Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 21, 2021

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing, and wearing a face covering when social distancing is not possible and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store.

Freshwater Fishing

Kenai River

  • The Kenai River drainage is closed to all king salmon fishing, including catch-and-release fishing. Please refer to emergency order below for more info.
  • Rainbow trout fishing on the Middle and Upper Kenai River is good.
  • Lower Kenai River sockeye salmon fishing is good to excellent and should improve as late-run fish continue to enter the river. Refer to page 55 and 56 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for maps denoting riverbank closures on the lower Kenai River.
  • Try fishing at Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Donald E. Gilman River Center, Soldotna Visitors Center or Soldotna Creek Park, Moose Range Meadows, or Swiftwater Campground.

Kasilof River

  • The Kasilof River is closed to all king salmon fishing, including catch-and-release fishing. Please refer to emergency order below for more info.
  • Kasilof River sockeye salmon fishing is good. Bag limits were increased on July 3 to six sockeye per day and 12 in possession. Please refer to emergency order below for more info.
  • Try fishing the Kasilof River for sockeye salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. Anglers are remined that Crooked Creek is closed to fishing.

Russian River/Upper Kenai River

  • Sockeye fishing on Upper Kenai River and Russian River is fair and anglers are catching limits. Bag limits are three fish per day and six in possession in combination. Anglers are reminded that they may possess only the limit allowed for the waters they are actively fishing.

Resurrection Creek

  • Pink salmon are beginning to arrive at Resurrection Creek in Hope.

Saltwater Fishing

  • Surf fishing for halibut along of the beaches of Cook Inlet south of the Kenai River has been fair. Pacific halibut fisheries are managed by the federal government under international treaty. Please consult federal regulations and see page 73 of the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
  • Interested in surf fishing for halibut but don’t know where to start? Check out the latest ADF&G YouTube fishing forum video!

Personal Use Fishing

  • Kasilof River dipnet fishery has been reported as good. The area open to dipnetting was expanded on July 3. Please refer to Emergency Order for more information. A sport fishing license and Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit is required. No retention of king salmon is allowed. Please see page 14 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
  • Kenai River dipnet fishery has been reported as good. Retention of king salmon is prohibited. Please refer to emergency order below for more info. A resident sport fishing license and Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit are required. Only Alaska residents may participate in this fishery. Please see page 14 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
    • Beach and boating access fees, live fishery web cameras, and dipnet app information, can be found on the City of Kenai webpage.

Local Lakes

  • There are plenty of other fishing opportunities in Southcentral Alaska. This is the perfect time to visit locally stocked lakes as the William Jack Hernandez Sport Fish Hatchery is busy stocking fish.
  • Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon is good. 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.
  • Not familiar with all the stocked lakes in the area? Check out the ADF&G brochure with locations, access, and other valuable information on Kenai Peninsula area lakes. More lake information can be found on the ADF&G Alaska Lakes Database.
  • Interested in recent stocking activities at lakes? Check out the ADF&G stocking database online.

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and News Releases below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

Kenai River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-46-21 closes the Kenai River drainage to fishing for king salmon and prohibits the use of bait in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to ADF&G markers located at the outlet of Skilak Lake. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing through 11:00 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021. 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.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-39-21 prohibits the retention of king salmon in the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery through 11:00 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021.

Kasilof River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-48-21 closes king salmon fishing in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge. Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing in these waters. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing through 11:00 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021. King salmon may not be retained or possessed, may not be removed form the water, and must be released immediately.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-35-21 increases the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon 16 inches or longer to six fish per day and twelve in possession in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing through 11:59 p.m. Friday, December 31, 2021. No more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-34-21 expanded the personal use salmon dipnet fishing area on the Kasilof River through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, August 7, 2021. Salmon may be harvested from the shore form 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 the 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.

Kenai Peninsula Lakes

  • Emergency Order 2-NP-1-02-21 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2021 season.
  • Emergency Order 2-DV-1-01-21 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake for the 2021 season.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Soldotna Area Office at (907) 262-9368.