Alaska Department of Fish and Game

Lynx trapping remains closed

Lynx trapping will stay closed this year on the Kenai Peninsula as the wild cats and the prey they depend on move through a low… Continue reading

Seagulls flock to where participants in the personal use dipnet fishery fish on the north beach of the Kenai River on July 10, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Dipnet season begins Tuesday. Here’s some things to know.

Tuesday marks the beginning of the busiest part of the visitor season in Kenai — the personal-use dipnet season. The Kenai River personal-use dipnet fishery… Continue reading

Seagulls flock to where participants in the personal use dipnet fishery fish on the north beach of the Kenai River on July 10, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
Seagulls flock to where participants in the personal use dipnet fishery fish on the north beach of the Kenai River on July 10, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Dipnet season begins Tuesday. Here’s some things to know.

Tuesday marks the beginning of the busiest part of the visitor season in Kenai — the personal-use dipnet season. The Kenai River personal-use dipnet fishery… Continue reading

Seagulls flock to where participants in the personal use dipnet fishery fish on the north beach of the Kenai River on July 10, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

King restrictions increase tensions among users

With king salmon runs weak so far and fishing season in full swing, barbs are again flying as user groups are restricted. Though sportfishermen are… Continue reading

An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
This photo shows a Kenai River king salmon returning to the water after being released. (Photo courtesy Scott Miller)

Fishing report: King fishing returns on lower Kenai, sockeye salmon hot at the Russian

With a holiday smack dab in the middle of the week, warm temperatures and sun predicted through Saturday and fish in the rivers, anglers will… Continue reading

This photo shows a Kenai River king salmon returning to the water after being released. (Photo courtesy Scott Miller)
An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

King restrictions increase tensions among users

With king salmon runs weak so far and fishing season in full swing, barbs are again flying as user groups are restricted. Though sportfishermen are… Continue reading

An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
This photo shows a Kenai River king salmon returning to the water after being released. (Photo courtesy Scott Miller)

Fishing report: King fishing returns on lower Kenai, sockeye salmon hot at the Russian

With a holiday smack dab in the middle of the week, warm temperatures and sun predicted through Saturday and fish in the rivers, anglers will… Continue reading

This photo shows a Kenai River king salmon returning to the water after being released. (Photo courtesy Scott Miller)

Bag limits double on Russian River, upper Kenai sockeye

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to show that the Kenai River is only closed to king salmon fishing upstream of Slikok Creek and… Continue reading

Bag limits double on Russian River, upper Kenai sockeye

Sockeye bag limits will double in the Russian River and parts of the upper Kenai River from Tuesday until 11:59 p.m on July 14, the… Continue reading

Poor salmon runs result in low harvests, disaster request

Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct that the Alaska Department of Fish and Game counts sockeye returning to the Copper River using… Continue reading

Poor salmon runs result in low harvests, disaster request

Poor salmon returns across the Gulf of Alaska are putting commercial fishing catches far behind the average and prompting a request for a disaster declaration.… Continue reading

A group of anglers dipnet for sockeye salmon near the mouth of the Kasilof River on Wednesday, June 28, 2018 in Kasilof, Alaska. The personal-use dipnet fishery on the Kasilof River opened Monday, with fish counts significantly behind last year and behind the 10-year average for the same date. Some fishermen were successful Wednesday, though, both from shore and from boats. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Kasilof dipnet opens, fish counts still low

The Kasilof River personal-use dipnet is open, and fishermen are trying out their nets for sockeye with some mixed luck. A few dipnetters dotted the… Continue reading

A group of anglers dipnet for sockeye salmon near the mouth of the Kasilof River on Wednesday, June 28, 2018 in Kasilof, Alaska. The personal-use dipnet fishery on the Kasilof River opened Monday, with fish counts significantly behind last year and behind the 10-year average for the same date. Some fishermen were successful Wednesday, though, both from shore and from boats. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
A group of anglers dipnet for sockeye salmon near the mouth of the Kasilof River on Wednesday, June 28, 2018 in Kasilof, Alaska. The personal-use dipnet fishery on the Kasilof River opened Monday, with fish counts significantly behind last year and behind the 10-year average for the same date. Some fishermen were successful Wednesday, though, both from shore and from boats. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Kasilof dipnet opens, fish counts still low

The Kasilof River personal-use dipnet is open, and fishermen are trying out their nets for sockeye with some mixed luck. A few dipnetters dotted the… Continue reading

A group of anglers dipnet for sockeye salmon near the mouth of the Kasilof River on Wednesday, June 28, 2018 in Kasilof, Alaska. The personal-use dipnet fishery on the Kasilof River opened Monday, with fish counts significantly behind last year and behind the 10-year average for the same date. Some fishermen were successful Wednesday, though, both from shore and from boats. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Managers restrict Kenai late-run kings, setnets

Anglers won’t be able to use bait when the fishing for late-run Kenai River king salmon starts in July. The Alaska Department of Fish and… Continue reading

An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Managers restrict Kenai late-run kings, setnets

Anglers won’t be able to use bait when the fishing for late-run Kenai River king salmon starts in July. The Alaska Department of Fish and… Continue reading

An Anchor River king salmon lies on the bank Saturday, May 19, 2018 in Anchor Point, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
An angler prepares to cast a line into the Kenai River just downstream of the confluence with the Russian River on Monday near Cooper Landing. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Muddy, high water clouds fishing at the Russian River

Editor's note: This article has been updated to correct a misquoted word from Sportfish assistant area management biologist Jenny Gates. It was a tale of… Continue reading

An angler prepares to cast a line into the Kenai River just downstream of the confluence with the Russian River on Monday near Cooper Landing. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Fish and Game closes setnets in Northern District

Commercial set gillnet fishermen in the Northern District of Upper Cook Inlet won’t get to fish this coming Monday. King salmon returns continue to be… Continue reading

In this Sunday, June 11, 2017 photo, a sockeye salmon hooked by a lucky angler rests on the bank of the Kenai River downstream of the confluence with the Russian River near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Kenai River closed for kings, anglers look to other species, rivers

Poor king salmon returns have prompted a complete fishing closure for them on the Kenai River. As of Wednesday, the Kenai River downstream of Skilak… Continue reading

In this Sunday, June 11, 2017 photo, a sockeye salmon hooked by a lucky angler rests on the bank of the Kenai River downstream of the confluence with the Russian River near Cooper Landing, Alaska. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Beluga food sources shifted from marine to freshwater over past 50 years

Over the past fifty years Cook Inlet’s endangered beluga whales have changed their feeding habits, eating less prey that originates in marine waters and more… Continue reading

Commercial fishing vessels wait at anchor in the mouth of the Kenai River before a Saturday fishing period Friday, July 28, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Cook Inlet commercial fishermen to get openers this week

Despite poor sockeye returns so far in the Gulf of Alaska and commercial fishing restrictions in other areas, Upper Cook Inlet’s commercial fishermen are still… Continue reading

Commercial fishing vessels wait at anchor in the mouth of the Kenai River before a Saturday fishing period Friday, July 28, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)