Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 12, 2017

North Kenai Peninsula Management Area

Week of May 12 to May 18
Issued May 12, 2017

Emergency Orders and Regulation Reminders

• Emergency Orders are in effect for the following areas:
  • In Stormy Lake: The retention of arctic char and dolly varden is prohibited all year long, as part of an effort to restore these native fish.
  • In Soldotna Creek Drainage Lakes: The retention of species other than northern pike is prohibited all year long in East and West Mackey, Union, and Derks Lake, as part of an effort to restore native fish.
  • Ice has receded on most area lakes and lakes are ice-free. Lakes at higher elevations remain ice-covered.
  • The 2017 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet is available online, at Fish and Game offices as well as from many sport fishing license vendors.
  • Many flowing waters closed on May 1 to sport fishing by regulation. Anglers are reminded to check the regulation booklet as the water they may intend to fish may be closed to ALL fishing.

Salmon: Kenai & Kasilof Rivers

• Anglers are just now starting to look for early king salmon in the Kenai.
• King salmon have been reported in the lower river.
• The Kenai River is open to harvest of one king salmon per day less than 36 inches. King salmon less than 28 inches do not count towards your annual limit. Only single hooks can be used and no bait is allowed.
• The Upper Kenai and the Russian River do not open to fishing until June 11.

Resident Fish: Kenai River

• Trout spawning closures on the Kenai River above Killey River and in tributaries of the Kenia are in effect.
• Resident species can be taken outside of these closures. See the 2017 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for a list of spawning closure areas.

Lake Fishing

• Lake fishing for trout has been good with the sudden breakup and warm weather of most area lakes last week.
• Sport Lake has limited access this year due to elodea treatments. The boat ramp is open Wednesday through Sunday 2 P.M. to 9 P.M.
• Lakes out on Swanson River Road have also been reportedly productive.

Northern Pike

• All public accessible lakes on the Peninsula have had invasive pike removed.

All Kenai Peninsula Freshwaters

• Bench and Bishop Creek are closed to fishing from May 1 through June 10.
• Swanson River is closed to fishing from May 1 through June 10.
• In the Kasilof River drainage, retention of rainbow trout and steelhead is prohibited.
• All tributaries of the Tustumena Lake and tributaries of the Upper and Lower Kasilof River drainage are closed to fishing for rainbow trout and steelhead from May 1 through June 10 (existing Crooked Creek regulations apply).
• In the Kasilof River, a person may not fillet, mutilate, or otherwise disfigure a king salmon in such a manner that prevents determination whether the fish is a wild or hatchery fish until the person has stopped fishing in the Kasilof River drainage for the day and has moved more than 100 yards away from the Kasilof River.

Kenai River Drainage

• Only king salmon less than 36 inches may be retained:
  • January 1 through June 30 downstream of Skilak Lake,
  • January 1 through July 31 downstream of Skilak Lake to the lower boundary of the Slikok Creek king salmon sanctuary.
  • Bait is prohibited in these waters during the time the size limit is in effect.
• From July l through August 15, additional Kenai River shoreline will be closed to fishing on the northbank near Honeymoon Cove at river mile 13, upstream to approximately river mile 14 near Stewarts Landing.
• Coho salmon season is shortened upstream of Bings Landing with a closure date on November 1.
• Gear restricted to only one unbaited single-hook, artificial lure upstream of Bings Landing from November 1 through December 31.
• Size limit of rainbow trout and dolly varden is reduced to one less than 16" in total length in the Upper Kenai River drainage.
• The Kenai River including Skilak Lake is closed to rainbow trout fishing from May 1 through June 10, upstream of the ADF&G markers located approximately one mile upstream of the Lower Killey River.
  • Note: This area except Skilak Lake is closed to all fishing during the same dates.
• King salmon sanctuaries is in effect from May 1 through July 31.
• All Kenai River tributaries, except for the Russian River:
  • are closed to fishing for salmon, only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure, with a gap between point and shank of 3/8 inch or less is allowed.
  • have new periods closed to all fishing (see the 2017 Sport Fishing Southcentral Regulation Summary booklet).
• All king salmon sanctuaries and fly-fishing areas (except for the Russian River fly-fishing only area) have now changed to artificial fly waters, where only single-hook artificial flies may be used. For this purpose, an artificial fly means a fly that is constructed by common methods known as fly-tying, including a dry fly, wet fly, and nymph, or a bare single hook, and that is free of bait.
• Hidden Lake lake trout are restricted to one per day less than 16 inches in total length.
• Liberal pike regulations repealed in Mackey Lakes, Derks Lake, Sevena Lake, and Union Lake.
• Personal use household permits allowed to harvest one king salmon 20 inches or greater in length, and up to ten king salmon under 20 inches in length.
• The area closed to dipnetting from shore in the Kenai River personal use fishery was increased from the mouth upstream to the Warren Ames Bridge on the north bank and from the mouth upstream to the Kenai Landing dock on the south bank.