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Commercial fishing season kicks off with higher prices, slow runs

Commercial fishermen in Upper Cook Inlet have been out since late June, kicking off what’s predicted to be a fairly slow sockeye salmon season. As… Continue reading

A bald eagle fends off a speculating magpie from his meal of salmon on the Anchor River on Sunday, June 25, 2017 near Anchor Point, Alaska. Though the Anchor River is closed to sportfishing for king salmon now, the salmon are still returning to the river, with about 4,064 kings past the weirs on the north and south forks of the river, within the escapement goal of 3,800&

Dinner on the water

A bald eagle fends off a speculating magpie from his meal of salmon on the Anchor River on Sunday near Anchor Point. Though the Anchor… Continue reading

A bald eagle fends off a speculating magpie from his meal of salmon on the Anchor River on Sunday, June 25, 2017 near Anchor Point, Alaska. Though the Anchor River is closed to sportfishing for king salmon now, the salmon are still returning to the river, with about 4,064 kings past the weirs on the north and south forks of the river, within the escapement goal of 3,800&
Halibut hang from the display rack at North Country Charters on the Homer Spit on Sunday, June 25, 2017 in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Study shows Homer halibut charters stay closer to town

A pair of University of Alaska researchers want to know more about how halibut charter fishermen in the state carry out their trips. Halibut have… Continue reading

Halibut hang from the display rack at North Country Charters on the Homer Spit on Sunday, June 25, 2017 in Homer, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Bait authorized for lower Kenai kings

Bait is now legal for king salmon on the Kenai River below Slikok Creek. Effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, anglers can use bait to target kings… Continue reading

Commercial fishing buoys float in the Kasilof River near the Kasilof River Lodge and Cabins on Monday, June 19, 2017 in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

State’s delay on Kasilof boat launch causes headaches for guides

At the end of a fishing day on the Kasilof River, the Russell Fishing Company guides often rope their boats together to make getting down… Continue reading

Commercial fishing buoys float in the Kasilof River near the Kasilof River Lodge and Cabins on Monday, June 19, 2017 in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A young cow moose makes her way across the Kasilof River amid a crowd of guided anglers Monday, June 19, 2017 in Kasilof, Alaska. Monday can be a busy day on the Kasilof for guides, as the Kenai River is closed to motor boat use and many head to the Kasilof. Though sockeye are starting to enter the river, most of the anglers are still targeting king salmon. Though Kasilof River has king salmon runs of both wild and hatchery king salmon, and anglers can only retain wild king salmon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Moose crossing

A young cow moose makes her way across the Kasilof River amid a crowd of guided anglers Monday in Kasilof. Monday can be a busy… Continue reading

A young cow moose makes her way across the Kasilof River amid a crowd of guided anglers Monday, June 19, 2017 in Kasilof, Alaska. Monday can be a busy day on the Kasilof for guides, as the Kenai River is closed to motor boat use and many head to the Kasilof. Though sockeye are starting to enter the river, most of the anglers are still targeting king salmon. Though Kasilof River has king salmon runs of both wild and hatchery king salmon, and anglers can only retain wild king salmon on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

On the docks, no sympathy for deadlocked lawmakers

Boats don’t have wheels. This may go without saying, but as Juneau commercial fisherman Brian Delay joked Friday at Don D. Statter Harbor, it’s worth… Continue reading

Kenai dipnet app now available

While this summer’s dipnetters fish in the mouth of the Kenai River, the city of Kenai will be fishing for them with a new smartphone… Continue reading

In this June 2016 photo, a guide rows clients on the Kasilof River near the confluence with Crooked Creek in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

State seeks comments on Kasilof south side project

With improvements on the north side of the Kasilof River nearly finished, the Alaska Department of Natural Resources is turning its attention to other infrastructure… Continue reading

In this June 2016 photo, a guide rows clients on the Kasilof River near the confluence with Crooked Creek in Kasilof, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
Randy McPherson and his grandson Ethan, 9, both of Wisconsin, show off their Kenai River king salmon caught Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Kenai River early-run kings have been returning in larger numbers this year as compared to the last several years, leading the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to liberalize the maximum size limit for retention from 36 inches to 46 inches on Monday. (Photo courtesy Jason Foster)

