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Jordan Goldthwaite, 15, caught this 75 pound halibut Monday, Aug. 7, 2017 while fishing out of Homer, Alaska on his fathers boat, Dad’s Dream. (Photo courtesy Frank Goldthwaite)

Fishing report: River traffic quiets as sockeye taper off, silvers begin

The crowds on the Kenai River fishing docks have thinned out for the time being as the river’s salmon runs transition from red to silver.… Continue reading

Jordan Goldthwaite, 15, caught this 75 pound halibut Monday, Aug. 7, 2017 while fishing out of Homer, Alaska on his fathers boat, Dad’s Dream. (Photo courtesy Frank Goldthwaite)
A sign warns visitors about a recent bear sighting near the Russian River on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. Bears frequent the area, a highly productive sockeye salmon fishery and one of the most popular sportfisheries in the state. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Look out for bears at Russian River

As salmon crowd into the Russian River, so do the people — and the bears. A black bear was spotted at the Russian River Falls… Continue reading

A sign warns visitors about a recent bear sighting near the Russian River on Sunday, Aug. 6, 2017 near Cooper Landing, Alaska. Bears frequent the area, a highly productive sockeye salmon fishery and one of the most popular sportfisheries in the state. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Man missing following boat malfunction on Kenai River

A Colorado man is still missing after four boaters were ejected from an out-of-control boat on the Kenai River on Friday night. Three of the… Continue reading

Commercial fishermen see more pinks, chums than expected

It’s been an oddly large year for chum and pink salmon in Upper Cook Inlet’s commercial fisheries. Odd-numbered years are usually pretty thin ones for… Continue reading

An angler flips for sockeye salmon from the bank of the Kenai River near its confluence with Soldotna Creek on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Fishing report: Reds still running, some silvers showing

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to show that the bag and possession limit has been increased to 25 fish in the China Poot… Continue reading

An angler flips for sockeye salmon from the bank of the Kenai River near its confluence with Soldotna Creek on Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Alinna Granados of the Kenai Parks and Recreation Department takes down beach signs after the end of the personal use dipnet fishery on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 on Kenai’s north beach. Granados and fellow Parks and Rec employee Randy Dodge, who used a loader to pull the signs from the sand, took down signage and barriers after the beach had been cleaned of trash and fish waste earlier that morning. Alinna Granados of the Kenai Parks and Recreation Department takes down beach signs after the end of the personal use dipnet fishery on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 on Kenai’s north beach. Granados and fellow Parks and Rec employee Randy Dodge, who used a loader to pull the signs from the sand, took down signage and barriers after the beach had been cleaned of trash and fish waste earlier that morning.

Signs of the end

Signs of the end Alinna Granados of the Kenai Parks and Recreation Department takes down beach signs after the end of the personal use dipnet… Continue reading

Alinna Granados of the Kenai Parks and Recreation Department takes down beach signs after the end of the personal use dipnet fishery on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 on Kenai’s north beach. Granados and fellow Parks and Rec employee Randy Dodge, who used a loader to pull the signs from the sand, took down signage and barriers after the beach had been cleaned of trash and fish waste earlier that morning. Alinna Granados of the Kenai Parks and Recreation Department takes down beach signs after the end of the personal use dipnet fishery on Tuesday, August 1, 2017 on Kenai’s north beach. Granados and fellow Parks and Rec employee Randy Dodge, who used a loader to pull the signs from the sand, took down signage and barriers after the beach had been cleaned of trash and fish waste earlier that morning.
A drift gillnet fishing vessel makes its way into the Kenai River on Friday in Kenai. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Commercial fishermen harvest 1.8M sockeye so far, no fishing Tuesday

Upper Cook Inlet’s commercial drift gillnet commercial fishermen got to fish throughout the waters of the central district during their regular period Monday. It’s the… Continue reading

A drift gillnet fishing vessel makes its way into the Kenai River on Friday in Kenai. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
In this July 2016 photo, a commercial drift gillnet boat makes its way out of the Kenai River early in the morning in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Kenai sockeye run late, biologists say

Cook Inlet east side set gillnet fishermen and drift gillnet fishermen will get their first chance to fish in more than a week on Saturday.… Continue reading

In this July 2016 photo, a commercial drift gillnet boat makes its way out of the Kenai River early in the morning in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
The muddy sand of the south Kenai beach traps Armin Schmidt’s pickup truck on Thursday, July 27, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Schmidt, a commercial set gillnet fisherman, was driving the truck Wednesday when it sank into the spongy mud in the intertidal area of the south Kenai beach near the jersey barrier designating the legal personal-use dipnet area. He was working with the city of Kenai’s Parks and Recreation Department, which coordinates the dipnet, to get it it out Thursday. No one was hurt in the incident. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Owner, Kenai Parks and Rec work to retrieve truck stuck in south beach

Update, 7/28/17, 1 p.m.: The truck's owner was able to pull the vehicle out of the beach with the help of other private commercial set… Continue reading

