The Alaska Department of Fish and Game is implementing a sport fishing regulation liberalization by extending the sockeye salmon fishing season for the Russian River Sanctuary Area and waters of the mainstream Upper Kenai River downstream to the powerline. This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, August 21 through 11:59 p.m. Monday, September 6, 2021.
Colton Lipka, Area Management Biologist for the Alaska Department of Fish and Game:
“Normally, the Russian River Sanctuary Area in the flyfishing only waters, which are the mainstem waters from the marker above Sportsman’s Landing downstream to the powerline below the ferry. That box, which is on page 60 of the regulation would normally close on August 20th. This is done to protect the spawning fish because we’re going to start seeing spawning activity in the mainstem Russian and a little bit in the Sanctuary, but also to provide that transition to coho fishing, which is just getting started on the Upper.
Lipka also said:
“The Russian River, we are at 86,000 fish past the weir right now. The top end of our goal is 85 and we’re projecting somewhere probably between 105 to 130,000, which is a very large run for the late run. We’re going to extend the season out in just the sanctuary and the mainstem waters down to the powerline to give folks more opportunity to get after those sockeye. The Russian River, itself, the clear water Russian above the sanctuary marker is going to close on the 20th to sockeye fishing.”
According to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, the bag and possession limits for sockeye salmon will remain at six per day and 12 in possession for this area including the Kenai River mainstrem downstream to Skilak Lake.