The Alaska Department of Fish and Game Division of Sport Fishing provided an updated fishing report for the Northern Kenai. The report provides updates for freshwater and saltwater fishing, local lakes, access sites across the Kenai Peninsula, and announced emergency orders for the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers as well as local lakes.
The public access sites are open. They include Crooked Creek, Kasilof River (boat launch), Pillar’s (boat Launch), Bing’s Landing (day use, campground, boat launch), Johnson Lake (west loop campground), Deep Creek, Clam Gulch, all Anchor River (all), Stariski and Captain Cook recreation sites are open. For more information on any of these sites, please call Alaska State Parks at (907) 262-5581. Additionally, the city of Soldotna Centennial Park campground and walking trail, as well as the Swiftwater Campground is closed through May 20 to all users for spruce tree removal.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that for freshwater fishing, the flowing waters of the Kenai River mainstem upstream of the Lower Killey River marker and all Kenai River tributary streams are closed to through June 10 to protect spawning rainbow trout. The Kasilof River steelhead fishing is beginning to slow down. All rainbow/steelhead trout caught may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. See page 70 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for more information. Please refer to the emergency orders below for more info. Also, hooligan (eulachon) fishing will continue to improve over the next few weeks. As a reminder, only Alaska residents may participate in this personal use fishery and a valid Alaska resident sport fishing license is required. See page 16 of the 2022 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations booklet for more information.
For saltwater fishing, surf fishing for halibut along of the beaches of Cook Inlet south of the Kenai River is good, according to report. Pacific halibut fisheries are managed by the federal government under international treaty. Consult federal regulations and see page 73 of the 2022 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet.
With the warming temperatures, the local lakes will be free of ice and lake fishing should be good to excellent. Lake fishing for rainbow trout, Arctic char, Arctic grayling, and land locked salmon will improve with warming water temperatures. Sport Lake was stocked with approximately 450 rainbow trout catchables on May 8. Johnson Lake was stocked with approximately 7,500 rainbow trout catchables on May 11.
Sportfishers need to be mindful of the emergency orders and announcements in place before heading out on that next fishing trip.
Emergency orders for Kasilof River include 2-KS-1-20-22, which prohibits the retention of naturally-produced king salmon effective through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 30, 2022, on the Kasilof River. In addition, the use of bait in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge is not allowed until May 16 when bait is allowed by regulation. Effective 12:01 a.m. Monday, May 16 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, June 30 only one single-hook, artificial lure or fly may be used, and bait is allowed in the Kasilof River. The bag and possession limit for king salmon 20 inches or greater in length is two hatchery-produced fish. Also, 2-KS-1-08-22 prohibits the retention of naturally-produced king salmon while sport fishing in the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge. Only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing in these waters. This regulation restriction is effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022.
Emergency orders for the Kenai River include 2-KS-1-09-22, which restricts the king salmon fishery on the Kenai River drainage to catch-and-release only effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, July 1 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, July 31, 2022. Only one unbaited, single-hook may be used, and retention of king salmon is prohibited while sport fishing on the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker at the outlet of Skilak Lake.
Emergency orders for local lakes include 2-NP-1-04-22, which prohibits the retention of any species of fish in East Mackey, West Mackey, Sevena, Union, and Derks lakes for the 2022 season. Also, 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. You can purchase the 2022 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from 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.