Alaska Fishing Reports: Kenai/Kasiloff/Russian Rivers and Area Lakes

[silversalmon]

I went dip netting on the Kenai the last weekend of the season.  It was a real bust.  The count was down and the current was too strong to hold a pole in the water.  I only came back with six fish.  We did see four grizzlies at the mouth of the Russian though.

Thanks to my buddy Ken for this report, to bad it was not a good one

[silversalmon]

Red Salmon — Kenai River & Kasilof River
Late-run red salmon continue to enter the Kenai River in good numbers. Anglers are catching bright fish upstream to the outlet at Skilak Lake. 
Last week, the average number of sockeye salmon passing the ADF&G sonar station at River Mile 19 was over 22,000 fish per day. Angler success should continue to be fair to good this week.
The Russian River late-run sockeye salmon sport fishery has improved recently as second-run fish are becoming more available in the confluence area of the Kenai and Russian rivers. Angler success in this sport fishery is expected to increase next week.
The Russian River sockeye salmon escapement past the weir is 21,139 through August 7. The late run is considered to be slightly more than 50% complete as of August 7. 
Both black and brown bears have been sighted at the Russian River and Upper Kenai River areas. A recent report indicates that a brown bear sow was shot by an angler on the Russian River on July 31. 
Red salmon are continuing to move into to the Kasilof River in good numbers for this date. Over 327,000 sockeye salmon have passed the Kasilof River sonar station, which places this season's return within the largest runs recorded for the system.
Coho Salmon
Anglers reported very poor catches last week. Angler success is expected to increase as the coho salmon runs continue to develop in both rivers in the next couple of weeks.
No reports of coho success yet from the Swanson River. This run is typically a little later than the Kenai run.
Resident Fish — Kenai River
Anglers targeting Dolly Varden and rainbow trout reported good success in the Kenai River. 
The success of anglers targeting trout in the Kenai River, both above and below Skilak Lake, is beginning to improve as the sockeye salmon spawning cycle continues through August. Feeding trout target spawning salmon when eggs and carcasses become available during the late summer and fall. 
Lake Fishing
Local stocked lakes offer good, often uncrowded fishing opportunities to target rainbow trout, landlocked coho salmon, Chinook salmon, and Dolly Varden.
For rainbow trout, try Johnson Lake, Upper Summit Lake, or Sport Lake. For Arctic char, fish deep at Island Lake. For landlocked salmon, try Elephant Lake or Longmare Lake. 

[silversalmon]

Russian River/Kenai River Access Areas Closed 11 PM to 6 AM Until August 21
Joint News Release
Chugach National Forest
Kenai National Wildlife Refuge

The Russian River and a small portion of the Kenai River will be temporarily closed to all public access beginning Friday night, to address public safety and conservation concerns for Kenai brown bears.

Access will be closed from 11:00 PM to 6:00 AM from the Russian River falls, down to the power line crossing on the Kenai River, including the confluence area.

A sow grizzly bear that had been illegally shot earlier was discovered dead on Tuesday on the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge near the U.S. Forest Service Russian River Campground. Three young bears are still active in the area. Brown bears on the Kenai Peninsula are a population of special concern because of their vulnerably to human activity.

The two sockeye salmon runs on the Russian River attract thousands of anglers each year. The first run is over, while the second run usually peaks in early August. Bears are concentrated in those areas holding the last few first-run fish, and feeding on fish carcasses. As the second run builds and more fish are more widely available, managers hope the bears will disperse naturally.

Both the U.S. Forest Service and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service have issued emergency closure orders, which prohibits access into the area during the time frames mentioned. This timed closure has been coordinated with the hours of operations for the Russian River Ferry, which is operated on the Refuge as a concession by Alaska Recreation Management.

Anywhere in Alaska, it is important that people do nothing to allow bears to associate people with food. Throw all fish carcasses and entrails well into the deepest water, or in designated receptacles. Secure coolers inside vehicles, and place all human and pet food as well as other garbage in bear-resistant containers. Never provide a bear with any food. Never try to reclaim a fish from a bear. If bears show up while anglers are landing fish, cut the line and allow the fish to escape so the bear doesn't make the connection between anglers and food.

[silversalmon]

Am going to try something new this time, the link for the report that I post here
FISHING REPORT FROM ADF&G

[silversalmon]

AGF&G FISHING REPORTS

The silvers on the Russian river are numerous. There are a lot of bright fish to be caught, so make a last run there this weekend for some great river fishing The rainbows are still in the Kenai thick due to the numbers of reds that passed through, but are catch and release 

[silversalmon]

The rainbows in the Kenai river are really hot. There was a 16 pounder caught out of there  Reports are coming in that numerous fish are being caught quick and putting up a great fight The dolly vardern fishing will only get better also as fall moves ahead

[silversalmon]

The silver run on the lower Kenai is just about done 5 boats, a whole day, one fish caught It is just about over for the salmon in this neck of the woods, but the rainbows will still be runnin eatin salmon eggs

[Lipripper]

silver 5 boats and only one fish caught yelp you could say it's over 

[silversalmon]

The ice in this area, well, at least on summit lake is 7 inches of clear stuff, safe to fish. Reports of numerous trout and char coming through holes. All were caught on, you guessed it, shrimp. The ice fishing favorite

[silversalmon]

We started our first annual Home Depot Ice Fishing Derby at 9:00 today . There were six of us at one point and we caught fish all day! Everyone had a great time and we all caught our limits on both Rainbows and Chinook.

