Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

August 16, 2018

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

Regulation Reminders

• Anglers are reminded to review Emergency Orders and News Releases and the 2018 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the Northern Kenai Peninsula Area before heading out on their next fishing trip. 

Emergency Orders

• Kasilof River
  • Per Emergency Order No. 2-RS-1-50-18, effective Saturday, August 4, 2018, the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or longer, increased from three per day and three in possession to six per day and twelve in possession in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing. No more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon.
• Kenai River
  • Per Emergency Order No. 2-RS-1-49-18, effective Saturday, August 4, 2018, the Kenai River is closed to sockeye salmon fishing from its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge at the outlet of the Kenai Lake, except those waters of the Upper Kenai River, Russian River, and Russian River confluence areas remain open.

• Stormy Lake
  • Per Emergency Order No. 2-DV-1-04-18, the retention of Arctic char/Dolly Varden will be prohibited in Stormy Lake to continue the restoration of native fish stocks through December 31, 2018.
• Soldotna Creek Drainage Lakes
  • Per Emergency Order No. 2-NP-1-03-18, in the Soldotna Creek Drainage lakes sport fishing will be permitted at East and West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes; however, the retention of all species of fish is prohibited at these lakes through December 31, 2018.

Freshwater Fishing

Salmon, Trout

• Fishing for sockeye salmon on the Upper Kenai and Russian rivers is considered fair in the Russian River and the confluence area. Fish are starting to blush but bright sockeye are still moving through.
  • Sockeye salmon fishing in the Upper Kenai River, Russian River Confluence Area and Russian River CLOSES after Monday, August 20, 2018.
  • Fishing for coho salmon in these waters is open. Coho salmon bags limits are one per day, one in possession.
• Fishing for coho salmon on the Kenai River has been reported as good.
• Fishing for sockeye salmon on the Kasilof River has slowed down. Bag and possession limits are six per day, twelve in possession. No more than two per day and two in possession may be coho salmon.
• Fishing for coho salmon on the Kasilof River is improving and considered fair.
• Fishing for rainbow trout on the Kenai River has been good to excellent.

Lake Fishing

• Lake fishing for trout is very good. Try fishing with dry or wet flies, small spoons, spinners, or bait.

Northern Pike

• All lakes with developed public access on the Peninsula have had invasive pike removed.

Personal Use

• August 15, 2018, was the deadline to report your harvest for the Kasilof and Kenai rivers, and Fish Creek fisheries. These fisheries include the Kasilof River gillnet, Kasilof and Kenai rivers dipnet, and Fish Creek dipnet, which opened this year by emergency order.