The last day for the Kenai River personal use dipnet fishery was on Wednesday, meanwhile the Kasilof personal use dipnet fishery remains open for another few days.

Dipnetting on the Kasilof River is allowed 24 hours a day, seven days a week until August 7. An Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use permit and a 2019 Resident Sport Fishing license are required to participate.

Matt Miller with the Department of Fish and Game: “Fishing on the Kasilof for sockeye has been pretty good. We’ve been hearing some good numbers of sockeye moving in and we are hearing good reports from dipnetters there.”

In July, the DF&G expanded the Kasilof River personal use dipnetting area. Personal use dipnetting from the shore is allowed in an expanded area from ADF&G markers on Cook Inlet beaches upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge.

Dipnetting from a boat is allowed from ADF&G markers located on Cook Inlet beaches upstream to ADF&G markers at approximately river mile 3 of the Kasilof River.

Miller: “We expect a lot of folks to come out and fill their freezers with sockeye.”

The current escapement of sockeye salmon into the Kasilof River is proceeding at a rate that is projected to exceed the biological escapement goal.