Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 21, 2021

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing, and wearing a face-covering when social distancing is not possible and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store.

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 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for additional regulations.
  • King salmon fishing on the Kenai River is just beginning with a few fish reported caught.
  • Kasilof king salmon fishing should be picking up over the next couple of weeks. Try fishing for king salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. See pages 70-71 of the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
  • 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 May 1 through June 10 to protect spawning rainbow trout.
  • Kasilof River steelhead fishing is slow. All rainbow/steelhead trout caught must not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. See pages 70-71 of the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
  • 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 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations booklet for more information.

Saltwater Fishing

  • Surf fishing for halibut along of the beaches of Cook Inlet south of the Kenai River has been fair. Pacific halibut fisheries are managed by the federal government under an international treaty. Please consult federal regulations and see page 73 of the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.

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 its spring stocking schedule.
  • Local lakes are ice-free and lake fishing should be good to excellent. Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land-locked salmon will improve with warming water temperatures. 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 in Kasilof is scheduled to be stocked with 7,300 catchable-sized rainbow trout on Friday, May 21. This lake is fishing well!

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-NP-1-02-21 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2021 season.
  • Emergency Order 2-DV-1-01-21 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake for the 2021 season.

Don't forget to purchase your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2021 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 and the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing for before you head out.

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