Alaska
Kenai River at Cooper Landing
Current River Rating
Fair · 57
Conditions are mixed. Review the details below before heading out.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Partial water evidence · Medium confidence
Should I Go?
Consider
Recommended Window
Saturday, 1:00 PM–4:00 PM
Why
- Air temperature is comfortable for a river trout trip.
- Light wind should make casting and boat control easier.
Favorable Factors
- Recent precipitation has been light.
Timing Evidence
Window confidence: High
Current Readings
- Flow
- 3360 CFS
- Gage Height
- 8.85 ft
- Water Temperature
- 49.1 °F
- Observation Time
- Sep 5, 2026, 7:00 AM
Updated recently · USGS station 15258000 · Direct monitoring location
Readings from past 7 Days
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Historical readings are provided for context. Readings outside the current freshness window are not used to rate current conditions.
Better Nearby Options
Checking nearby StrikeTracks waters…
Preliminary guidance only. Always assess current weather, access, water depth, current speed, and your own ability before entering the river.
Changing Conditions Advisory
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Weather Near Gauge
Current Weather
Overcast
Temperature
54°F
Feels like
52°F
Wind
6 mph E
Wind gust
21 mph
Current precipitation
0.00 in
Updated
Sep 4, 2026, 11:45 PM
Recent Rainfall
Estimated precipitation near this gauge
Last 6 hours
0.00 in
Last 24 hours
0.00 in
Last 48 hours
0.00 in
Little recent rainfall near this river.
Next 24 Hours
Sat 12 AM
Overcast
Temp 54°F
Chance 47%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 6 mph
Sat 4 AM
Showers
Temp 52°F
Chance 100%
Precip 0.08 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 8 AM
Overcast
Temp 52°F
Chance 23%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Sat 12 PM
Overcast
Temp 57°F
Chance 0%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 5 mph
Sat 4 PM
Overcast
Temp 65°F
Chance 47%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 4 mph
Sat 8 PM
Overcast
Temp 59°F
Chance 6%
Precip 0.00 in
Wind 2 mph
Four-Day Forecast
Fri, Sep 4
Overcast
High 63°F / Low 44°F
Chance 44%
Precip 0.00 in
Max gust 18 mph
Sat, Sep 5
Showers
High 65°F / Low 51°F
Chance 100%
Precip 0.19 in
Max gust 25 mph
Sun, Sep 6
Drizzle
High 54°F / Low 50°F
Chance 99%
Precip 0.33 in
Max gust 30 mph
Mon, Sep 7
Drizzle
High 62°F / Low 50°F
Chance 73%
Precip 0.02 in
Max gust 26 mph
Weather and rainfall are estimated for this river's coordinates. Local conditions can vary, especially in mountainous terrain and during isolated storms.
Recent rainfall can influence river flow, but the timing and magnitude depend on watershed size, soil conditions, upstream reservoirs, and dam releases.
Weather data: Open-Meteo
Historical Flow
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Fishing Overview
Kenai River at Cooper Landing, Alaska. Monitoring-Backed from USGS 15258000 (live discharge, stage, and water temperature).
Fishery Profile
Documented species you may encounter at Kenai River.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency sources. About fish illustrations
Fishery overview
The Kenai at Cooper Landing is the upper Kenai fishing reach at the Kenai Lake outlet / Cooper Landing. StrikeTracks publishes Monitoring-Backed conditions from USGS 15258000 (live discharge, stage, and water temperature). Distinct from Kenai at Soldotna 15266300, Kenai below Skilak 15266110, Russian River 15264000, and Kenai Lake, which is not this river ID. Resident rainbow trout are the honest selector primary. Sockeye are a seasonal ADF&G fishery, not a weir rating. Flow Context remains default-deny. Hatch Match publishes general fly suggestions only.
Target species
Rainbow Trout
Oncorhynchus mykiss
- Expectation
- Primary
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
ADF&G upper Kenai Cooper Landing. USGS 15258000. Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) are an ADF&G sport fish in many Alaska drainages and are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID. Distinct from Soldotna 15266300 and Russian 15264000.
Sockeye Salmon
Oncorhynchus nerka
- Expectation
- Common
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Seasonal ADF&G sockeye. Confirm current Kenai notices. ADF&G sonar, weir, and escapement counts are fishery context. They are not StrikeTracks river condition ratings.
Chinook Salmon
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
- Expectation
- Present
- Population
- Wild
- Native status
- native
- Confidence
- High confidence
Seasonal ADF&G Chinook. Confirm current notices. ADF&G sonar, weir, and escapement counts are fishery context. They are not StrikeTracks river condition ratings.
Fishery characteristics
- Composition
- Wild
- Great Lakes tributary
- No
- Flow regime
- Natural flow
Upper Kenai River at Cooper Landing, from Kenai Lake toward Skilak Lake, distinct from the lower Kenai at Soldotna.
Best seasons
- Spring
- Summer
- Fall
Common techniques
- Boat fishing
- Fly fishing
- Shore fishing
- Spinning
- Streamers
Access and Public Fishing Rights
Public fishing is documented by ADF&G Kenai Peninsula / Cooper Landing pages and Kenai National Wildlife Refuge / state recreation access. Catalog coordinates are the USGS point. This is not Kenai Lake stillwater.
Stocking information
ADF&G Kenai Peninsula manages upper Kenai salmonids. Confirm current official stocking and in-season sockeye notices separately.
Official sources
ADF&G Kenai River upper-river special regulations, sanctuary closures, and sockeye rules change. Dolly Varden (Salvelinus malma) are an ADF&G sport fish in many Alaska drainages and are not a StrikeTracks species-selector ID. ADF&G sonar, weir, and escapement counts are fishery context. They are not StrikeTracks river condition ratings. Distinct from Soldotna 15266300, Skilak outlet 15266110, Russian River 15264000, and Kenai Lake. Confirm current official regulations.
Hatch Match
General fly suggestions
- Parachute-style dryGeneral attractor dry family — not a claim that a named mayfly is hatching.
- Pheasant-tail-style nymphGeneral nymph family for trout rivers without destination hatch timing.
- Elk-hair-style dryGeneral dry/attractor family. Pattern choice only — not a report that caddis are hatching.
- Woolly-bugger-style streamerGeneral streamer family. Not a forage or insect Hatch event.
These are general fishing suggestions, not a report of insects currently hatching at this destination.
Location and Access
USGS monitoring location
Kenai Peninsula, Alaska
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
River Details
County
Kenai Peninsula
Management Category
Anadromous and resident salmonid river
Regulation Scope
Kenai River at Cooper Landing
Regulation Summary
Kenai at Cooper Landing: ADF&G Kenai Peninsula / Kenai River sport-fishing regulations. Confirm current official notices.
Target Species
rainbow-trout, sockeye-salmon, chinook-salmon
Access, Parking, and Regulations
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