Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

June 13, 2019

Week of June 12 - June 19

Freshwater Fishing

• The Upper Kenai, Russian River, and Russian River Sanctuary Area are open to fishing for sockeye salmon and is expected to be good to excellent. Anglers are reminded that they may possess only the limit allowed for the waters they are actively fishing. If a Russian River angler has more than six sockeye salmon in possession, then that angler may not fish in waters with a possession limit of six.
• Kasilof River king salmon fishing is good and should continue to improve over the next week or two.
• 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.
• Rainbow trout fishing on the Middle Kenai River is good. 
• King salmon fishing on the Lower Kenai River is slow. Water conditions are turbid.
• Sockeye fishing on the lower Kenai River has been good. Anglers are catching limits with a few hours of effort.

Local Lakes

• Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon is very good. Sport Lake has been producing nice sized rainbow trout and fishing the Swanson River Road lakes is reported as fair. 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.
• Elephant (Spirit) Lake is scheduled to be stocked with approximately 5,000 catchable Arctic char on Monday, June 17,2019.

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-DV-1-03-19 prohibits the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake.
• Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-19 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey Lake, West Mackey Lake, Sevena Lake, Union Lake, and Derks Lake.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-09-19 prohibits the retention of king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak Lake from May 1 through June 30, 2019. Retention of king salmon will remain prohibited July 1 through July 31, 2019, 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. Only one, unbaited, single-hook artificial lure may be used in the waters restricted to catch-and-release. King salmon caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. 
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-10-19 prohibits the retention of naturally-produced king salmon and limits sport fishing gear to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while sport fishing in the Kasilof River. Naturally-produced king salmon have an adipose fin and may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-18-19 opens the Russian River Sanctuary Area to sport fishing for sockeye salmon.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-19-19 increases the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon to six per day, twelve in possession for the Russian River and a section of the mainstem Upper Kenai River effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 14, 2019. The section of the mainstem Upper Kenai River includes the area that extends from Skilak Lake upstream to ADF&G markers located approximately 300 yards upstream of the public boat launch at Sportsman’s Landing (this includes the Russian River Sanctuary Area) and the Russian River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G marker located approximately 600 yards downstream from the Russian River Falls.  

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