A direct expansion creel survey of the early-run Russian River recreational fishery was conducted in 1992 to determine angler effort for and harvest of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka. Anglers expended 143,937 angler-hours to harvest 30,512 sockeye salmon from the early run (12 June-19 July). The weighted harvest rate for the early run was 0.212 sockeye salmon per hour of angler effort. Approximately 60% of the effort and harvest during the early run was taken from the confluence area of the fishery. A total of 37,117 sockeye salmon bound for spawning areas was counted through the weir at the outlet of Lower Russian Lake during the early run. This escapement number exceeded the Board of Fisheries mandated escapement goal of 16,000 fish. Estimates of the age composition of the total early run (apportioned harvest plus escapement) indicate that the return was primarily of age-2.3 and age-2.2 sockeye salmon (70.6% and 28.5%, respectively). Both the sport harvest and total return for the early run were at or near the mean historical values for the time frame 1976-present.