Kenai Chinook Estimates, Indices and Inseason Run Summaries
See also the prior Final Early Run Chinook Inseason Summary
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Location: Kenai River (Chinook) |
The selected years are color-coded in the graphs below:
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Daily Counts
* graphs are images and may be cached by browser |
Cumulative
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Description: In 2015 the department began managing Kenai River king salmon runs using an ARIS sonar station located at river mile 14. In 2017 the Department modified the Kenai River king salmon escapement goals from goals based on king salmon of all sizes, to escapement goals based on large king salmon (fish over 34 inches) only. The early-run king salmon optimal escapement goal range is 3,900 to 6,600 large king salmon (> 34 inches). In 2020 the late-run king salmon escapement goal was modified to an optimal escapement goal range is 15,000 to 30,000 large king salmon (> 34 inches). The ARIS sonar counts found on this page are the daily and seasonal cumulative passage estimates of the number of large king salmon passing the sonar site. Additionally, the past years counts displayed on this page have been converted to large fish counts for comparison. These estimated numbers of large king salmon passing the sonar site are the primary tool for the Kenai River king salmon assessment program that also includes a sport angler harvest survey, and a netting program. The data gathered in these assessments are used together to determine king salmon run strength. This data in conjunction with Fishery Management Plans, allows fishery managers to determine if emergency order regulation changes to the fisheries are needed during the season to help ensure that the escapement goals are achieved. These abundance assessments as well as information about the status of the run and inseason management actions can be viewed via this website on the above tabs. Information is also available by telephone at (907)262-9097.
Optimal Escapement Goal for Chinook - Early Run:
3,900 - 6,600
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Contact:
Area Management Biologist, | |
58 records returned for the years selected. Dashes indicate days with no count.
[Export results in Excel format or JSON format]
| Date 2026 |
Count 2026 |
Cumulative 2026 |
Cumulative 2025 |
Cumulative 2024 |
Cumulative 2023 |
Cumulative 2022 |
Notes for 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug-27 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | 13,922 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-26 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | 13,776 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-25 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | 13,679 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-24 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | 13,612 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-23 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | - | 13,425 | |
| Aug-22 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | - | 13,425 | |
| Aug-21 | - | 0 | 15,015 | 6,630 | 13,436 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-20 | - | 0 | 14,884 | 6,630 | 13,257 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-19 | - | 0 | 14,824 | 6,630 | 13,111 | 13,425 | |
| Aug-18 | - | 0 | 14,722 | 6,582 | 12,911 | 13,338 | |
| Aug-17 | - | 0 | 14,553 | 6,534 | 12,747 | 13,253 | |
| Aug-16 | - | 0 | 14,469 | 6,510 | 12,552 | 13,124 | |
