A northern Kenai fishing report published by the State Department of Fish and Game on Thursday says that sockeye fishing is still good and coho are starting to show up in local rivers.
Freshwater fishing
On the Kenai River, a record-breaking run of sockeye salmon has now crossed 4 million fish counted — far beyond the escapement goal of between 750,000 and 1.3 million fish. On July 21, more than 247,000 sockeye were counted on the Kenai, which the Kenai River Sportfishing Association said is the largest single-day total in 47 years of available records from the department.
Daily sockeye counts have come back down from those heights. After 21 consecutive days of greater-than 100,000 sockeye passing per day, Thursday’s count was only 37,000. More than double the total number of sockeye counted last year have escaped.
The department this week issued an emergency order maintaining an increased sockeye bag limit of six per day and 12 in possession. The report ssays that that fishers are having success between Moose River and Skilak Lake, also at the Russian River confluence.
Kenai River coho fishing, the report says, “has been good and will only get better in the coming days.” The department does not collect data on coho escapement.
Just short of 14,000 king salmon have been counted in the Kenai River’s late run since July 1 — a significant improvement over last year’s count, but still below an escapement goal of 15,000. The department issued the first openings since 2022 for the east side setnet fishery earlier this month because the stock is projected to cross the 14,250 threshold described in the stock of concern action plan. King salmon caught while fishing must be immediately released and may not be removed from the water.
The Russian River and Russian River Sanctuary are open to fishing, with bag limits of six sockeye per day and 12 in possession. Per fish counts from the department, around 53,000 sockeye have been counted on the Russian River during the late run, more than were counted last year but fewer than counts in 2023, 2022 and 2021. More than 1,000 fish, and as many as 3,700 fish, have been counted each day since July 27.
Department counts show that daily sockeye passage on the Kasilof is dwindling. Where nearly 40,000 were counted in a day a couple of weeks ago, only 6,000 were counted Thursday. This year’s total count, currently almost 1.2 million fish, outpaces the counts in each of the last four years and the river’s biological escapement goal has been exceeded.
Coho fishing on the Kasilof “has been picking up the last few days.” The report says that fishers are successful when pulling plugs and casting spinners.
Saltwater fishing
Shore fishing for halibut and cod is “picking up” at local beaches.
Local Lakes
The local stocked lakes “continue to be fishing well.” The report recommends Longmere and Arc lakes for rainbow trout fishing.
Information about stocked lakes can be found under the “Sport” tab at adfg.alaska.gov.
Emergency Orders
Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.
Emergency Order 2-RS-1-47-25 increases the bag and possession limits for salmon, other than king salmon, 16 inches or longer, from three per day and six in possession, to six per day and 12 in possession, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake.
Emergency Order 2-RS-1-44-25 increases the bag and possession limits for salmon, other than king salmon, to six fish per day and 12 fish in possession, of which only one per day and one in possession may be a coho salmon, in the area of the Kenai River upstream from Skilak Lake to the Sterling Highway Bridge at the outlet of Kenai Lake, including the Russian River from its confluence with the Kenai River upstream to an ADF&G marker located approximately 600 yards downstream from the Russian River falls.
Emergency Order 2-KS-1-1-25 closes king salmon sport fishing (including catch and release) in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge to the river mouth from 12:01 a.m. Thursday, July 10, through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 31, 2025. Additionally, gear is restricted to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure or fly through 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15.
Emergency Order 2-RS-1-26-25 increases the bag and possession limits for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or longer, to six fish per day and 12 in possession in all waters of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing.
Emergency Order 2-KS-1-1-25 prohibits the use of bait on the Kasilof River effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, May 1, through 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15, only one unbaited, single hook, artificial lure or fly may be used. This emergency order also prohibits the retention of naturally produced king salmon effective 12:01 a.m. Thursday, May 1, through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 31, 2025.
Emergency Order 2-KS-1-3-25 closes the Kenai River to fishing for king salmon and prohibits the use of bait and multiple hooks in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to ADF&G markers located at the outlet of Skilak Lake from 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 20, through 11:59 p.m. Friday, Aug. 15.
