Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 19, 2022

Kenai Peninsula Access Sites

  • These public access sites are now open: Crooked Creek, Kasilof River (boat launch), Pillar’s (boat Launch), Bing’s Landing (day use, campground, boat launch), Johnson Lake (west loop campground), Deep Creek, Clam Gulch, all Anchor River (all), Stariski and Captain Cook recreation sites are open. For more information on these public access sites, please call Alaska State Parks at (907) 262-5581.
  • City of Soldotna Centennial Park campground and walking trail, as well as Swiftwater Campground is closed from May 1st through approximately May 20th to all users for spruce tree removal.

Freshwater Fishing

  • The early-run Kenai River king salmon sport fishery will start under general regulations. Bait is prohibited, and only one-single-hook artificial lure may be used. The bag and possession limit for king salmon
    20 inches or greater in length is one king salmon. Only king salmon less than 34 inches in length may be retained. King salmon 34 inches or greater in length may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Please see pages 50-65 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for additional regulations.
  • King salmon fishing on the Kenai River is just beginning with a few fish reported being caught.
  • Kasilof king salmon fishing should be picking up over the next couple of weeks. Anglers are reminded that only hatchery-produced fish may be retained. Only one single-hook may be used either baited, unbaited or on an artificial lure. Try fishing for king salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. See the emergency order below for more info.
  • The flowing waters of the Kenai River mainstem upstream of the Lower Killey River marker and all Kenai River tributary streams are closed to fishing from May 1 through June 10 to protect spawning rainbow trout.
  • Kasilof River steelhead fishing is slow. All rainbow/steelhead trout caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. See page 70 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for more information. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more info.
  • Hooligan (eulachon) fishing is good. Try fishing at the Kenai Flats State Recreation Site at the Warren Ames Bridge or at Cunningham Park off Beaver Loop. See page 16 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations booklet for more information.

Saltwater Fishing

Local Lakes

  • Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon should be good to 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.
  • Sport Lake was stocked with approximately 450 rainbow trout catchables on May 8.
  • Johnson Lake was be stocked with approximately 5,500 rainbow trout catchables on May 11.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-20-22 prohibits the retention of naturally-produced king salmon effective through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 30, 2022, on the Kasilof River. In addition, the use of bait in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge is not allowed until May 16 when bait is allowed by regulation. Effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, May 16 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 30 only one single-hook, artificial lure or fly may be used, and bait is allowed in the Kasilof River. The bag and possession limit for king salmon 20 inches or greater in length is two hatchery-produced fish.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-08-22 prohibits the retention of naturally-produced king salmon while sport 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 regulation restriction is effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022.

Kenai River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-09-22 restricts the king salmon fishery on the Kenai River drainage to catch-and-release only effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022. Only one unbaited, single-hook may be used, and retention of king salmon is prohibited while sport fishing on the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker at the outlet of Skilak Lake.

Local Lakes

  • Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-22 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2022 season.
  • Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-22 establishes a bag and possession limit of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake of one fish, less than 16 inches in length for the 2022 season.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2022 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, advisory announcements, and the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

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