Fish counts · Kenai River
Kenai River Fish Counts
Eight runs of salmon, five of them counted every day in season. The Kenai is the most sought-after fishery in Alaska, and these counts are how Fish and Game keeps it that way.
The 2026 season
Every Kenai count at a glance
- Kenai sockeye (late run)1,111,781counted in 2026: 44% below average (average 1,986,461)Inside the goal range
- Russian River sockeye, early run47,093counted in 2026: 9% below average (average 51,974)Above the goal range
- Russian River sockeye, late run56,206counted in 2026: 33% below average (average 84,295)Inside the goal range
- Kenai kings, early run1,499counted in 2026: 58% below average (average 3,532)Below the goal range
- Kenai kings, late run9,803counted in 2026: 30% below average (average 14,073)Below the goal range
Goal ranges as Alaska FishTopia prints them. Kings: closed most recent years; we fish them when open.
Eight runs
The Kenai's salmon, run by run
The Kenai has eight distinct runs of salmon. Five are counted with public daily counts: early- and late-run kings, the late-run sockeye, and the Russian River's early and late sockeye runs. The two runs of silvers and the even-year pinks aren't counted on the Kenai (here is why). Each run has its own timing, and while the difference may only be a week or two, it makes all the difference in the world: the most important part of catching fish is showing up when the fish do.
- Usual counting season
- Middle half of the run
- Peak week
- Halfway day
- Our dates (not counted)
- Our season: May 15–Oct 1
- Best dates
- Peak (our guides)
- Closed most recent years
- Kenai Kasilof Russian
- Salmon runs (counted)
- Kenai River sockeyePeak week Jul 23–Jul 29
- Kasilof River sockeyePeak week Jul 16–Jul 22
- Russian River sockeye, early runPeak week Jun 20–Jun 26
- Russian River sockeye, late runPeak week Aug 4–Aug 10
- Kenai kings, early runClosed most recent years; we fish them when open
- Kenai kings, late runClosed most recent years; we fish them when open
- Kasilof king count (Crooked Creek weir)Counted upstream at a tributary weir, so later than the fishing
- Our trips and dates
- Kenai River sockeye fishingAs early as July 1, usually from about July 8, sometimes to August 30: every year is different
- Kasilof River sockeye fishingJune 11 to as late as August 16
- Kasilof kings (when ADF&G opens them)May 15 to June 30; best May 15 to June 11
- Silver salmonAugust 1 to September 30: two runs, peaking around August 21 and September 21
- Trophy rainbow troutOpen from June 11; best August 8 to September 30, catch-and-release
- Kasilof steelheadFrom August 10, catch-and-release
- Pink salmon (even-numbered years)Late July to mid-September in 2028, 2030, 2032…
- Homer halibutMay 15 to September 30
- Bears
- Bears: Big River LakesFly-out bear viewing and fishing, June 10 to August 31
- Bears: Crescent LakeFly-out bear viewing and fishing, July 15 to September 30
- Bears: Brooks Falls, KatmaiFly-out, June 1 to September 17; bears at the falls best in July
- Wildlife and tours
- Kenai Fjords National Park cruiseGlaciers, whales and sea life out of Seward, mid-May to about September 20
- Glacier hiking, Exit GlacierGuided ice hiking near Seward, May 21 to September 15
- Glacier jet ski, Prince William SoundOut of Whittier, May to September, weather permitting
- Clam diggingClosed most years; when open, any -3 ft tide through September 30, by chartered boat across the bay
Counts: ADF&G preliminary daily counts as published by Alaska FishTopia; timing from the 2016–2025 seasons. Our dates: the seasons we book.
Show the numbers
| Run or trip | Season | Peak / best | Halfway | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kenai River sockeye | Jul 1–Aug 19 | Jul 23–Jul 29 | Jul 28 | ADF&G count |
| Kasilof River sockeye | Jun 15–Aug 14 | Jul 16–Jul 22 | Jul 20 | ADF&G count |
| Russian River sockeye, early run | Jun 7–Jul 14 | Jun 20–Jun 26 | Jun 25 | ADF&G count |
| Russian River sockeye, late run | Jul 15–Sep 5 | Aug 4–Aug 10 | Aug 8 | ADF&G count |
| Kenai kings, early run | May 18–Jun 30 | Jun 9–Jun 15 | Jun 12 | Closed most recent years |
| Kenai kings, late run | Jul 1–Aug 20 | Jul 28–Aug 3 | Jul 27 | Closed most recent years |
| Kasilof king count (Crooked Creek weir) | Jun 6–Aug 5 | Jul 4–Jul 10 | Jul 8 | ADF&G count |
| Kenai River sockeye fishing | Jul 1–Aug 30 | Jul 8–Aug 30 | — | Our dates |
| Kasilof River sockeye fishing | Jun 11–Aug 16 | — | — | Our dates |
| Kasilof kings (when ADF&G opens them) | May 15–Jun 30 | May 15–Jun 11 | — | Our dates |
| Silver salmon | Aug 1–Sep 30 | Aug 21, Sep 21 | — | Our dates |
| Trophy rainbow trout | Jun 11–Sep 30 | Aug 8–Sep 30 | — | Our dates |
| Kasilof steelhead | Aug 10–Sep 30 | — | — | Our dates |
| Pink salmon (even-numbered years) | Jul 25–Sep 15 | — | — | Our dates |
| Homer halibut | May 15–Sep 30 | — | — | Our dates |
| Bears: Big River Lakes | Jun 10–Aug 31 | — | — | Our dates |
| Bears: Crescent Lake | Jul 15–Sep 30 | — | — | Our dates |
| Bears: Brooks Falls, Katmai | Jun 1–Sep 17 | Jul 1–Jul 31 | — | Our dates |
| Kenai Fjords National Park cruise | May 15–Sep 20 | — | — | Our dates |
| Glacier hiking, Exit Glacier | May 21–Sep 15 | — | — | Our dates |
| Glacier jet ski, Prince William Sound | May 15–Sep 30 | — | — | Our dates |
| Clam digging | May 15–Sep 30 | — | — | Our dates; closed most years |
Sockeye
The Kenai and the Russian, on one scale
- Kenai sockeye
- Russian sockeye (early + late run)
Counts: ADF&G preliminary daily counts as published by Alaska FishTopia; timing from the 2016–2025 seasons. Average fish counted per day (7-day average).