Fishing report: Russian flush with reds

Sunday morning’s opener at the confluence of the Russian River and Kenai River saw a lot of happy anglers. By midmorning, fishermen of all ages… Continue reading

Randy McPherson and his grandson Ethan, 9, both of Wisconsin, show off their Kenai River king salmon caught Tuesday, June 13, 2017. Kenai River early-run kings have been returning in larger numbers this year as compared to the last several years, leading the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to liberalize the maximum size limit for retention from 36 inches to 46 inches on Monday. (Photo courtesy Jason Foster)
Sockeye salmon caught in a set gillnet wait to be set to the a processor on July 11, 2016 near Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Game to run cost-recovery harvest to fund Anchor Point test fishery

With the loss of state funding, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is back to running a cost-recovery harvest on sockeye salmon to fund… Continue reading

Sockeye salmon caught in a set gillnet wait to be set to the a processor on July 11, 2016 near Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
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. Sunday was the first open day for the popular Russian River sockeye sportfishery, and by midmorning, anglers were packing up with their limits and heading home while many others were landing some of the bright fish, some of the first sockeye of the season on the Kenai Peninsula. As of Saturday, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s weir on Lower Russian Lake had counted 1,027 fish, more than triple the count of 274 on the same day in 2016. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Photo: Reds run on the Russian River

An angler fillets his sockeye salmon caught on the Kenai River near the confluence with the Russian River on Sunday near Cooper Landing. Sunday was… Continue reading

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. Sunday was the first open day for the popular Russian River sockeye sportfishery, and by midmorning, anglers were packing up with their limits and heading home while many others were landing some of the bright fish, some of the first sockeye of the season on the Kenai Peninsula. As of Saturday, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game’s weir on Lower Russian Lake had counted 1,027 fish, more than triple the count of 274 on the same day in 2016. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Game increases max size for early king retention

Kenai River anglers can now keep king salmon up to 46 inches long. With more king salmon coming into the river than projected, the Alaska… Continue reading

Preparing for a safe and productive fishing season

The fishing season may be here, but there is more on a fisherman’s to-do list than grab a pole and hit the water this early… Continue reading

Two lucky anglers hold up king salmon they caught on Deep Creek on the lower Kenai Peninsula this weekend. (Photo courtesy Greg Harrington) Two lucky anglers hold up king salmon they caught on Deep Creek on the lower Kenai Peninsula this weekend. (Photo courtesy Greg Harrington)

Fishing report: Kings boom, Russian River opener primed

There’s one thing sportfishermen can’t stop talking about this summer: the Kenai River king salmon fishing. For the past several years, the king salmon fishing… Continue reading

Two lucky anglers hold up king salmon they caught on Deep Creek on the lower Kenai Peninsula this weekend. (Photo courtesy Greg Harrington) Two lucky anglers hold up king salmon they caught on Deep Creek on the lower Kenai Peninsula this weekend. (Photo courtesy Greg Harrington)

Kenai Chamber plans silver salmon derby

Move over, Seward — the Kenai River will get its own silver salmon derby this fall. The Kenai Chamber of Commerce is planning a derby… Continue reading

Concerns arise over Kenai silver salmon derby

Not everyone’s totally on board with the idea of an open silver salmon derby on the Kenai River in the fall. The Kenai Chamber of… Continue reading

Kenai partners with Chamber of Commerce for fall silver derby

Kenai’s city government will have a say in how the town’s first silver salmon fishing derby — initiated by the Kenai Chamber of Commerce and… Continue reading

Victoria Evans of Soldotna fishes the Ninilchik River opener on Saturday, May 27, 2017 in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Ninilchik opens slow and steady

The spirits of anglers at the Ninilchik River season opening weekend were a stark contrast to the dreary weather that plagued the holiday weekend. “This… Continue reading

Victoria Evans of Soldotna fishes the Ninilchik River opener on Saturday, May 27, 2017 in Ninilchik, Alaska. (Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Copper River managers proceed cautiously after big king salmon takes

Commercial fishing managers in Prince William Sound plan to continue opening the fishery, despite concerns about low king salmon returns to the Copper River system.… Continue reading