A Northern Kenai Fishing report published by the Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday says coho salmon fishing is good on the Kasilof River, fair on the Kenai River and still waiting on improvement on the Russian River.
Freshwater Fishing
Kenai River
The report says that in the Lower Kenai River fishing for sockeye salmon “has slowed.” The department says that limits can still be caught. Daily fish counts for the species last week largely held around 30,000, with 28,000 being reported on Thursday.
Anglers on the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to Skilak Lake are limited by emergency order to the use of only one, unbaited single-hook artificial lure through the end of the month.
Bag limits are six per day and 12 in possession. The department recommends fishing at Centennial Park, Rotary Park, Donald E. Gilman River Center, the Soldotna Visitors Center, Moose Range Meadows or Soldotna Creek Park.
Coho salmon fishing is “fair.” Upstream of the power line near Sportsman’s Landing, the limit is one per day and one in possession. In other waters of the Upper Kenai River the limit is two per day and two in possession.
King salmon caught may not be removed from the water and must immediately be released. The department says coho anglers should avoid areas of the river where king salmon are concentrated and should “cut leaders or lines to avoid stressing incidentally hooked king salmon.”
Fishing for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden in the middle and upper Kenai River, as well as Kenai River tributaries, “has been good.”
Kasilof River
Coho fishing is good. The department recommends fishing from the shore at Crooked Creek State Recreation Site. The bag limit is two per day and two in possession.
Russian River
Coho salmon fishing “should improve over the next couple of weeks,” the report says. The bag limit is one per day and one in possession. All coho removed from the water must be retained and become part of the bag limit of the person who hooked the fish. Coho that are 16 inches or longer may not be removed from the water before being released.
Coho salmon counts at the Russian River weir haven’t crossed 100 per day yet this year — climbing as high as 98 on Saturday, Aug. 26. The cumulative count so far this year, at 593 coho, is outpacing each of the last four years for the species at the same point in their runs.
Russian River Recreational Area is closed to all traffic and users for construction on its access road. Anglers and users can still access the Russian River via the Russian River Ferry through Sept. 5.
Resurrection Creek
Coho salmon fishing is “slow,” but “should improve over the next couple of weeks.”
Swanson River
Swanson River coho fishing is good.
Personal Use
Kenai and Kasilof River dipnet fisheries have been closed. Personal use harvest reports were due on Aug. 15.
Local Lakes
Elephant (Spirit) Lake access gate is closed and will remain closed through Sept. 30.
Fishing on local lakes for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling and landlocked salmon “is good to excellent.” The report recommends 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.
Emergency Orders
Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.
Kenai River
Emergency Order 2-KS-1-58-23 order supersedes emergency order 2-KS-1-51-23 that prohibits the use of bait and restricts sport fishing gear to one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while sport fishing in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak Lake through Aug. 15 and extends these restrictions though Aug. 31.
Emergency Order 2-RS-1-47-23 increases the bag and possession limit for salmon, 16 inches or longer, other than king, pink, and coho salmon, from three per day, six in possession to six per day, 12 in possession in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake. No more than two salmon, 16 inches or longer, per day and in possession may be coho salmon effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 21.
Kasilof River
Emergency Order 2-RS-1-32-23 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 effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 30. No more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon.
Local Lakes
Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-23 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey and Derks lakes for the 2023 season.
Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-23 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 2023 season.
