Kenai Fishing Report

August 15 Update:  Sockeye Fishing is Over

The sockeye season is officially wrapping up on the Kenai — and it finished strong. After that slow start we told you about back in July, the run turned on hard: the Kenai's sonar (which just stopped counting for the year) logged a cumulative total north of 1.1 million fish, landing comfortably inside ADF&G's inriver goal of 1.1–1.4 million. Kasilof told the same story, topping 1 million and closing in on last year's 1.19 million finish. Now the spotlight shifts to coho and pinks, trout fishing is excellent with some great insect hatches showing up near Cooper Landing, and a batch of regulations revert to standard tomorrow, August 16.

Bottom Line:  Time to turn your attention to Silvers and Pinks.  Not the massive runs of the Sockeye, so fishing will be slower but remember where you are and how beautiful it is and when that fish grabs on, you will have the fun of your life fighting that silver!

This Week's Highlights

Russian River: 

• Trout fishing has been good — beads, small flesh flies, nymphs, epoxy fry, and dry flies are all producing.
• The weir has been counting late-run sockeye since July 15, and larger schools are expected to arrive in the next couple of days but don't expect it to be as robust as the late July runs. You are at the end of the Sockeye Salmon season.  
• The Russian River Sanctuary Area is still open to sport fishing.

Kasilof River:  

• Sockeye finished strong — cumulative counts topped 1 million, closing the gap on last year's 1.19 million record finish.
• Coho salmon fishing has been picking up and is fair. Casting spoons, spinners, and pulling plugs are working.
• The Old Kasilof Landing SRS site remains open to the public.
• Heads up: the single-hook, artificial-lure gear restriction expires tonight (August 15) — standard gear is legal again starting tomorrow.

Kenai River:

• The late-run sockeye sonar has ceased counting for the year — the season's final cumulative topped 1.1 million, within the 1.1–1.4 million inriver goal.
• Starting tomorrow, August 16, the sockeye bag and possession limit downstream of Skilak Lake reverts to the standard 3 per day/6 in possession.
• King salmon fishing's closure also technically expires August 15 — practically speaking, the late run is over for the year, but the water reopens to king fishing August 16 under standard gear rules.
• Coho salmon fishing is fair, and pink salmon are being caught in the lower river. Spoons, size 4 spinners, and marabou jigs twitched under a slip bobber are all producing.
• Trout fishing is good, with beads, flesh flies, and leeches producing as usual — but keep an eye out for the recent insect hatches around Cooper Landing. Dry flies and nymphs have been working surprisingly well.

Local Stocked Lakes

If you're looking for an easier day of fishing or introducing someone new to the sport, local stocked lakes continue to fish well.

• Sport Lake (Soldotna)
• Johnson Lake (Kasilof)
• Summit Lake (Turnagain Pass)
• Crescent Lake for Arctic Grayling

⚠️ Closures & Emergency Orders

Emergency Orders

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

• Emergency Order 2-RS-1-31-26 increased the bag and possession limit for sockeye salmon, 16 inches or greater in length, to six fish per day and twelve fish in possession; however, no more than two salmon per day and two in possession may be coho salmon, in all portions of the Kasilof River open to salmon fishing. These provisions are effective 12:01 a.m. Friday, June 26 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, December 31, 2026.
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-18-26 Kasilof River Gear restriction are in effect May 1–August 15, 2026, including single-hook, artificial lure requirements. EXPIRES TOMORROW AUGUST 16 
• Emergency Order 2-KS-1-7-26 To protect returning king salmon and support future fishing opportunities, the Kenai River late-run king salmon sport fishery will close June 20–August 15, 2026, with no king salmon fishing (including catch-and-release) allowed; fishing for other species remains open under gear restrictions.

We'll update this report every Friday throughout the fishing season with the latest conditions from the Kenai Peninsula.