The winning fish for a new HT Enterprises ice fishing pole was a 1 1/2 pound Rainbow Trout caught by John on a Chartreuse teardrop jig, without bait. They hit everything we put in front of them including; a Swedish Pimple, Super Duper, Crocodile, Kastmaster and various other spoons, with and without a small piece of bait attached. The baits that worked the best were Baby Clams and Salmon Roe, although they hit Power Bait and Shrimp too. We each must have caught and released more than fifty smaller fish and the action never let up!
The lake was freezing up again and really making a lot of noise. There are at least 18 inches of ice there now.

The weather was GREAT, in the high twenties and the sun was out all day. It don'?t get any better than this!
Sport Lake

Report from AOJ

[silversalmon]

Fishing for rainbows, productive for the most part. Need to weed through the old silvers that are still in there protecting there eggs though. Thirteen rainbows were caught, mainly on beads. Frozen eyelits posed a problem and three broke, all in all a great day.

Thanks to AOJ for this report

[silversalmon]

Well, the word is, 10 tipups, 2 people and nothing to say for it . Using herring and hooligan for the pike and nothing was taking. Moved tip up locations from deeper to shallower, weed beds to non weed beds, and still nothing. The next time, using the snomachines, going to set up the tip ups about 50 yards apart to cover more ground. The good thing of the day, we got to feed all of our waterlogged hooligan and herring to the bald eagles, and that was pretty cool.

Thanks to AOJ for this report

[silversalmon]

Got to the lake at sunrise and built a nice fire. Drilled the holes and the action was hot until about 1pm. Caught many nice cohos (16-18 inches) in 15 feet of water on jigs and spoons. The wind started getting to us so we headed out.

Thanks to AOJ for this report

[Lipripper]

Thanks for the report and silver sorry it's too cold for you to go 

[silversalmon]

Well it's been a cold start for February fishing. I was out on Hidden Lake for about 5 hrs on the first, and yesterday I was there for another 4 1/2 hrs before moving over to Skilak (lower). Out of all the time on the ice yesterday, I only brought in a .60 pound pan-fry rainbow from Skilak.

Thanks to AOJ for that report

[silversalmon]

My wife and kids and I got out to Stormy before first light and had a very windblown time, with 3 tip-ups and several other rods out, fishing for the infamous Northern Pike. In about 4+ hrs. of fishing and battling a wind-chill, we decided the kids had had enough.

Thanks to AOJ for this report

[silversalmon]

After about 30 minutes of being on the lake and 3 poles fishing, my youngest daughter pulled in a nice little rainbow, and 15 minutes following, the bite was on. We had a fun time running from hole to hole, fishing anywhere from 5 ft. to 20 ft. in depth and pulling in numerous hungry kokanee. It brought spirits up (no pun intended, or is it) and the kids, as well as parents, had a ball. The trail leading down to the lake is pretty accessible in a 2-wheel drive, but going out onto the lake, I would recommend a 4wd. The ice is at least 2 ft. thick, but since the warm weather has finally moved back in, do use caution as there should be substantial overflow, and this would apply to most lakes in the area.

Thanks to AOJ for this report

[Lipripper]

Thanks AOJ for the report  silver when you going to hit the ice again 

[silversalmon]

You need to read them other reports there LIP, two of thems is mine

[Lipripper]

Where me didn't see any other reports from yesterday 

[silversalmon]

There are about 5 or 6 of them LIP, me see them there

[silversalmon]

Very surprising, we ended up being the only anglers on the lake yesterday. Geez, had the whole place to ourselves. Dead calm, bright blue sunny skies. Good ice. No fish. Fished from sun up to just after noon with not a single hit or flag. Hmmm, maybe that's why no one was there yesterday. Was a great day on the ice none the less.

Thanks to AOJ for that report

[silversalmon]

Went out after char on Island Lake and fished away most of the afternoon with only two fish to show for it. Being in a dark shelter, we could see the fish checking out the bait, so we threw everything at them including some sautee'd shrimp from a previous meal. Shrimp was what caught the two that we did bring home. A pleasant afternoon nonetheless. Ice is about 30 inches on that lake.

Thanks to AOJ for that report

[Lipripper]

30" of ice  Thanks for the report  AOJ

[silversalmon]

Two of us jigging shrimp on small spinners caught and released about 20 rainbows in about 4 hours. Size varied from about 6 inches to 16 inches. We fished close to the middle of the lake in about 15 feet of water. I've caught nice Dolly Varden ice fishing in this lake before but no sign of them on this day.

Thanks to AOJ for that report