Originally Posted by
Packrat
Salmon run is pretty much done for this year.
Next year:
Kings - May/early June
Silvers - July
Reds - July/August
Chum - July/August
You can catch salmon from Ship Creek in downtown ANC but you won't be alone.
Kenai Peninsula is probably best for Cheechakos.
This is a little off IMO, Silvers are a little later, they start around July. July is heavy King season on the Kenai too, unless there are restrictions like this year (not enough fish returning). Hope, AK, is a good place to slay Silvers around the 3rd week of July.
Reds taper way off towards the end of June, I wouldn't count August in there. Keep in mind, this is the 2nd run, the 1st run is said and done, the 2nd run peaks somewhere in the 2nd week of July near the mouth, then tapers off and a few weeks later they are zombies anyway.
This year we scored at the absolute peak of the Red run in Kenai, but the way to do that is basically be down there that entire week. There is often great fishing upstream from the bank though and people are generally pulling Reds for the entire month of July. You can go down to Seward and snag Reds earlier usually.
Kenai is often pretty crazy, but Ship Creek gets to be pretty dumb. You can even fish for Halibut form the beach near Kenai with a surf-rod.
IMO, catching Reds or Silvers from the bank with a fly rod is great fun. It's easy to pack a collapsible fly rod too.