The most productive roadside fisheries this week:
WELCOME TO THE 2024 FISHING SEASON
This page is primarily catered to open-water fishing opportunities in Southcentral Alaska rivers, streams, and saltwater, but there will be some information on ice fisheries in season. Main reports run weekly from approximately late April to late October reflecting the availability of salmon, trout, and char in regional waters; however, there may be occasional reports between November and April as conditions warrant.
Updated Wednesday, April 17
FIRST OPEN WATER FISHING REPORT OF 2024
Summary: Things are starting to happen on the road system around Southcentral Alaska as winter gives way to typical spring fishing conditions. Although most of the rivers and streams in the region are dealing with ice and/or muddy water due to snowmelt, there are a few that support reliable early-season angling opportunities and fish are starting to be caught. But also the briny is turning on, especially in waters around the Kenai Peninsula. The following presents some popular fisheries that are likely to see the brunt of activity within the next few weeks and what to expect.
UPPER KENAI RIVER: After a long, bitter cold winter that saw an unusual near total freeze-up of the river, the water is flowing steadily now and anglers have been exploring this popular spring fishery for the last several weeks with some fair success reported for primarily rainbow trout. Although the upper river has a reputation of remaining ice free all winter long, cold spells of 20 below and months of persistent below average temperatures led to swaths of the river icing over, effectively preventing boaters from drifting and shore anglers having to deal with the gamble of extensive shelf ice to reach open leads. However, it is now possible to launch from the outlet of Kenai Lake and drift down to Jims’ Landing, and wading is absolutely possible. Ice is still present along much of the river shoreline but the trout are increasing in numbers (and size) as spawning time draws ever closer; the season closes on May 1 by regulation. Also worth mentioning is that there are still a few silver salmon spawning and dying off, mostly in the stretch from the lake outlet to Princess Rapids; targeting silvers is prohibited during the winter and spring months.
KASILOF RIVER: The river is open and flowing, yet there is plenty of shelf-ice along its course, meaning that the water is very cold and thus slowing the bite for steelhead trout. These fish are present in small numbers throughout the middle and upper river with quite a few of the lot heading to Crooked Creek, an important spawning stream for the species. The confluence area of the stream and the mainstem Kasilof is a virtual hot spot from the last week of April into mid-May as fish gather in preparation to move upstream into Crooked. Expect a mix of trout ranging from bright to blush or dark fish in pre-spawning mode. The action is typically described as fair but can be better at times some days; this is a catch-and-release fishery. King salmon generally start entering the river right around the first of May; only hatchery fish are allowed for harvest this season by emergency order. No signs of Dolly Varden being present yet—at least not on the lower river—but they will arrive once the ice goes out on Tustumena Lake.
COOK INLET: While there has been a rare catch of halibut being landed off area beaches since February, a sizable push of flatfish will very shortly invade the shallows as they target the spawning runs of hooligan headed to the Kenai River and Turnagain Arm. The runs of these baitfish (as well as herring) has begun but are still some 10 days away from peaking along the coast, meaning that more reliable catches of halibut should occur any day now from Anchor Point up to Nikiski Beach; exercise caution driving in some spots, such as Whiskey Gulch, where access roads may be very muddy due to ongoing snowmelt. And, of course, sharks and skates will be present in numbers as well, in addition to a few Pacific cod. Note: Of particular interest this year is the regulatory change to the King Salmon Conservation Zones around Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River; it is now allowed to surf-cast for halibut and other bottomfish within these zones as long as king salmon are not being targeted—check the new 2024 regulation booklet for details.
HOMER/KACHEMAK BAY: The fishing is and has been spotty to sometimes fair off the spit, with the typical suspects being landed (pollock, sculpin, flounder, etc.), yet a few anglers have walked away with some very respectable catches of Pacific cod. While the intense beach action here really does not take off until about mid-May, it remains a great place to surf-cast for a variety of species. And like elsewhere around the marine waters of the peninsula, feeder kings is a possibility, but a remote one. Expect a few kings bound for the Dudiak Lagoon to show up along the spit in another couple of weeks, yet do not look for much in the lagoon itself until about the 15th of May.
SEWARD/RESURRECTION BAY: Anglers here have been catching a number of Pacific cod and other bottomfish, including an occasional halibut (and one that reportedly weighed in excess of 60 pounds), from area beaches all winter long and are continuing to latch into some decent fish. Albeit the bite is not always consistent and often more sporadic, depending on location, the most success recently has come from the vicinity of Lowell Point, in particular the beach on the south side at the end of the road. However, the deeper water off Lowell Point Road and near the fish processing plant is also worth an attempt. Also, hooligan along with herring will be arriving very soon, which means a greater influx of large, predatory species entering the shallows along the bay as they chase these smaller baitfish. Catches of larger cod, halibut, and even feeder king salmon becomes a possibility as all three of these are typically present later this month and throughout the month of May. Sea-run Dolly Varden is another favorite in Seward but no reports yet of any of these showing up, probably due to the fact that a cold, late spring has seen most overwintering lakes and ponds still firmly locked up in ice; the out-migration from fresh water to the salt generally starts in late April and continues until June.
TURNAGAIN ARM: The ice has completely cleared out of the arm and the lower tidal area of 20-Mile River thanks to strong and persistent southeasterly winds, boding well for a start of the hooligan run soon. With the lack of ice and warming water temperatures, there should be scouts nosing into this area within the next week, perhaps even right now. This will be a hot spot for dip netters in early to mid-May. While the arm and halibut are generally not thought of as being synonymous, there have been anecdotal reports of flatfish being caught in years past around Beluga Point, which harbors some relatively deep water in contrast to the rest of Turnagain that tends to be very shallow on all stages of the tide.