Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 02, 2020

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.

* The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted several proposals establishing new sport fish regulations for the Kenai River and the Northern Kenai Peninsula Area at its Anchorage February 2020 meeting. Please see the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet for a complete summary of the Kenai Peninsula sport fisheries regulations.

Emergency Orders

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

  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-28-20 closes the Russian River sanctuary area to sport fishing for sockeye salmon effective 11:00 p.m. Friday, July 3 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, July 14, 2020.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-27-20 expands the personal use salmon dipnet fishing area on the Kasilof River effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 3 through 11:59 p.m. Friday, August 7, 2020. 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.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-23-20 prohibits the use of bait and multiple hooks while sport fishing in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2020.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-22-20, effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 1, 2020, prohibits the use of bait and the retention of king salmon that are 34 inches and longer in length while sport fishing 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. Sport fishing for king salmon of all sizes remains closed in the Kenai River from Slikok Creek to Skilak Lake through July 31.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-18-20 prohibits the retention of any sized naturally-produced king salmon and limits sport fishing gear to one, unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while sport fishing in the Kasilof River effective June 10 through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Naturally-produced salmon have an adipose fin and may not be removed from the water and must be release immediately.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-17-20 closes sport fishing for king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak Lake through 11:59 p.m. Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Fishing for king salmon will remain closed 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 31, 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.
  • Emergency Order 2-NP-1-02-20 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2020 season.
  • Emergency Order 2-DV-1-01-20 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake for the 2020 season.

Freshwater Fishing

  • Rainbow trout fishing on the Middle and Upper Kenai River is good.
  • Lower Kenai River sockeye salmon fishing has been fair and improving as late-run fish begin entering the river. Try fishing at Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Donald E. Gilman River Center, Soldotna Visitors Center, or Soldotna Creek Park.
  • Sockeye fishing on Upper Kenai River, Russian River, and Russian River Sanctuary is slow to fair but anglers are catching limits in some areas. Anglers are reminded that they may possess only the limit allowed for the waters they are actively fishing and that the sanctuary area of the Russian River closes Friday, July 3 at 11:00 p.m. (Emergency Order 2-RS-28-20).
  • Kenai late-run king salmon fishing re-opened July 1 with gear and bait restrictions, additionally retention is prohibited of fish 34 inches and longer (Emergency Order 2-KS-22-20). Fishing was reported as slow, but water conditions are favorable to sport anglers.
  • Kasilof king salmon fishing is considered fair to good. Try fishing for king salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. Anglers are reminded that Crooked Creek is closed to fishing and gear restrictions are in place on the Kasilof River (Emergency Order 2-KS-1-23-20).

Personal Use Fishing

  • Kasilof River dipnet fishery opened June 25 and fishing has been reported as good to excellent. A Sport fishing license and Cook Inlet personal use permit is required. No retention of king salmon is allowed. Please see page 14 of the 2020 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet. The personal use has been expanded (Emergency Order 2-RS-1-27-20).

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 has started their spring stocking schedule.
  • Island and Spirit (Elephant) lakes were stocked with approximately 1,100 catchable Arctic char each on June 18. These catchable Arctic char averaged approximately 9.4 inches in length.
  • Johnson Lake and Sport Lake were stocked with rainbow trout on June 15. Johnson Lake was stocked with approximately 2,800 catchable rainbow trout and Sport Lake was stocked with approximately 3,300 catchable rainbow trout. These catchable rainbow trout are approximately 9.2 inches in length.
  • 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.
  • Stocked lakes continue to fish well! 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.
  • Interested in recent stocking activities at lakes? Check out the ADF&G stocking database online.

Don’t forget to bring your 2020 sport fishing license! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2020 sport fishing license 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 2020 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.