An angler fillets his sockeye salmon caught on the Kenai River near the confluence with the Russian River on Sunday, June 11, 2017 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

An angler fillets his sockeye salmon caught on the Kenai River near the confluence with the Russian River on Sunday, June 11, 2017 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Russian River Sanctuary opens, bag limit doubles

Starting Saturday, anglers at the Russian River confluence can head up into the heart of the fishery to target sockeye salmon and can retain more of them.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has opened the Russian River Sanctuary, an area around the confluence of the Russian and Kenai rivers usually closed to all fishing between May 1 and July 14 each year. Beginning at 8 a.m. Saturday, the sanctuary opens for fishing to help control escapement, as projections show more sockeye coming back than the upper end of the escapement goal, according to an emergency order issued Friday.

The bag and possession limit will also double effective Saturday, to six sockeye per day with 12 in possession, according to the emergency order.

ADVERTISEMENT
0 seconds of 0 secondsVolume 0%
Press shift question mark to access a list of keyboard shortcuts
00:00
00:00
00:00
 

“Anglers are reminded that they may possess only the limit allowed for the waters they are actively fishing,” the emergency order states. “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.”

Fish and Game manages the early Russian River sockeye salmon run for a biological escapement goal of between 22,000–42,000 fish. As of Thursday, about 14,911 sockeye had passed through the Lower Russian Lake weir, and the run is only about 30 percent complete, according to the emergency order. After July 14, the official end of the early run, sockeye continue to return to the Russian River system but are noted as the late run and managed under a different escapement goal.

Lower water levels and a larger run have made for better fishing in 2017 than in 2016 so far. Anglers have been lucky on both the Kenai River stretch of the fishery and in the clear water of the Russian River itself since the fishery opened June 11.

Fishing conditions will likely stay good for the next few days, according to the emergency order. Because of the risk of bear activity as the salmon runs peaks, anglers should be careful and take their fish out whole if possible, and if they choose to clean their fish near the river, to throw the fish waste far out into the fast-moving water so as not to attract bears to the area.

Reach Elizabeth Earl at elizabeth.earl@peninsulaclarion.com.

A sockeye salmon hooked by a lucky angler rests on the bank of the Kenai River downstream of the confluence with the Russian River on Sunday, June 11, 2017 near Cooper Landing. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

A sockeye salmon hooked by a lucky angler rests on the bank of the Kenai River downstream of the confluence with the Russian River on Sunday, June 11, 2017 near Cooper Landing. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

More in News

Vice President Kelly Cooper speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly in Soldotna, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 8, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Borough considers seasonal sales tax rate

Borough sales tax would be modified from a flat 3% to a seasonal model of 4% in summer months and 2% in winter months.

The Kasilof River is seen from the Kasilof River Recreation Area, July 30, 2019, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
King salmon fishing on Kasilof closes Thursday

If any king salmon is caught while fishing for other species, they may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Un’a, a female sea otter pup who was admitted to the Alaska SeaLife Center in June 2025, plays with an enrichment toy at the center in Seward, Alaska. Photo courtesy of the Alaska SeaLife Center
SeaLife Center admits 2 seal pups, 1 orphaned otter

The three pups join the Alaska SeaLife Center’s ‘growing’ patient list.

James Wardlow demonstrates flilleting a salmon with an ulu during a smoked salmon demonstration, part of Fish Week 2023, on Wednesday, July 19, 2023, at the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Refuge to celebrate all things fish during weeklong event

Fish Week will take place July 16-19.

President Zen Kelly speaks during a meeting of the Kenai Peninsula Borough School District Board of Education in Soldotna, Alaska, on Monday, July 7, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School board finalizes budget with deep cuts to programming, classrooms

Multiple members of the board said they were frustrated by the state’s failure to fund education.

Former KPBSD Finance Director Liz Hayes speaks during a Kenai Peninsula Borough School District budget development meeting at Kenai Central High School in Kenai, Alaska, on Wednesday, Feb. 19, 2025. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
School district finance department earns national awards

The two awards are based on comprehensive reviews of the district’s budget and financial reporting.

Children leap forward to grab candy during a Fourth of July parade on South Willow Street in Kenai, Alaska, on July 4, 2025. (Photo courtesy Sarah Every)
Celebrating the 4th in the streets

Kenai comes out for annual Independence Day parade.

Fire crews respond to the Bruce Fire, July 4, 2025, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Alaska Division of Forestry)
Firefighting crews respond to wildfire outside Soldotna

The 8-acre fire and two “spot fires” of less than one acre each are located near Mile 102 and 103 of the Sterling Highway.

Most Read

You're browsing in private mode.
Please sign in or subscribe to continue reading articles in this mode.

Peninsula Clarion relies on subscription revenue to provide local content for our readers.

Subscribe

Already a subscriber? Please sign in