For Alaska’s fishing industry and fishing-dependent communities, 2025 was a year of turmoil and uncertainty, much of it imposed by ideological pursuits from the new Trump administration. The short-lived agency called the Department of Government Efficiency hacked away at federal funding for science across the board. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in particular was […]
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Cook Inlet area closed to big skate bycatch retention
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game recently announced the retention of big skates as bycatch in directed groundfish and Pacific halibut fisheries in Cook Inlet Area state waters is prohibited through Dec. 31. The prohibition went into effect Nov. 26. The National Marine Fisheries Service made prohibited the retention of big skates in the […]
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Alaska Department of Fish and Game publishes 2025 commercial salmon summary
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game released its preliminary summary of the 2025 Upper Cook Inlet salmon fishery season. The report found that although numbers of all salmon species besides sockeye were down, the 2025 cumulative yield of fish was 57% greater than the previous 20-year average annual exvessel exchange. The total exvessel value […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: What happened to summer?
I was standing on the deck last evening watching around 40 sandhill cranes dancing around the tide-abandoned beach below when I thought, what the hell happened to summer? I felt like I should still waiting for the king run at the fishing hole, or large schools of silvers to be meandering throughout Mud Bay. Halibut […]
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Salmon focus of annual KRSA roundtable
King salmon were in the spotlight last month at the annual Kenai Classic Roundtable, which centered on the decline of the species in the Kenai River and across the state. The event, hosted by the Kenai River Sportfishing Association, took place Aug. 20 in the Soldotna Field House. In the first of three panels, Alaska […]
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Lower Cook Inlet fishing report: Freshwater coho are fair to good
Read on for the lower Cook Inlet fishing report for the week of Aug. 25. Freshwater Fishing Expect fair to good coho salmon fishing in the lower sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams. New fish are arriving each day. Try fishing near the mouth during the incoming tide or near daybreak for the […]
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Industry Appreciation Day honors community leaders, businesses
Industry Appreciation Day, an annual celebration of oil and gas, commercial fishing, tourism and health care in the Kenai Peninsula Borough, drew hundreds on Saturday to Kenai’s Softball Greenstrip to enjoy free food, play games, and recognize “outstanding” businesses and individuals. The event is important, Kenai Peninsula Borough Mayor Peter Micciche said while hosting the […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Silvers have entered the streams
Now that we are riding the deeper slide into fall, it’s time to concentrate on those beautiful silvers entering the streams. The Anchor River conditions are fine, even though a bit low, but the silvers continue to arrive and move upriver along with the Dolly crowd. Eggs are working about the best, so far, but […]
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Northern Kenai fishing report: Sockeye good; coho arriving in local rivers
A northern Kenai fishing report published by the State Department of Fish and Game on Thursday says that sockeye fishing is still good and coho are starting to show up in local rivers. Freshwater fishing On the Kenai River, a record-breaking run of sockeye salmon has now crossed 4 million fish counted — far beyond […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Know your fish
During the last couple of weeks, this column has offered more than a few tips on what techniques can be utilized to nail those evasive silver critters entering the Fishing Hole and, from the responses received, they actually work. It also helps to know your fish, if for no other reason, to help you keep […]
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Annual Kenai Classic Roundtable to focus on Alaska king salmon
King salmon are the headlining issue of this year’s Kenai River Classic Roundtable, a series of panel discussions hosted annually by the Kenai River Sportfishing Association. The event will be held from noon to 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, in the Soldotna Field House. According to a release from the association, 18 Alaska king […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Remember that fish are fish
I have heard from many of you complaining that those &#@*% fish are driving some of you nuts at the Fishing Lagoon. Especially when the tide’s out and they cruise in packs, rudely ignoring your primo baits and flashy spinners while flipping you the fin. First, remember they are fish. What time of day are […]
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‘Be safe, catch fish, have fun’
For the first time since 2022, east side setnetters were lining Cook Inlet beaches on Tuesday and Wednesday to haul out their piece of a record-breaking sockeye salmon run. The setnet fishery has been closed entirely for the last few years to protect declining king salmon returns. The east side setnet fishery targets sockeye salmon, […]
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Seward Silver Salmon Derby opens for 70th year on Saturday
The Seward Silver Salmon Derby will kick off its 70th year on Saturday, Aug. 9. The annual competition challenges fishers to catch silver salmon in Resurrection Bay, with prizes for the heaviest overall, heaviest of the day, and cumulative. A release from the Seward Chamber of Commerce, who organize the derby, says that there will […]
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Sockeye fishing ‘exceptional’ on the Kenai
A northern Kenai fishing report published by the State Department of Fish and Game on Friday says sockeye fishing on the Kenai River is “exceptional.” Freshwater fishing The Russian River and Russian River Sanctuary are open to fishing, with bag limits of six sockeye per day and 12 in possession. Per fish counts from the […]
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Youth coho fishery opens Saturday
