Area Sport Fishing Reports
Northern Kenai

August 28, 2024

Freshwater Fishing

• Anglers, several new emergency orders have been issued throughout Northern Kenai Peninsula waters this week. Please review them before heading out fishing, they can be view at the following link: Emergency Orders & Press Releases - Sport Fish - ADF&G (alaska.gov)

• Kenai River is closed to fishing for king salmon. NOTE: The sockeye limit returned to 3 per day, 6 in possession on August 16, 2024 in the lower river. Bait is permitted from the river’s mouth, upstream to the regulatory markers at the Moose river. Bait is prohibited upstream of the regulatory marker at the Moose river confluence per regulation.

• Anglers are reporting moderate success for Coho in the lower Kenai River. Limits for Coho salmon are in combination with sockeye or chum salmon. See Emergency Order 2-SS-1-57-24, reducing the bag limit on Coho in all flowing freshwaters on the Northern Kenai Peninsula to 1 per day, effective August 24^th until September 1^st, when the bag limit increases to 2 per day.

• Kasilof River is closed to fishing for king salmon. See Emergency Order 2-KS-1-54-24 below regarding Kasilof River for single-hook and bait usage for the remainder of the season.

Saltwater Fishing

Anglers are continuing to have success shore fishing for halibut. Salmon sharks are also in abundance for anglers fishing from the local beaches.

Local Lakes

With the recent stocking of Island, Scout, Upper Summit, Thetis Lake, fishing at local stocked lakes has been good.

Emergency Orders

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

• NEW: Emergency Order 2-SS-1-55-24: This emergency order reduces the limit for coho salmon in the Kenai River to a bag and possession of one fish, effective Saturday, August 24 through Friday, August 31, 2024; and a bag and possession of two coho salmon Sunday, September 1 through Saturday, November 30, 2024.
• NEW: Emergency Order 2-KS-1-54-24: This emergency order supersedes EO 2-KS-1-44-24 issued Wednesday, July 31, 2024 and allows one baited, single hook or single-hook, artificial lure while sport fishing in the Kasilof River from its mouth upstream to the downstream side of the Sterling Highway Bridge. In addition, from the Sterling Highway Bridge upstream to Tustumena Lake, only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-50-24 restricts sport fishing gear to one single-hook while sport fishing in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to ADF&G regulatory markers at the Moose River confluence through August 31, 2024.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-44-24 closes the Kasilof River to bait and restricts gear to single hook only through September 15^th.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-26-24 expands the personal use salmon dipnet fishing area on the Kasilof River. Salmon may be harvested from the shore from ADF&G markers located on Cook Inlet beaches outside the terminus of the river upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge.
• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-27-24 order increases the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or longer, to six fish per day and twelve in possession in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing.

Don't forget to purchase your 2024 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today. You can also purchase licenses through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2024 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the Soldotna Area Office at 907-262-9368