| Aug-15 | - | 0 | 14,312 | 6,408 | 12,381 | 12,961 | |
| Aug-14 | - | 0 | 13,987 | 6,306 | 12,161 | 12,779 | |
| Aug-13 | - | 0 | 13,709 | 6,240 | 12,045 | 12,567 | |
| Aug-12 | - | 0 | 13,486 | 6,143 | 11,814 | 12,257 | |
| Aug-11 | - | 0 | 13,245 | 6,070 | 11,559 | 11,887 | |
| Aug-10 | - | 0 | 13,051 | 6,008 | 11,347 | 11,626 | |
| Aug-09 | - | 0 | 12,852 | 5,917 | 11,111 | 11,407 | |
| Aug-08 | - | 0 | 12,653 | 5,790 | 10,844 | 11,270 | |
| Aug-07 | - | 0 | 12,274 | 5,687 | 10,424 | 11,124 | |
| Aug-06 | - | 0 | 11,985 | 5,349 | 9,677 | 10,875 | |
| Aug-05 | - | 0 | 11,810 | 4,932 | 9,313 | 10,487 | |
| Aug-04 | - | 0 | 11,593 | 4,817 | 9,058 | 10,024 | |
| Aug-03 | - | 0 | 11,327 | 4,624 | 8,889 | 9,711 | |
| Aug-02 | - | 0 | 10,797 | 4,298 | 8,555 | 9,377 | |
| Aug-01 | - | 0 | 10,207 | 4,056 | 7,960 | 9,001 | |
| Jul-31 | - | 0 | 9,508 | 3,875 | 7,582 | 8,686 | |
| Jul-30 | - | 0 | 8,864 | 3,682 | 7,260 | 8,189 | |
| Jul-29 | - | 0 | 8,015 | 3,519 | 6,980 | 7,825 | |
| Jul-28 | - | 0 | 7,521 | 3,308 | 6,725 | 7,394 | |
| Jul-27 | - | 0 | 7,244 | 3,133 | 6,481 | 7,077 | |
| Jul-26 | - | 0 | 6,853 | 2,952 | 6,250 | 6,531 | |
| Jul-25 | - | 0 | 6,522 | 2,777 | 5,880 | 6,136 | |
| Jul-24 | - | 0 | 6,384 | 2,626 | 5,467 | 5,675 | |
| Jul-23 | - | 0 | 6,161 | 2,503 | 5,036 | 5,329 | |
| Jul-22 | - | 0 | 5,902 | 2,286 | 4,600 | 4,927 | |
| Jul-21 | - | 0 | 5,595 | 2,244 | 4,309 | 4,539 | |
| Jul-20 | - | 0 | 5,360 | 2,123 | 4,114 | 4,142 | |
| Jul-19 | - | 0 | 5,258 | 2,002 | 3,811 | 3,832 | |
| Jul-18 | - | 0 | 4,963 | 1,827 | 3,708 | 3,419 | |
| Jul-17 | - | 0 | 4,710 | 1,658 | 3,544 | 2,982 | |
| Jul-16 | - | 0 | 4,337 | 1,489 | 3,016 | 2,655 | |
| Jul-15 | - | 0 | 3,958 | 1,317 | 2,469 | 2,352 | |
| Jul-14 | - | 0 | 3,633 | 1,097 | 2,244 | 2,147 | |
| Jul-13 | - | 0 | 3,434 | 848 | 1,886 | 1,890 | |
| Jul-12 | - | 0 | 3,193 | 745 | 1,654 | 1,751 | |
| Jul-11 | - | 0 | 2,838 | 681 | 1,369 | 1,597 | |
| Jul-10 | - | 0 | 2,498 | 520 | 1,163 | 1,475 | |
| Jul-09 | - | 0 | 2,172 | 423 | 1,018 | 1,162 | |
| Jul-08 | - | 0 | 1,895 | 320 | 733 | 950 | |
| Jul-07 | - | 0 | 1,323 | 277 | 575 | 731 | |
| Jul-06 | - | 0 | 1,100 | 247 | 484 | 537 | |
| Jul-05 | - | 0 | 895 | 175 | 393 | 404 | |
| Jul-04 | - | 0 | 685 | 96 | 314 | 307 | |
| Jul-03 | - | 0 | 421 | 48 | 211 | 222 | |
| Jul-02 | - | 0 | 246 | 36 | 120 | 172 | |
| Jul-01 | - | 0 | 120 | 24 | 60 | 123 |
Non-Sonar Tools
Late Run Netting Project CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at river mile 8.6.
Late Run Sport CPUE Index
The Sport Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon in the lower Kenai River and is based on the success rate of anglers fishing downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge Crossing in Soldotna.
Late Run Netting Project Large Fish CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at the sonar station located at river mile 8.6.
Late Run Netting Project CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at river mile 8.6.
Late Run Sport CPUE Index
The Sport Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon in the lower Kenai River and is based on the success rate of anglers fishing downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge Crossing in Soldotna.
Late Run Netting Project Large Fish CPUE Index
The Net Catch Per Unit Effort (CPUE) is an index of the numbers of Chinook salmon moving into the Kenai River and is based on the rate at which Chinook salmon are captured by the netting project conducted at the sonar station located at river mile 8.6.
