Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 06, 2022

ADF&G News

  • The Soldotna ADF&G office is now offering a fishing rod loaner program and has salmon fishing gear anglers can borrow for up to three days. This is a first come, first served program and rods cannot be reserved. For more information, check out the Rod Loaner Program webpage or contact Jenny Gates at
    (907) 262-9368.
  • ADF&G is mobile. You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon, halibut), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today.

Freshwater Fishing

Kenai River

  • The late-run Kenai River king salmon sport fishery opened Friday, July 1 to catch-and-release only fishing from the mouth upstream to an ADF&G marker located 300 yards downstream of Slikok Creek. From an ADF&G marker located 300 yards downstream of Slikok Creek upstream to Skilak Lake fishing for king salmon is prohibited and will remain closed through Sunday, July 31. King salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure may be used. Please see the emergency order below for more info.
  • Fishing for king salmon in the lower Kenai River is slow, water levels are slightly above normal and water clarity is fair.
  • Fishing for rainbow trout in the middle Kenai River is fair.
  • Lower Kenai River sockeye salmon fishing has been slow for anglers willing to put in the time. Try fishing at Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Donald E. Gilman River Center, Soldotna Visitors Center, Moose Range Meadows, or Soldotna Creek Park.

Kasilof River

  • Kasilof River king salmon fishing is closed and will remain closed through Friday, July 15. The waters from the Sterling Highway Bridge upstream to the outlet of Tustumena Lake, will remain closed through Sunday, July 31. Anglers are limited to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while fishing for other species. Please see the emergency order below for more info.
  • The Kasilof River late-run king salmon fishery will be open to catch-and-release fishing only, Saturday, July 16 through Sunday, July 31, from its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge. Any king salmon that are caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used. Please see the emergency order below for more info.
  • Kasilof River sockeye salmon fishing is improving. Trying fishing from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. Anglers are remined that Crooked Creek is closed to fishing. Bag and possession limits of sockeye salmon will increase to six per day and 12 in possession at 12:01 a.m., Thursday, July 7. Please see the emergency order below for more info.

Russian River

  • Sockeye fishing on the Upper Kenai and Russian rivers is slow but anglers are catching limits in some areas with time. The Russian River Sanctuary area is open to sport fishing and by emergency order, bag limits are 6 per day and 12 in possession through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 14. After this the emergency order expires and bag limits will revert to general regulations. See pages 59-61 of the 2022 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for more information. Anglers are reminded that they may possess only the limit allowed for the waters they are actively fishing. Please see the emergency orders below for more information.

Personal Use

  • Only Alaska residents may participate in personal use dipnet fisheries. An Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit is required in addition to a sport fishing license. Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit harvest and participation must be reported online no later than August 15 through the ADF&G harvest reporting webpage. Permit holders who fail to report will be denied an Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use Salmon permit the following year and may be subject to a $200 fine. If you did not use the permit or if you used the permit but did not catch anything you still have to report. Returning permits by mail or hand-delivery is no longer an acceptable means to report.

Kenai River

  • The Kenai River dipnet fishery will open on Sunday, July 10. Fishing is only allowed between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. daily. Please refer to page 13-14 of the 2022 the Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for a map denoting areas open and closed to dipnetting. Retention of king salmon in this fishery is prohibited. Please see emergency order below for more information.

Kasilof River

  • The Kasilof River dipnet fishery opened to fishing on Saturday, June 25. Fishing is allowed 24 hours per day, 7 days per week. The area open to fishing was expanded by emergency order. Anglers may harvest salmon 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 harvest 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. Anglers are reminded that retention of king salmon, Dolly Varden, or rainbow/steelhead trout is not allowed, and fish must be released immediately. Please refer to emergency order below for more info.

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.
  • John Hedberg Lake located in Nikiski is fishing excellent.
  • Several local lakes (Johnson, Sport, and Island lakes) have recently been stocked with catchable sized fish.
  • Not familiar with all the stocked lakes in the area? Check out the ADF&G publication 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.
  • Many local lakes have been stocked with rainbow trout and coho salmon fingerling recently. For specific lake stocking information including species stocked and numbers of fish stocked, directions, bathymetric maps, and amenities, please visit the ADF&G Alaska Lakes Database.

Emergency Orders

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

Kasilof River

  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-45-22 expands the 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. This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 7 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, August 7, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-44-22 increases the bag and possession limit for salmon, 16 inches or longer, to six fish per and 12 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. This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 7 through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, December 31, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-30-22 prohibits the retention of king salmon in the Kasilof River effective
    12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 15 through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2022. Fishing for king salmon of any size, including hatchery-origin fish is prohibited. Effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 16 through
    11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, from its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge will be open to catch and release. Waters from the Sterling Highway Bridge upstream to the outlet of Tustumena Lake, 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 16 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, will remain closed to king salmon fishing and anglers are limited to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while fishing for other species.

Kenai River and Russian River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-46-22 prohibits the retention of king salmon in the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery. Any king salmon caught incidentally may not be removed from the water and must be release immediately and returned to the water unharmed. This regulatory change is effective 6:00 a.m. Sunday, July 10 through 11:00 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-37-22 increases the bag and possession limits for salmon, other than king salmon, to six fish per day and twelve fish in possession in that area of the Kenai River upstream from Skilak Lake to ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 300 yards upstream of the public boat launch at Sportsman’s Landing including the Russian River Sanctuary Area, and the Russian River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G marker located approximately 600 yards downstream from the Russian River Falls at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 25 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 14, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-35-22 opens the Russian River Sanctuary Area to sport fishing from 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 22 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 14, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-22-22 supersedes prior Emergency Orders and will prohibit the retention of king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak effective
    12:01 am Wednesday, June 8 through 11:59 pm Thursday, June 30. Fishing for king salmon will remain closed from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, in waters of the Kenai River drainage from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek, upstream to the outlet of Skilak Lake. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. King salmon may not be retained or possessed; king salmon accidentally caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Additionally, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek from 12:01 a.m. Friday July 1, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, is restricted to the use of only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure, and anglers may not retain king salmon of any size. King salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

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! 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.