A direct expansion creel survey of the early-run Russian River recreational fishery was conducted in 1996 to determine angler effort for and harvest of sockeye salmon Oncorhynchus nerka. Anglers expended 225,457 angler-hours to harvest 75,203 sockeye salmon from the early run (11 June-20 July). The harvest rate for the early run was 0.334 sockeye salmon per hour of angler effort. Approximately 80% of the effort and 77% of the harvest during the early run was taken from the confluence area of the fishery. A total of 52,905 sockeye salmon bound for spawning areas within the Russian River system were counted through the weir at the outlet of Lower Russian Lake during the early run. This escapement exceeded the Board of Fisheries mandated escapement goal of 16,000 fish. Estimates of the age composition of the total early-run return (harvest plus escapement) indicate that the return comprised primarily age-2.3, age-2.2 and age-1.3 sockeye salmon (56%, 29% and 15%, respectively). Both the sport harvest and the total return for the early run were larger than the historical mean for 1976-1995.