Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 14, 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

Kenai River

  • On the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to Kenai Lake, king salmon of any size may not be retained beginning at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday, July 14 through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021. Fish may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Only one single-hook artificial lure may be used and bait is prohibited. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more information.
  • King salmon fishing on the Kenai River is slow and water levels are above average.
  • Rainbow trout fishing on the Middle and Upper Kenai River is good.
  • Lower Kenai River sockeye salmon fishing has been fair and should improve as late-run fish continue to enter the river. Refer to pages 55 and 56 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for maps denoting riverbank closures on the lower Kenai River.
  • Try fishing at Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Donald E. Gilman River Center, Soldotna Visitors Center or Soldotna Creek Park, Moose Range Meadows, or Swiftwater Campground.

Kasilof River

  • On the Kasilof River from the mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge, king salmon of any size may not be retained beginning at 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, July 14 through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021. Fish may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more information.
  • King salmon fishing on the Kasilof River is slow.
  • Kasilof River sockeye salmon fishing is good. Bag limits were increased on July 3 to six sockeye per day and 12 in possession. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more information.
  • Try fishing the Kasilof River for sockeye salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. Anglers are reminded that Crooked Creek is closed to fishing.

Russian River/Upper Kenai River

  • Sockeye fishing on the Upper Kenai River and Russian River is slow to fair and anglers are catching limits in some areas. The Russian River Sanctuary Area opened to fishing on June 24. Bag and possession limits increased on July 1 to six sockeye per day and 12 in possession. This emergency order expires at
    11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, and bag limits will revert to general regulations which is three fish per day and six in possession in combination. Please refer to emergency orders for more information. Anglers are reminded that they may possess only the limit allowed for the waters they are actively fishing.

Saltwater Fishing

  • Surf fishing for halibut along 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.
  • Interested in surf fishing for halibut but don’t know where to start? Check out the latest ADF&G YouTube fishing forum video!

Personal Use Fishing

  • Kasilof River dipnet fishery opened June 25 and fishing has been reported as good. The area open to dipnetting was expanded on July 3 Please refer to emergency orders below for more information. A resident sport fishing license and Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permits are required. No retention of king salmon is allowed. Please see page 14 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
  • Kenai River dipnet fishery opened on July 10. Retention of king salmon is prohibited. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more information. A resident sport fishing license and Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permits are required. Only Alaska residents may participate in this fishery. Please see page 14 of the 2021 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
    • Beach and boating access fees, live fishery web cameras, and dipnet app information can be found on the City of Kenai webpage.

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 is busy stocking fish.
  • 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.
  • 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. 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.

Emergency Orders

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

Kenai River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-42-21 prohibits the retention of king salmon 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. Only one unbaited, single-hook artificial hook may be used while sport fishing through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-39-21 prohibits the retention of king salmon in the Kenai River personal use dip net fishery beginning July 10 through 11:00 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-21-21 prohibits the retention of king salmon from July 1 through 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.

Kasilof River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-43-21 prohibits the retention of king salmon while sport fishing in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge. Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing in these waters.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-35-21 increases the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon 16 inches or longer to six fish per day and 12 in possession in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing through 11:59 p.m. Friday, December 31, 2021. No more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-34-21 expanded the personal use salmon dipnet fishing area on the Kasilof River through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, August 7, 2021. Salmon may be harvested from the shore form 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 the 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.

Russian River/Upper Kenai River

  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-31-21 increases the limits of sockeye salmon to six per day, twelve in possession in that area of the Kenai River upstream of Skilak Lake to ASDF&G 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 effective July 1 and expires 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-28-21 opened the Russian River Sanctuary Area to sport fishing for sockeye salmon through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 14, 2021.

Kenai Peninsula Lakes

  • 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 before you head out.

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