Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 15, 2022

ADF&G News

  • The Soldotna ADF&G office is now offering a fishing rod loaner program and has salmon fishing gear anglers can borrow for up to three days. This is a first come, first served program and rods cannot be reserved. For more information, check out the Rod Loaner Program webpage or contact Jenny Gates at
    (907) 262-9368.

Freshwater Fishing

  • The early-run Kenai River king salmon sport fishery is closed. Fishing for king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River is prohibited. Please see the emergency order below for more info.
  • Fishing for rainbow trout in the middle Kenai River is fair.
  • Kasilof River (from the mouth upstream to Tustumena Lake) king salmon fishing will close Wednesday, June 15. Fishing for king salmon of any size including hatchery-origin fish is prohibited. Please see the emergency order below for more info.
  • The Upper Kenai and Russian rivers opened to fishing for sockeye salmon on Saturday, June 11. The Russian River Sanctuary area is closed to fishing for all species at this time. Sockeye salmon fishing is slow but is expected to improve over the next week and the river level is high.
  • Fishing for sea run Dolly Varden at the mouth of Resurrection Creek in Hope should be picking up this time of year. Try using pink fry pattern flies.

Personal Use

  • The personal use set gillnet fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River opens to fishing on Wednesday,
    June 15. Fishing hours will be limited from 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. daily. Please see below emergency order for more info.

Local Lakes

  • Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon should be good to excellent. Try fishing with dry or wet flies such as an egg sucking leech, bead head nymph, or mosquito pattern; small spoons and spinners size #0 or #2; or small bait under a bobber.
  • Spirit (Elephant) Lake access gate is open, and the lake was recently stocked with approximately
    5,500 catchable sized Arctic char averaging 9.3 inches long.
  • John Hedberg Lake was recently stocked with 1,000 rainbow trout catchables and fishing is excellent.
  • Island Lake was recently stocked with approximately 5,500 catchable sized Arctic char averaging
    9.3 inches long.
  • Not familiar with all the stocked lakes in the area? Check out the ADF&G publication with locations, access, and other valuable information on Kenai Peninsula area lakes. More lake information can be found on the ADF&G Alaska Lakes Database.
  • Interested in recent stocking activities at lakes? Check out the ADF&G stocking database online.
  • Many local lakes have been stocked with rainbow trout and coho salmon fingerling recently. For specific lake stocking information including species stocked and numbers of fish stocked, directions, bathymetric maps, and amenities, please visit the ADF&G Alaska Lakes Database.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

Kasilof River

  • Emergency Order 2-RS-1-31-22 reduces the hours open during the personal use set gillnet fishery at the mouth of the Kasilof River. The hours open to fishing in the personal use set gillnet fishery will be reduced to 11:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. daily from Wednesday, June 15 through Friday, June 24, 2022.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-30-22 prohibits the retention of king salmon in the Kasilof River effective 12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 15 through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 15, 2022. Fishing for king salmon of any size, including hatchery-origin fish is prohibited. Effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 16 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, from its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge will be open to catch-and-release. Waters from the Sterling Highway Bridge upstream to the outlet of Tustumena Lake, from 12:01 a.m. Saturday, July 16 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, will remain closed to king salmon fishing and anglers are limited to only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure while fishing for other species.

Kenai River

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-1-22-22 supersedes prior Emergency Orders and will prohibit the retention of king salmon of all sizes in the Kenai River from the mouth upstream to the outlet of Skilak effective
    12:01 a.m. Wednesday, June 8 through 11:59 pm Thursday, June 30. Fishing for king salmon will remain closed from 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, in waters of the Kenai River drainage from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek, upstream to the outlet of Skilak Lake. This closure prohibits all sport fishing for king salmon, including catch-and-release fishing. King salmon may not be retained or possessed; king salmon accidentally caught while fishing for other species may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Additionally, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek from 12:01 a.m. Friday July 1, through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022, is restricted to the use of only one unbaited, single-hook artificial lure, and anglers may not retain king salmon of any size. King salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.

Local Lakes

  • Emergency Order 2-NP-1-04-22 prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2022 season.
  • Emergency Order 2-DV-1-03-22 establishes a bag and possession limit of Arctic char/Dolly Varden in Stormy Lake of one fish, less than 16 inches in length for the 2022 season.

Don’t forget to purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp! Purchase your 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Soldotna Area Office at (907) 262-9368.