Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 10, 2023

ADF&G News

• The Soldotna ADF&G office offers a fishing rod loaner program and has salmon fishing poles and a limited amount of tackle anglers can borrow for up to three days. This is a first come, first served program and fishing poles 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, rainbow/steelhead trout, sharks), 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

• Sport fishing gear is limited to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while sport fishing and bait is prohibited in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to Skilak Lake until 11:59 p.m., Tuesday, August 15. Anglers are reminded that king salmon incidentally caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately, unharmed. Please see emergency order below for more information.
• Lower Kenai River sockeye salmon fishing has slowed but limits are still being caught and continues to be good in some areas.
  • Bag limits are 6 per day and 12 in possession. Please see emergency order below for more information.
  • Refer to page 55 and 56 of the 2023 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary for maps denoting riverbank closures on the lower Kenai River which are through August 15.
  • Try fishing at Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Donald E. Gilman River Center, Soldotna Visitors Center, Moose Range Meadows, Swiftwater Park or Soldotna Creek Park.
• Resident species fishing for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden in the middle and upper Kenai River and Kenai River tributaries has been good.
• Coho salmon fishing is improving and should continue to improve.

Kasilof River

• Sockeye salmon fishing on the Kasilof River has slowed down.
  • Try fishing for sockeye salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site.
• Coho salmon fishing is slow but should improve over the next couple of weeks. Try fishing from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. Bag and possession limits for sockeye salmon are 6 per day and 12 in possession only two may be coho salmon. Please see the emergency order below for more information.

Russian River

• Sockeye salmon fishing on the Upper Kenai and Russian rivers is good. The bag and possession limit is six per day and twelve in possession. Please see emergency order below for more information.
  • Please be mindful of U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and Forest Service Forest Orders and anglers are reminded to remove fish carcasses whole or gutted/gilled from the Russian River clear water. If you clean your catch, take fish to the mainstem Kenai River cleaning tables located at the confluence and ferry crossing to fillet and chop-up sockeye salmon carcasses into small pieces and throw the pieces into deep, flowing waters. Please respect habitat and cultural resource protection sites that are fenced or roped off, stay on the established trails and boardwalks, and use public restroom facilities in the campgrounds and ferry areas. Please keep all personal belongings, including stringers of fish closely attended.
• The Russian River Recreational Area will be closed to all traffic and users beginning August 16 due to road construction on the access road. This closure includes access to Lower Russian Lake Trailhead and the campground. Anglers and users can access the Russian River from the Russian River Ferry Service located near Sportman’s Landing through Labor Day weekend September 5, 2023. For more information, please contact the United States Forest Service at (907) 288-3178.

Resurrection Creek

Pink salmon are plentiful at Resurrection Creek in Hope and fishing has been good.

Personal Use

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.???????

Kasilof River

The Kasilof River dipnet fishery is closed on August 7. Don’t forget to submit your personal use harvest reports online by Monday, August 15.

Kenai River

The Kenai River dipnet fishery closed on July 31. Don’t forget to submit your personal use harvest reports online by Monday, August 15.

Local Lakes

• Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon is 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.
• Johnson Lake is fishing excellent. This is a great lake to take youth anglers fishing at!
• John Hedberg Lake located in Nikiski is fishing excellent! This is a nice lake to picnic at or enjoy a hike along the trail system!
• 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.
• 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.

Kenai River

• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-54-23 order 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 and the Russian River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G marker located approximately 600 yards downstream from the Russian River Falls through Wednesday, August 20, 2023
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-51-23 prohibiting the use of bait and multiple hooks in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to the ADF&G marker at the outlet of Skilak Lake, effective 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, August 1 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, August 15, 2023. Anglers may use only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure in these waters. “Single-hook” means a fishhook with only one point.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-47-23 increases the bag and possession limit for salmon, 16 inches or longer, other than king, pink, and coho salmon, from 3 per day, 6 in possession to 6 per day, 12 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 effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 21, 2023.

Kasilof River

• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-32-23 increases the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or longer, to 6 fish per day and 12 in possession in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing effective 12:01 a.m. Friday June 30, 2023. No more than 2 salmon per day and 2 in possession may be coho salmon.

Local Lakes

• Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-23 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey and Derks lakes for the 2023 season.
• Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-23 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 2023 season.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase your 2023 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 2023 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.