While the Deshka River did have a period of low and warm water, earlier, recent rain events have both raised the water level and cooled instream water temperatures to a level more conducive for coho salmon migration — yet through Monday, there has been on significant pulse of coho salmon escapement counted past the weir.

I’ve heard a few reports of recent good coho salmon fishing downstream of the weir, however, only one day through August 4 with a daily coho count in excess of 100 fish passing the weir appears alarming to me. I am seriously concerned if ADF&G will be able to attain the Deshka River coho salmon spawning SEG during 2025. If Deshka Weir counts do not dramatically improve and soon, I would expect to see coho salmon restriction(s) and possibly closure at historically one of the most fished Mat-Su Valley locations.

Final weir installation was delayed until July 23 during 2025 at the new further upstream location at Little Susitna River. Even so, a cumulative coho salmon weir count of 968 fish through August 4, 2025 is abnormally low. The highest daily coho weir passage at the time this column was written was 166 fish on August 4 — and sport fishing through August 5 has been restricted to artificial lures only. With bait fishing set to open on August 6 at Little Susitna River, will increased sport harvest of coho salmon, using bait, cause coho salmon weir counts to pummel similar to what occurred in 2024 and force nearly season closure to Little Susitna River coho salmon fishing again in 2025? Note: Even under artificial lure regulations Little Susitna River supports one of the Mat-Su’s largest coho salmon sport fisheries, but the bait opening is often the heaviest fished day of the entire season at Little Susitna River, and can be just the start of an entire week of heavy angling effort. ADF&G often considers Little Susitna River coho salmon abundance (measured passing the weir) as one of their best in season coho salmon abundance indicators for the entire Knik Arm drainage.

Will fishing restrictions / closure haunt this fishery again in 2025? If so, what adaptive management changes would ADF&G suggest to address the issue of sustaining Little Susitna River salmon stocks and fisheries?

While Fish Creek has been closed to salmon fishing following the closure of the personal use dip net fishery on July 31 (except for the youth fishery on August 2 and 3) substantial coho salmon escapements have occurred past Fish Creek weir in relation to the small size of the Fish Creek coho salmon sustainable escapement goal. It appears the coho salmon escapement could possibly be within the goal range, before the small area where legal salmon fishing is allowed, opens once again, to 7-day-per-week sport salmon fishing on August 8. This begs the question, why the great disparity between Fish Creek coho salmon abundance compared to Deshka River and Little Susitna River coho salmon abundances?

2025 is the tenth year coho salmon abundances have been monitored by a weir at Jim Creek, however through August 4th, the 2025 coho salmon weir passage is the largest ever measured at Jim Creek. Earlier coho salmon migration up this relatively warm water drainage may have been triggered by recent rain that raised the water level and cooled stream temperatures. Once again, if Little Susitna River is the primary in season coho salmon abundance indicator for the Knik Arm drainage, why the great disparity in relative coho salmon abundances between Jim Creek and Little Susitna River? Will this recent trend of high numbers of upstream coho salmon passage continue throughout the season at Jim Creek?

Eklutna Tailrace Youth Fishery — While still a ways off, parents and youth under 16 years age may want to plan on participating in this fishery scheduled for Saturday August 16, 2025. While adults may not fish in the youth area between the hours of6 a.m. - 6 p.m., they may be needed to provide transportation for youths, and adults may still fish upstream of the pedestrian bridge and downstream of the tailrace / Knik River confluence.

Good Luck and Fish On!

Andy Couch guides Mat-Su salmon fishing charters https://fish4salmon.com/ , is a member of the Matanuska Valley Fish & Game Advisory Committee, and the Matanuska-Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission, however, statements / opinions in this column are his own, unless expressed otherwise.