Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 08, 2022

ADF&G News

  • The Soldotna ADF&G office is now offering a fishing rod loaner program and has salmon fishing gear anglers can borrow for up to three days. This is a first-come, first-served program, and rods cannot be reserved. For more information, check out the Rod Loaner Program webpage or contact Jenny Gates at
    (907) 262-9368.

Freshwater Fishing

  • The early-run Kenai River king salmon sport fishery is closed beginning Wednesday, June 8. Fishing for king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River is prohibited. Please see the emergency order below for more info.
  • 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 from May 1 through June 10 to protect spawning rainbow trout. Anglers can fish these streams beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2022. Fishing for rainbow trout in these waters is expected to be good.
  • Kasilof River king salmon fishing is slow but improving. Anglers are reminded that only hatchery-produced fish may be retained. Effective Wednesday, June 8, sport fishing gear will be limited to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure. See the emergency order below for more info. Try fishing for king salmon from shore at the Crooked Creek State Recreation Site.
  • The Upper Kenai and Russian rivers will open to fishing for sockeye salmon beginning at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 11, 2022. The Russian River Sanctuary area will be closed to fishing for all species at that time. Sockeye salmon fishing is expected to be slow, and the river level is high.
  • Fishing for sea-run Dolly Varden at the mouth of Resurrection Creek in Hope should be picking up this time of year. Try using pink fry pattern flies.

Saltwater Fishing

  • Surf fishing 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 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.

Personal Use

  • The personal use set gillnet fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River opens to fishing on Wednesday,
    June 15. Fishing hours will be limited from 11:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m. daily. Please see below the emergency order for more info.

Local Lakes

  • Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land-locked salmon should be 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.
  • Spirit (Elephant) Lake access gate is open, and the lake was recently stocked with approximately
    5,500 catchable-sized Arctic char averaging 9.3 inches long.
  • Island Lake was recently stocked with approximately 5,500 catchable-sized Arctic char averaging 9.3 inches long.
  • 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.
  • Interested in recent stocking activities at lakes? Check out the ADF&G stocking database online.
  • 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.

Kasilof River

  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-26-22 reduces the hours open during the personal use set gillnet fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River. The hours open to fishing in the personal use set gillnet fishery will be reduced to 11:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. daily from Wednesday, June 15 through Friday, June 24, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-20-22 and Emergency Order 2-KS-1-23-22 prohibits the retention of naturally-produced king salmon. The bag and possession limit for king salmon 20 inches or greater in length is two hatchery-produced fish. Effective 12:01 am Wednesday, June 8 through 11:59 pm Thursday, June 30, 2022, sport fishing gear is limited to one unbaited, single hook, artificial lure.

Kenai River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-22-22 supersedes prior Emergency Orders and will prohibit the retention of king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak effective 12:01 am Wednesday, June 8 through 11:59 pm Thursday, June 30. Fishing for king salmon will remain closed from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, 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. Additionally, 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 from 12:01 a.m. Friday July 1, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, is restricted to the use of only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure, and anglers may not retain king salmon of any size. King salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Local Lakes

  • Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-22 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2022 season.
  • Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-22 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 2022 season.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp! Purchase your 2022 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 2022 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.