Freestone · Mixed · Alaska, US

Goodnews River

Usfws-angler-middle-fork-goodnews-river-large

The Goodnews is the Kanektok's quieter neighbour — a clear southwest-Alaska river running off the Ahklun Mountains through the Togiak refuge to Goodnews Bay, with the same cast of leopard-flanked wild rainbows, sea-run Dolly Varden and all five salmon, and a little less company.

Tomorrow · Not the day for it
Flesh Fly
Forecast · Tomorrow
Not the day for it
Not much stacked in your favour today. Worth an hour if you are nearby, not worth the special trip.
55% projected
Today's fly
Flesh Fly
Flesh Fly
Conditions on the water · Tomorrow
Estimate
Level
Light rain recently
No gauge reading
Water temp3.7°C
ClarityClear
Weather0°C
WindN 14 km/h
Pressure1013 hPa
Rain · recent4.8 mm
Rain · ahead3.4 mm

No gauge on this water — readings are regional estimates from weather, not a live gauge.

Water temperature for Rainbow Trout
Cool — slow
4°C est.ideal 10–18°C
0°14°28°
How to fish it · for Rainbow Trout
When
Nymphing can work through most of the day.
Where
Cover mixed depths.
Method
Start with tight-line nymphs and adjust if fish rise or drift higher.
Kit
9 ft #4 rod, floating line, 12 ft tapered leader to 4–5 lb fluoro tippet.
Why this works
Poor — water clarity is working for you, but water temperature is the limiting factor today.
Hatch timeline · tomorrowPeak at 10am

12pm(now) — Black Midge

Stage: On emergersApproach: Emerger or dryActivity: 25%
Peak emergence windowWeather boost3 food groups active

Peak activity at 10am — Black Midge (Black Midge, Peak emergence window)

Sub-surface · on the nymphunder the surface

Hatch predictions

Supporters see the full sub-surface read.

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Beyond the hatch · worth watchingambient prey(1)

Hatch predictions

Supporters see what else is on the menu.

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Evidence
Records-basedModerate confidence

Based on species-occurrence records, not local invertebrate surveys.

Through the year
0–3 scale · October highlighted
J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
Trout seasonSeason
1
2
2
2
1
Brown DunHatch
2
3
3
3
3
3
3
2
Western Green DrakeHatch
2
2
Flav (Small Western Green Drake)Hatch
2
3
2
Mahogany DunHatch
2
2

Numbers are intensity 0 (none) to 3 (peak) — a guide, not a guarantee.

Ranked for today
Rainbow Trout fly box
Permits & access
Permit required — see local rules.
  • Unbaited single-hook artificial/fly rules and salmon EOs typically apply — verify current dates, rainbow/king restrictions and EOs against ADF&G 2026 regs
  • Remote fly-out float; high bear density; lower river tidal near Goodnews Bay.
What's coming
Plan ahead
5-day outlook
Fishing better nearby · 2
Gallery · 2
  1. Usfws-angler-middle-fork-goodnews-river-large
  2. Terrain map of the venue
    Terrain map
About this water

The Goodnews is the Kanektok's quieter neighbour — a clear southwest-Alaska river running off the Ahklun Mountains through the Togiak refuge to Goodnews Bay, with the same cast of leopard-flanked wild rainbows, sea-run Dolly Varden and all five salmon, and a little less company. It's a week-long float and camp, swinging and stripping and mousing for rainbows and char while the salmon build through the summer toward the bright silvers of late season. Like its neighbour it's clear enough for proper surface and sight fishing, remote enough to demand a fly-out and real bear sense, and tidal where it meets the bay. Fish the smolt and egg-and-flesh windows for the trout, respect the salmon runs for what they are, and check the emergency orders before you commit.

  • Mixed
Water quality · US Clean Water Act
  • Aquatic life: Not assessed
What this classification means

EPA ATTAINS assessment unit 'Goodnews River' (AK_R_3050284_008), 2024 Integrated Report. Aquatic Life use: Insufficient Information. This is a Clean Water Act assessment-unit classification (the US analogue of WFD), not a live reading.

Status is for the Clean Water Act assessment unit covering this reach.

EPA ATTAINS (Clean Water Act) · AK_R_3050284_008

The full read · show the working · for Rainbow Trout · confidence 55%
How the 22 is built — score × weight = contribution
Temperature11 × 28%3.1
Flow80 × 22%17.6
Clarity85 × 18%15.3
Feeding Time80 × 13%10.4
Pressure75 × 7%5.3
Insect activity33 × 12%4.0
Limiting factor: Water temperature (3.8°C) is outside Rainbow Trout's preferred range (10–18°C)= 56
Can you trust it?
Water temperatureair-to-water estimateestimated
Level / flowon-river gaugeobserved
Prey activitymodelled from regional profilemodelled
What would change the calculation
Warmer water — toward the 10–18 °C ideal band — would lift the temperature score.
Directions
Seasons & zones
  • Trout 8 June → 31 October
Related guides
Booking & contacts