Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai
Archived Sport Fishing Report
August 05, 2019
Week of August 6 - August 13
Freshwater Fishing
- Anglers are reminded that king salmon fishing on the Kenai and Kasilof rivers have closed by regulation.
- Anglers MAY NOT use bait, multiple hooks, or scent while sport fishing in the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak Lake. This Emergency Order is effective 12:01 a.m. August 6 through 11:59 p.m. August 15. Please see corresponding Emergency Order 2-KS-1-44-19 below.
- Incidentally hooked king salmon may not be retained or possessed. King salmon caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Anglers should avoid fishing for coho salmon in areas of the river where king salmon are concentrated and to cut leaders or lines to avoid stressing incidentally hooked king salmon.
- The Upper Kenai River, Russian River, and Russian River Sanctuary Area are open to sport fishing for sockeye salmon and angler success has been fair. Anglers are reminded the bag limit is 3 fish per day, 6 in possession.
- Kasilof River sockeye salmon sport fishing is fair. Please see corresponding Emergency Order 2-RS-1-37-19 below.
- Rainbow trout sport fishing on the Middle and Upper Kenai River is good to excellent.
- Sockeye salmon sport fishing on the Lower Kenai River is good. Please see corresponding Emergency Order 2-RS-1-42-19 below.
- Coho salmon sport fishing on the Lower Kenai River is slow.
Personal Use Fishing
- The Kasilof River dipnet fishery opened June 25. A resident Sport Fishing License and Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit are required. Only Alaska residents may participate in this fishery. Any king salmon, Dolly Varden, or rainbow/steelhead trout must be released immediately unharmed to the water. Please see page 14 of the 2019 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
- Anglers are reminded personal use fishing CLOSES at 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, August 7, 2019.
- Kasilof River personal use fishing is fair.
- Please see corresponding Emergency Order 2-RS-1-36-19 below expanding the area for shore and boat dipnetting.
- The deadline to report on your Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit is Thursday, August 15, 2019, for the Kasilof River gillnet, Kasilof and Kenai rivers dipnet, and Fish Creek dipnet fisheries. Participants are reminded they are required to report their harvests even if they did not fish, or if they fished but caught nothing.
Local Lakes
- There are plenty of local lakes that provide a nice and quiet fishing opportunity in the Soldotna, Kenai, Kasilof, Cooper Landing, and Moose Pass area.
- Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon is excellent. Try fishing with dry or wet flies such as an egg sucking leech, bead head nymph or mosquito pattern, small spoons and spinners size #0 or #2, or small bait under a bobber.
Emergency Orders
Please review the Emergency Orders and News Releases below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.
- Emergency Order 2-KS-1-44-19 prohibits the use of bait and limits sport fishing gear to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while sport fishing in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to Skilak Lake through 11:59 p.m. August 15.
- Emergency Order 2-RS-1-42-19 increases the bag and possession limit for salmon, 16 inches or longer, other than king salmon and coho salmon, from three per day, six in possession, to six per day, twelve in possession, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake. No more than two salmon 16 inches or longer per day and in possession may be coho salmon.
- Emergency Order 2-RS-1-37-19 increase the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon 16 inches or longer from three fish per day to six fish per day and twelve in possession in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing. No more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon.
- Emergency Order 2-RS-1-36-19 expands personal use salmon dipnet fishing area on the Kasilof River. Salmon may be harvested from the shore from ADF&G markers located on Cook Inlet beaches outside the terminus of the river upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge. Salmon may be harvested from a boat from ADF&G markers located on Cook Inlet beaches outside the terminus of the river upstream to ADF&G markers placed at approximately river mile 3.
- Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-19 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey Lake, West Mackey Lake, Sevena Lake, Union Lake, and Derks Lake.
- Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-19 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake.
For additional information, please contact the Soldotna Area Office at (907) 262-9368.