The muddy sand of the south Kenai beach traps Armin Schmidt’s pickup truck on Thursday, July 27, 2017 in Kenai, Alaska. Schmidt, a commercial set gillnet fisherman, was driving the truck Wednesday when it sank into the spongy mud in the intertidal area of the south Kenai beach near the jersey barrier designating the legal personal-use dipnet area. He was working with the city of Kenai’s Parks and Recreation Department, which coordinates the dipnet, to get it it out Thursday. No one was hurt in the incident. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)
Fish waste accumulates along the tide line at the Kenai River’s north beach on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. The City of Kenai rakes the waste out to ocean every night and local groups contribute to cleanup efforts, but the waste still builds up on the tideline when the water washes it back in. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Properly get rid of your fish waste this weekend

The final weekend of the Kenai River personal-use dipnet fishery kicks off Friday. With sockeye salmon passage increasing into the Kenai River — nearly 72,000… Continue reading

Fish waste accumulates along the tide line at the Kenai River’s north beach on Wednesday, July 27, 2016 in Kenai, Alaska. The City of Kenai rakes the waste out to ocean every night and local groups contribute to cleanup efforts, but the waste still builds up on the tideline when the water washes it back in. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)
An angler fillets his sockeye salmon caught on the Kenai River near the confluence with the Russian River on June 11. Many successful fishermen can their catches to preserve them for the winter. The Cooperative Extension Service has some helpful suggestions to ensure the process is done safely. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

Canning your catch

If the fishing is good, it’s important to keep in mind how to preserve salmon for when the fishing is bad. Canning provides a good… Continue reading

An angler fillets his sockeye salmon caught on the Kenai River near the confluence with the Russian River on June 11. Many successful fishermen can their catches to preserve them for the winter. The Cooperative Extension Service has some helpful suggestions to ensure the process is done safely. (Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion)

East side setnets, drifters closed again Thursday

Commercial fishermen in Upper Cook Inlet’s central district will stay on the beaches again Thursday to allow more sockeye to enter the Kenai River. The… Continue reading

US Senate looks to renew ‘Frankenfish’ import ban

With support from Sen. Lisa Murkowski, Congress is preparing to renew a ban on the importation of genetically engineered salmon. On Friday, the U.S. Senate… Continue reading

In this July 2016 photo, anglers cast their lines into the Kenai River from the bank above the Sterling Highway Bridge in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Sportfishing licenses jump in 2016

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game sold nearly 50,000 more sportfishing licenses and stamps and hunting licenses in 2016 than it did in 2015,… Continue reading

In this July 2016 photo, anglers cast their lines into the Kenai River from the bank above the Sterling Highway Bridge in Soldotna, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Kenai Fire responds to fewer boat accidents this dipnet season

The Kenai Fire Department hasn’t had to rescue as many swamped boats in the Kenai River personal-use dipnet fishery this year as last year. So… Continue reading

In this photo submitted to Fish for the Future, a young angler holds up the king salmon he caught and released. Fish for the Future, a program begun by two central Kenai Peninsula guides, offers prizes for people who submit photographs of king salmon they caught and released on the Kenai and Kasilof rivers in June and July as a way to encourage people to release fish and conserve the fishery over time. (Photo courtesy Fish for the Future)

‘Fish for the Future’ program seeks to encourage catch and release for kings

Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct the spelling of Mark Wackler's name. Nearly every day this summer, someone has posted a photo… Continue reading

In this photo submitted to Fish for the Future, a young angler holds up the king salmon he caught and released. Fish for the Future, a program begun by two central Kenai Peninsula guides, offers prizes for people who submit photographs of king salmon they caught and released on the Kenai and Kasilof rivers in June and July as a way to encourage people to release fish and conserve the fishery over time. (Photo courtesy Fish for the Future)
Annie Cromwell of Anchorage brings in a sockeye salmon Sunday, June 23, while dipnetting on the north beach in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)

Word on the beach: Red run is slow but steady

No matter where they travel from, what their technique is or if they have fish in the cooler or not, one thing all the dipnetters… Continue reading

Annie Cromwell of Anchorage brings in a sockeye salmon Sunday, June 23, while dipnetting on the north beach in Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Kat Sorensen/Peninsula Clarion)
A sockeye salmon’s tail protrudes above the edge of a bin on a setnet site in this July 11, 2016 photo near Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Commercial salmon fishery closures for Monday

Commercial salmon fishing will be closed on Monday to set gillnets in the Kenai, Kasilof and East Forelands sections of the Upper Cook Inlet and… Continue reading

A sockeye salmon’s tail protrudes above the edge of a bin on a setnet site in this July 11, 2016 photo near Kenai, Alaska. (Photo by Elizabeth Earl/Peninsula Clarion, file)

Commercial fishermen to fish Thursday

Commercial fishermen in Upper Cook Inlet will head out as usual Thursday, but with restricted area for the drift fleet and restricted gear in the… Continue reading

Managers reining back Upper Cook Inlet commercial fishing

Editor's note: This article has been corrected to show that 2017's Kenai River inriver goal is 900,000–1.1 million sockeye salmon. Commercial fishing managers in Upper… Continue reading