Only a week after opening, the Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery has been expanded to 24 hours daily.
The fishery, which opened July 10, by regulation is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. An announcement by the State Department of Fish and Game says, because the Kenai River’s late run of sockeye salmon is projected to exceed 2.3 million fish, beginning Friday at 11 p.m. the open time will be expanded to 24 hours per day through the end of the season on July 31.
Per fish counts available from the department, 471,000 sockeye have been counted so far this year — with 108,000 counted on Wednesday alone. That count significantly outpaces the counts for the last four years, all of which ultimately exceeded the escapement goal of between 750,000 and 1.3 million fish.
The area of the river open to dipnetting is unchanged, the announcement says, as are the harvest limits and permit requirements. The personal use fishery is open only to Alaska residents with a 2025 sport fishing license and an Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit.
Dipnetting on the Kenai River is allowed from the shore at the mouth of the Kenai River, extending north and south into Cook Inlet to commercial fishing markers and upstream to a line from No Name Creek. Anglers can also dipnet from the shore on the south bank between the Kenai Landing Dock to the downstream edge of the Warren Ames Bridge.
All caught fish must be recorded on the permit and have clipped tail fins before leaving the area or anglers may be subject to a fine.
“Please respect all private property adjacent to public beaches and follow applicable rules and regulations when on lands owned by the City of Kenai,” the announcement reads.
More information about fishing regulations and availability can be found at adfg.alaska.gov.
Reach reporter Jake Dye at jacob.dye@peninsulaclarion.com.
