Kenai River King Count;

Ard · Jun 4, 2010

I was planing on a drive to fish the Kenai today (210 miles) and then to camp over until tomorrow so we could get a two day trip in. The problem was that as of this morning the sonar counting that the state uses to track fish entering the river had recorded 739 fish. If you have ever fished the Kenai you know that 739 fish will be rather hard to find.

I will update this count as I see substantial numbers coming in. It is still early and there could be a surge in the next week or two.

Ard

Ard · Jun 5, 2010

As of June the 3rd, 771 fish counted passing through the sonar at the river. 32 fish yesterday.

mcnerney · Jun 5, 2010

Ard: That was the first thing I picked up on was the extremely low return in the Kenai River when you posted the ADF&G fish count site. Pete, a friend of mine here in town has a trip planned starting June 11, he is planning to fish the Kenai for a couple days and then go down to Deep Creek so I passed him the link. This is really bad news for the sport fisherman.

Larry

Ard · Jun 5, 2010

There could be a huge surge and I hope there is but given the downward trend we are witnessing...................... Even a return of 20,000 fish is not exactly gang busters. I hate to say it but I would have a better shot at Kings if I were still fishing Lake Ontario tribs.

Ard

2PawsRiver · Jun 5, 2010

Just read where they had cut all King fishing on the Kenai for June. Terrible to read things are so dismall on the Kenai and I know that has to really hurt they guys that rely on them for food as well as income.

Not sure whats going on our on the West Coast, but things look bad for Salmon runs everywhere.

Fingers crossed and hoping they are just running late from a big deep water King Party.

mcnerney · Jun 5, 2010

Closing the Kenai River to King fishing will hurt a lot of fishing guides who depend on the income from a short season. This is really a sad situation, I hope the sockeye return isn't as bad shape.

Larry

Ard · Jun 5, 2010

Larry,

No one is talking about closing the river at this point. It is still early but since my first experience with salmon here was in 1989 and I have been paying very close attention for the past six years I can say that things are not getting better.

I like to fish in the Little Su, in 2007 (the last year the state counted kings there) there were (7), that's seven, king salmon that made it to the weir above the Parks Highway. The biggest count in recent years was back in the 90's and it was under 700. I realize that the Little Su is not the premier king salmon fishery in the state but when you talk to someone who is over 70 years old and has fished it for 40 years the fact is clear that there used to be a bunch of kings. Now you don't even need the fingers of both hands to count the survivors.

Frank Whiton · Jun 5, 2010

I was in Anchorage from 1974 to 1977 and the Little Sue was not known for its King fishing then. We fished Deep Creek coast in May and the Kenai River in early June for Kings. There were good numbers back then. Forty pound Kings were the norm and much bigger was expected. That is a shame that the Kenai counts are so low. I am thinking it is too early for the Reds.

I was fishing the Kenai when the State decided that the max horsepower on the river would be lowered to 35. Some of the guides with custom built inboard jets had a fit. Everyone had to detune their boats and have them certified by a mechanic. It seemed that the lower HP was a lot better for the river.

Frank

Kenai River King Count;

Ard

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mcnerney

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