Weekly Sportfish Fishing Report for this area
Final Late Run Kenai River Chinook Inseason Summary
KENAI RIVER LATE-RUN KING SALMON FINAL 2020 INSEASON SUMMARY
King Salmon Run Update:
Abundance estimation of Kenai River late-run king salmon began on July 1 and concluded August 20. The total estimated escapement thru August 20th was 11,908 large king salmon (≥ 75 cm mid-eye-to-tail-fork-length or ~ 34 inches in total length). The return is well below the preseason forecast of 22,700 large king salmon and did not achieve the optimal escapement goal (15,000–30,000 large fish). Based upon inseason assessment, preliminary estimated sport fish harvest, including catch-and-release mortality, is 99 large king salmon and the preliminary estimated eastside set net harvest is 152 large king salmon (Table 1). Inseason assessment of the king salmon run consists of the sonar at RM 13.7 on the Kenai River mainstem, a sport angler creel survey of the lower river, inriver test netting for age, sex, length composition, and sampling of king salmon harvest in the east side set net commercial fishery. These information sources, along with historical data allow ADF&G managers to formulate inseason run projections of estimated escapement, harvest, and total run of large Kenai River king salmon. Table 1 displays the final 2020 projection data. The inseason assessment data suggest that the run had average run timing and weak returns of all large fish age classes. Finalized harvest and escapement data will be published this coming winter after post-season analysis is complete.
Inseason Management:
The following management actions were issued to conserve late-run king salmon:
- July 1, 2020 – EO 2-KS-1-22-20 prohibited the use of bait and the retention of king salmon that are 34 inches and longer in length downstream of Slikok Creek to begin the late-run fishery.
- Preseason Forecast: 22,700 large fish
- July 15, 2020 – EO 2-KS-1-34-20 prohibited the retention of king salmon of all sizes.
- Inseason Projection: 13,300 large fish
- July 24, 2020 – EO 2-KS-1-41-20 closed the king salmon sport fishery.
- Inseason Projection: 12,700 large fish
- August 1, 2020 – EO-2-KS-1-43-20 prohibited the use of bait and multiple hooks until August 15.
- Inseason Projection: 11,900 large fish
Fishery Update:
The king salmon sport fishery is closed by regulation on July 31.
For complete information about the late-run outlook please visit the following link:
Table 1. 2020 Inseason Summary Estimates for Kenai River Late-run Large Chinook Salmon
| Sonar data thru: | 20-Aug | ESSN Summary | ||||||||
| Current Inriver Chinook Assessment Information | ESSN Total Chinook Salmon harvest | 818 | (Fish Ticket Catch Report) | |||||||
| Most Recent Daily Sonar | 13 | ESSN Large Chinook Harvests (all stocks) Based on Inseason Length Data | 221 | |||||||
| Cumulative Sonar to Date | 11,499 | Percentage Large Chinook in ESSN Sample Thru | 20-Aug | 27% | ||||||
| Est. Creel Harvest to Date | 0 | Min, mean, and max of Large ESSN Chinook that were of Kenai origin (2010-2018 data) | ||||||||
| Creel Harvest Above Sonar | 0 | Kenai Large Contribution | 60% | 69% | 79% | |||||
| Creel Harvest Below Sonar | 0 | ESSN Large Kenai Harvest to Date | 133 | 152 | 174 | |||||
| Creel All Sizes of Chinook | 67 | ESSN Projected Kenai Large Harvest | 133 | 152 | 174 | |||||
| Projected end of season estimates for large late-run Kenai River Chinook salmon. | ||||||||||
| Run Timing | Run to Date | Estimated run to Sonar RM14 | Estimated inriver run (includes spawning & harvet below sonar) | Estimated Escapement (includes spawners below sonar) | Estimated Sport Harvest Above Sonar RM 14 to Skilak Lake | Estimated Sport Harvest Below Sonar RM 14 | Estimated Total Inriver Sport Harvest | Estimated ESSN Harvest | Estimated Total Run | Estimated Exploitation |
| On time | 100.00% | 11,499 | 12,112 | 11,908 | 67 | 32 | 99 | 152 | 12,132 | 2.07% |
| * Retention of king salmon is prohibited in personal use fisheries for 2020 | ||||||||||