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game will host a youth-only coho salmon fishery on Saturday, Aug. 2. Starting at 12:01 a.m., a portion of the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon will be reserved for youth anglers ages 15 and younger, a July 28 press release states. The fishery will remain open until 11:59 p.m. Saturday. […]
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Sockeye salmon bag limit increased on Russian River
The bag limit for sockeye salmon on the Russian River is doubled to six per day and 12 in possession starting Thursday morning. An announcement from the State Department of Fish and Game says that the Russian River from its mouth upstream to a regulatory marker near the Russian River Falls and an area of […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Techniques to lure picky silvers
The silvers were somersaulting around the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon last week but were finicky at times as to what they wanted to wrap their gums around as the bare hook gangs attempted to rip them onto the shore. Those actions spawned several emails from frustrated anglers asking for suggestions as to what kind of […]
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Anchor River opens up to Dollies, non-King salmon fishing
While still closed to king salmon fishing, on July 16, the Anchor River partially opened to Dolly Varden and coho, pink, chum, and sockeye salmon fishing, below the 2-mile regulatory markers. Steelhead and rainbow trout are still off limits and should not be removed from the water, according to regulation reminders posted by the Alaska […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Watching the fish roll in
Hopefully, as you read this piece you are doing so without a dramatic new body piercing in an ultra-sensitive orifice or a Russian River ear stud compliments of some maniac flogging for the surging reds. When I spotted a notice that the bag limit for sockeyes had increased up north, I figured the rush would […]
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Kenai River dipnet fishery open 24 hours beginning Friday night
Only a week after opening, the Kenai River personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery has been expanded to 24 hours daily. The fishery, which opened July 10, by regulation is open from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. An announcement by the State Department of Fish and Game says, because the Kenai River’s late run of […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Can things get even better?
It’s that time of year when there are reds to can, rockfish to harvest, halibut to fillet, and wild dust-ups with silvers to savor. It’s the piscatorial paradise of midsummer. We’ve accepted the fact that Alaska has sashayed over the apogee of daylight hours while the stealthy pilfering of the sun’s influence signals our slide […]
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Ninilchik River to remain closed to king salmon fishing
Citing low returns of king salmon, the State Department of Fish and Game announced Monday that the Ninilchik River will remain closed to king salmon fishing, and implemented a slew of gear restrictions in southern peninsula streams and rivers. It was an “error in regulation,” an announcement from the department says, that would have opened […]
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Late-run sockeye beginning to arrive in Russian, Kenai rivers
A northern Kenai fishing report published by the State Department of Fish and Game on Tuesday says late-run sockeye are starting to show up in the Russian and Kenai Rivers. Freshwater fishing The Russian River and Russian River Sanctuary are open to fishing, with bag limits of three sockeye per day and six in possession. […]
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Seine test fishery continues after board of fish calls for more data
After the State Board of Fisheries in March said that they didn’t have enough data to approve experimental beach seines for use in the east side setnet fishery, local fishers are deploying the net on more beaches and in more varied conditions to shore up their case. Brian and Lisa Gabriel last summer first operated […]
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‘A really good day’
The Kenai River’s personal use sockeye salmon dipnet fishery opened Thursday morning. Dipnetting will be allowed from 6 a.m. to 11 p.m. each day until July 31. Thursday afternoon, dozens of nets could be seen extended from Kenai’s north beach. Jeff Dunham, who was out with his kids, said the fishing had been “pretty good […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Hard luck at the fishing hole
One of the “must see” highlights of the Fourth of July weekend was having a frontline seat for the opening of snagging at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. We rolled up 90 minutes early and nailed down a primo viewing site across from the entrance then settled in to watch as anglers laid claim to […]
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King salmon fishing on Kasilof to close Thursday
King salmon fishing will be closed on the Kasilof River starting Thursday. Beginning 12:01 a.m. on July 10 and lasting through July 31 , the Alaska Department of Fish and Game is closing all king salmon fishing along the Kasilof River downstream of the Sterling Highway Bridge, according to a Tuesday press release from the […]
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Sockeye fishing good on Russian, Kasilof rivers
A northern Kenai fishing report published by the State Department of Fish and Game on Thursday says that sockeye have arrived in each of the local rivers — there are lots of opportunity for good fishing in local waters. Freshwater fishing The Russian River and Russian River Sanctuary are open to fishing, with bag limits […]
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Strong sockeye run prompts early open of Russian River Sanctuary
For the ninth year in a row, the State Department of Fish and Game has opened the Russian River Sanctuary Area to sockeye fishing early in response to strong runs. The sanctuary, a small area of the river near Sportsman’s Landing at the confluence of the Kenai and Russian rivers, has been opened early every […]
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Reeling ‘Em In: Fair weather expected for 4th of July weekend
Well, the goods news is that it looks like good weather for the Fourth of July weekend. On the downside, keep a heads-up approach when in traffic around here. A couple of days ago, while heading to the Spit, I had several encounters with drivers that had either been smoking their hemp seat mats or […]
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