Show the numbers
| Week of | Kenai sockeye | Russian sockeye (early + late run) |
|---|---|---|
| Jun 1 | — | — |
| Jun 8 | — | 288 |
| Jun 15 | — | 1,515 |
| Jun 22 | — | 2,180 |
| Jun 29 | — | 1,708 |
| Jul 6 | 13,490 | 1,167 |
| Jul 13 | 21,887 | 568 |
| Jul 20 | 60,117 | 971 |
| Jul 27 | 67,515 | 1,444 |
| Aug 3 | 50,806 | 2,458 |
| Aug 10 | 33,492 | 2,544 |
| Aug 17 | 25,984 | 1,947 |
| Aug 24 | 8,422 | 1,378 |
| Aug 31 | — | 856 |
| Sep 7 | — | 235 |
Show the numbers
| Season | Fish counted | Against the ADF&G goal |
|---|---|---|
| 2012 | 1,581,555 | Above |
| 2013 | 1,359,893 | Above |
| 2014 | 1,523,155 | Above |
| 2015 | 1,709,053 | Above |
| 2016 | 1,383,692 | Above |
| 2017 | 1,308,498 | Above |
| 2018 | 1,035,761 | Within |
| 2019 | 1,849,054 | Above |
| 2020 | 1,714,565 | Above |
| 2021 | 2,441,825 | Above |
| 2022 | 1,567,750 | Above |
| 2023 | 2,351,020 | Above |
| 2024 | 1,926,350 | Above |
| 2025 | 4,286,091 | Above |
| 2026 | 1,111,781 | Within |
Kings
The king runs
- Kenai kings (early + late run)
Counts: ADF&G preliminary daily counts as published by Alaska FishTopia; timing from the 2016–2025 seasons. Average fish counted per day (7-day average).
Show the numbers
| Week of | Kenai kings (early + late run) |
|---|---|
| May 16 | 4 |
| May 23 | 18 |
| May 30 | 63 |
| Jun 6 | 119 |
| Jun 13 | 134 |
| Jun 20 | 89 |
| Jun 27 | 78 |
| Jul 4 | 146 |
| Jul 11 | 270 |
| Jul 18 | 331 |
| Jul 25 | 350 |
| Aug 1 | 376 |
| Aug 8 | 297 |
| Aug 15 | 194 |
The river
Why the Kenai is special
The Kenai runs 82 miles from Kenai Lake through the Chugach National Forest, the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the towns of Cooper Landing, Sterling, Soldotna and Kenai. It produced the world-record king salmon, 97 lb 4 oz in 1985, and the world-record sockeye, 15 lb 3 oz in 1987. Alaska is home to all five species of Pacific salmon, and with this much pressure on the runs, they are some of the most closely managed fisheries in the world. The counts are the main in-season tool Fish and Game uses to keep them strong for generations to come.
Questions
Kenai River fish count questions
How many salmon runs does the Kenai River have?
Eight: early- and late-run kings, late-run sockeye, early- and late-run Russian River sockeye, two runs of silvers and, in even-numbered years, pinks. Five of them are counted with public daily counts: both king runs, the late-run sockeye and both Russian River sockeye runs.
How are Kenai River fish counted?
Kings and sockeye by underwater sonar on the lower river (the sockeye sonar is at river mile 19), and the Russian River runs at a weir where every fish is counted by eye.
When is the best time to fish the Kenai?
For sockeye, the second half of July: the peak week is Jul 23–Jul 29 on average. For silvers, August and September. For trophy rainbows, August 8 to September 30.
Counts are Fish and Game's preliminary in-season numbers and can be revised. Fish and Game can change seasons and limits by emergency order: check the current regulations before you fish.
More fish counts
Every run we watch
- All Kenai Peninsula countsEvery counted run on one page
- Kenai River fish countsSockeye, kings and the Russian
- Kenai River sockeyeThe big July run
- Kasilof River sockeyeThe earlier run, next river south
- Russian River sockeyeEarly run in June, late run in August
- Kenai River kingsEarly and late runs
- Kenai River silversWhy there is no count, and when to come
- Salmon run timing, May to OctoberThe whole season, month by month
Counts: ADF&G preliminary daily counts as published by Alaska FishTopia; timing from the 2016–2025 seasons. All counts on these pages come from Alaska FishTopia, which posts them daily in season; the Alaska FishTopia app sends count alerts to your phone.