Kenai sockeye salmon dipnet bonanza

Personal use dip netting for sockeye salmon in the Kenai River opened on July 10, and even before that date a good amount of sockeye have been migrating up both the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers.

This is an opportunity thousands of Alaska residents use to fill their freezers with quality salmon. The year 2014 is shaping up for large sockeye salmon returns to Cook Inlet, with the Kasilof river sockeye salmon run already achieving its minimum spawning escapement goal.

A total 201,469 sockeye salmon have already swum past the Kasilof sonar counter as of July 8. On the Kenai River, where the sockeye return is even larger (but a bit later in arriving), the sonar measured sockeye salmon count was at 126,726 fish through July 8. The Kenai sockeye escapement is also at a high number for this early in the season.

Why mention the two Kenai Peninsula sockeye salmon dipnet fisheries in a Mat-Su fishing column?

Two reasons:

No. 1, these fisheries provide some of the most consistent, closest, and easier accessible personal use opportunities for most Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage residents. And secondly, when Kenai and Kasilof River sockeye salmon sonar counts are so high that numbers threaten to go over the top end of the sockeye salmon spawning escapement goals, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) commercial fisheries manager allows more commercial fishing time in the Central District of Upper Cook Inlet. Depending upon where commercial fishing opportunity is allowed extra gill net fishing can greatly reduce the number of coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon allowed to pass through the Central District and reach Northern District streams in the Mat-Su Valley and Anchorage areas. Personal use sockeye salmon harvests, therefore, reduce the need to expand commercial fishing time and area in order to keep Kasilof and Keani sockeye salmon returns within respective escapement ranges.

As mentioned in Howard Delo’s recent Frontiersman column, personal use fishing may be done by Alaskan residents only, and one free permit for each household may be obtained at Palmer, Anchorage, and Soldotna ADF&G offices. My wife and I always like to get our permit before traveling to the Kenai Peninsula as wait time can be less when getting a permit at the Palmer ADF&G office. We plan to make our trip for personal use sockeye salmon within the coming week. We have always fished the lower Kenai River, where the fish are larger, but so are the numbers of Alaskans hoping to catch them.

I’ve talked with friends who report less crowded fishing on the Kasilof River, and this year because of the large early return to the Kasilof River the area open to personal use fishing has been expanded by emergency order.

For those considering participating in a personal use fishery for the first time, please inquire at an ADF&G office for a copy of current personal use regulations ( some information is generally supplied with each permit).

Mat-Su Salmon Fisheries in Transition

A third reason to consider a personal use dip netting trip to the Kenai Peninsula within the coming week is that king salmon fishing has slowed throughout most of the Mat-Su Valley, and the first chum salmon, second run sockeye salmon, pink salmon, and coho salmon are only starting to show up.

Margo Nealis with Tri River Charters in Talkeetna told me that even though there are still good numbers of king salmon available on the Talkeetna River system, as of the past couple days king salmon catching has slowed considerably. This is something that regularly occurs late in the king salmon season after holding fish have been bombarded by a constant barrage of lures. Margo did mention that they have already had some early chum salmon catches from the Talkeetna River system.

Pat Donelson with I Fish Alaska Guide Service told me that king salmon fishing has remained slow on the Deshka River as most king salmon seem to have already swam upstream of Deshka River weir, but he had a recent guest catch a silver salmon, and is already looking forward to better silver salmon fishing late in July.

Since July 4 I’ve been guiding salmon fishing trips on Little Susitna River, and my guests have still been catching a few king salmon, with a few early chum salmon, and one coho salmon adding interest to the trips. I would expect fishing for chum salmon, coho salmon, and pink salmon to pick up considerably in another week.

Parks Highway streams opening

July 14

The lower stretches of many popular Susitna River tributary streams between Willow and Talkeetna remain closed through July 13, but reopen to fishing on Monday July 14. Jeff Boatright, the operator at Susitna Landing is excited about anglers having the opportunity to once again fish directly from this state owned camping and boat launching facility.

All fish in the lower portions of these streams should have had a considerable break from fishing pressure, providing one of the better Mat-Su catching opportunities when these streams reopen on Monday. The use of bait while fishing will also be allowed at many of these streams for the first time in 2014. Check regulations as to where bait will be allowed.

Mike Hudson, owner of 3 Rivers Fly and Tackle in Wasilla, had a personal report that salmon (likely sockeye salmon) are now available in the lower portion of Cottonwood Creek. This is a weekend only fishery open from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

Only a small portion of the stream is open to salmon fishing, so once again become familiar with regulations before you go.

Good Luck.

Andy Couch owns and operates Fishtale River Guides www.fish4salmon.com and is a member of the Matanuska - Susitna Borough Fish and Wildlife Commission.