A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Fishing good on Kenai River, improving on Russian River

Northern Kenai Fishing Report for Aug. 3, 2023

A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members Bill Elam, Brent Johnson, Tyson Cox and Brent Hibbert attend an assembly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Election issues tackled at assembly

The body created a voter turnout working group and approved other changes to borough election code

From left, Kenai Peninsula Borough Assembly members Bill Elam, Brent Johnson, Tyson Cox and Brent Hibbert attend an assembly meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski attends a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Murkowski talks LNG, local projects in Soldotna

Murkowski caught up the Clarion on oil and gas resources and what it looks like to collaborate with local government to get things done

U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski attends a joint Soldotna and Kenai Chamber of Commerce Luncheon on Wednesday, May 5, 2021, in Kenai, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Trail River cabin is already under construction. (Photo courtesy Harvey Hergett/United States Forest Service)

Construction of new public use cabins begins in Moose Pass

Two other cabins are being constructed at the Porcupine Campground in Hope and by Meridian Lake in Seward

Trail River cabin is already under construction. (Photo courtesy Harvey Hergett/United States Forest Service)
A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A Mackey Lake voter fills out a special mayoral ballot at Soldotna Prep School on Tuesday, Feb. 14, 2023 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Lena Wissner, Brian Gabriel, and Tyler Best cut the ribbon at a grand opening ceremony for the Kenai Bark Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, July 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai Bark Park welcomes 1st pawed patrons

The grand opening came roughly five years after the project was first approved

Lena Wissner, Brian Gabriel, and Tyler Best cut the ribbon at a grand opening ceremony for the Kenai Bark Park in Kenai, Alaska, on Friday, July 28, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River dipnetting ends Monday, reporting due by Aug. 15

As of Thursday, around 906,000 sockeye have been counted in the Kenai River’s late run

Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Rayna Reynolds tends to her cow at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

4-H Agriculture Expo set for Aug. 4-6

The annual expo is a weekend to focus on agriculture and 4-H in the community and in Alaska

Rayna Reynolds tends to her cow at the 4-H Agriculture Expo in Soldotna, Alaska on Aug. 5, 2022. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Tuesday collision results in 2 arrests, 1 hospitalized

The collision took place near Mile 115 of the highway, between Kasilof and Clam Gulch

Alaska State Troopers logo.
Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Soldotna approves capital budget

The budget will pay for multiple big city projects over the next 11 months

Flowers bloom at Soldotna City Hall on Wednesday, June 24, 2021 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)

Fishing gear restricted on Kenai River starting Tuesday

The use of gear on the Kenai River will be restricted to one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure starting next week, the State Department of Fish… Continue reading

A man fishes in the Kenai River on July 16, 2018, in Soldotna, Alaska. (Peninsula Clarion/file)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River sees 1st day with more than 100,000 sockeye counted

Daily counts jump from 18,000 to 120,000 in three days

Sockeye salmon carcasses line the shore at North Kenai Beach, Tuesday, July 25, 2023, in Kenai, Alaska. The daily number of sockeye salmon counted by sonar in the Kenai River surpassed 100,000 for the first time this year on Tuesday. (Photo by Erin Thompson/Peninsula Clarion)
Gary Hollier pulls a sockeye salmon from a set gillnet at a test site for selective harvest setnet gear in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

Setnetters see opportunity in shallower nets

State targets sockeye in Kenai test of selective harvest gear

Gary Hollier pulls a sockeye salmon from a set gillnet at a test site for selective harvest setnet gear in Kenai, Alaska, on Tuesday, July 25, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Snow falls on a “vote here” sign outside of Seward City Hall on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Seward, Alaska. Residents voted in a special election to determine whether or not to sell the city’s electric utility and to change the city’s residency requirements for city manager. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)

Seward council puts electric utility sale back on ballot

City voters in a special election defeated by just seven votes the sale of Seward Electric to HEA

Snow falls on a “vote here” sign outside of Seward City Hall on Tuesday, May 2, 2023, in Seward, Alaska. Residents voted in a special election to determine whether or not to sell the city’s electric utility and to change the city’s residency requirements for city manager. (Ashlyn O’Hara/Peninsula Clarion)
Areas cleared to make way for the Cooper Landing Bypass Project (bottom) can be seen above the Kenai River in Cooper Landing in this August 10, 2021, photo. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion file)

Bypass project costs jump, state looks for more funding

The long-planned project aims to reduce traffic congestion through Cooper Landing

Areas cleared to make way for the Cooper Landing Bypass Project (bottom) can be seen above the Kenai River in Cooper Landing in this August 10, 2021, photo. (Jeff Helminiak/Peninsula Clarion file)
A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)

After last week’s spike, sockeye counts lag recent years

Since the start of the late run on July 1, around 393,000 sockeye have been counted by sonar

A sockeye salmon rests atop a cooler at the mouth of the Kasilof River on Monday, June 26, 2023, in Kasilof, Alaska. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Alaska State Troopers logo.

Sunday night collision closes Seward Highway, sends 3 to hospital

The vehicle was the subject of “multiple” REDDI reports

Alaska State Troopers logo.
James Wardlow shows off a salmon filet ready to be hung and dried 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)

To fillet a fish

Youth workshop showcases ways of preparing salmon

James Wardlow shows off a salmon filet ready to be hung and dried 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)
Owen McWilliams hangs tightly onto a mechanical salmon at the Progress Days Fair at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on Saturday, July 22, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)
Owen McWilliams hangs tightly onto a mechanical salmon at the Progress Days Fair at Soldotna Creek Park in Soldotna, Alaska on Saturday, July 22, 2023. (Jake Dye/Peninsula Clarion)