More local waters opened to sport fishing Tuesday, including new areas of the Kenai River, Kenai Lake and the lake’s tributaries.
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game reports that fishing for rainbow trout in those areas is good, and is expected to get better in the coming weeks.
The middle and upper Kenai River areas are what opened Tuesday.
The middle Kenai River covers the stretch between Skilak and Kenai lakes. The region is open to fishing for all species, except for king salmon. The Russian River sanctuary — where the Russian and Kenai river join — remains closed to all sport fishing through mid-July.
The other fishing area opened Tuesday is the upper Kenai River, Kenai Lake and the lake’s network of tributaries. All salmon fishing is prohibited in those waters.
Sockeye fishing is open on the Russian River, where there’s a daily limit of three fish and a possession limit of six fish. Per the department, anglers are reporting that catch rates are slow, but that there are fish nonetheless. More than 3,600 sockeye salmon have passed through the Russian River weir as of June 13. That includes more than 1,100 fish Thursday.
Anglers are reporting some success on the Kasilof River, where fishing is open for hatchery king salmon. An emergency order issued by Fish and Game says anglers are limited to a single hook with an artificial lure and bait while fishing on the Kasilof.
The same order also says nonhatchery king salmon caught in the Kasilof River cannot be retained. Anglers can spot the difference between hatchery and non-hatchery kings by checking to see if the fish has a fin between its dorsal and tail fins. Fish with a third fin, called an adipose fin, are naturally produced and can’t be kept.
Daily fish counts and local regulations can be found on the department’s website.
