Kenai River King Salmon Fish Counts
Best Fishing Times And Peak Dates
Nestled in the breathtaking landscapes of Alaska, the Kenai River holds a place of reverence in the hearts of anglers worldwide. This is particularly true for its King Salmon fishing. What makes Kenai River King Salmon fishing so special is a blend of the river’s unique characteristics and its legendary status in the fishing world. Home to some of the largest King Salmon ever recorded, the river offers an unparalleled fishing experience. Its turquoise waters wind through lush forests and snow-capped mountains, enriching the experience with diverse wildlife. Kenai River king salmon fish counts are the best tool for determining the best Kenai River king salmon fishing dates. Make sure to check out on page on how to fish for king salmon.
Beyond the sheer size of its salmon, the Kenai River is celebrated for its accessibility. It offers high-quality fishing, but can easily satisfy both seasoned experts and enthusiastic beginners. It’s a place where fishing transcends being a mere activity; it becomes an adventure. A pursuit of giants that lurk in the depths of its pristine waters. The cultural and economic significance of this river to the local community underscores its importance. The Kenai River is a cherished destination where ecological conservation and fishing traditions go hand in hand. Fishing in the Kenai River offers more than just the chance to catch a legendary King Salmon. It provides an opportunity to immerse oneself in an environment where nature’s beauty and bounty are on full display.
Kenai River King Salmon Fish Counts - Early Run
The Kenai River King Salmon Run is two independent runs denoted as the early run and the late run. Although these runs are managed separately, presenting the entire king salmon run offers valuable insights. It helps to get a perspective of the overall sizes and timing of each of the runs when presented this way. The entire Kenai River king salmon run is from May 15 to August 20.
The early run begins on May 15 and continues until June 30th. The three year running average for 2020 – 2023 is shown on the graph in red. It is easy to see that that peak timing of this run is from June 3 – June 16.
The early-run King salmon in the Kenai River predominantly migrate towards two specific tributaries: the Killey River and Funny River. The peak of the early run typically sees around 200 fish per day on average. This number can vary and be higher or lower in any given year.
On June 3rd, 2017, an astounding 368 fish entered the river in a single day. The early run is also famous for a world-record King salmon caught on May 17th, 1985, weighing more than 97 pounds. Despite typically featuring fewer, smaller fish, the early run is renowned for producing several large King salmon.n
Kenai River King Salmon Fish Counts - Late Run
The late run of King salmon in the Kenai River starts on July 1st and extends through August 15th. The three-year average from 2020 to 2023, shown in red on the graph, clearly indicates that the run’s peak period extends from July 11th to August 8th. This is the timeframe when the majority of the early run fish make their way into the river.
The late-run King salmon primarily spawn right in the main channel of the Kenai River. 65% of all Kenai River late run king salmon are estimated to spawn between river mile 12 and river mile 32. This is from near Eagle Rock boat launch to the confluence of the Moose River and the Kenai River.
The Kenai River king salmon late run arrive in much higher numbers than the Kenai River king salmon early run. The late run of the Kenai River’s king salmon usually peaks at more than 600 fish per day. That is nearly three times the average of 200 fish per day seen in the early run. Additionally, the second run fish are generally larger than those in the first run. Although it’s still interesting to keep in mind the world record came on the early run in 1985.
Lastly, it important to know that fishing for Kenai River king salmon ends by regulation on July 31st. A little known fact is that by July 31, only 50% of the king salmon have typically passed the counting sonar. This means that the additional 50% are still coming up the river to spawn after it’s no longer legal to fish for them. This gives them a great chance at survival and spawning.
Kenai River King Salmon Escapements - early & Late Run
The Kenai River King salmon early and late run escapements are managed as entirely separate runs, each with distinct sustainability goals.
The Kenai River’s late run of king salmon has a minimum escapement goal of 15,000 king salmon. It has an optimum goal of 30,000 fish. This significant figure underlines the larger size of the late run compared to the early run.
The Kenai River king salmon late run has a minimum escapement goal of 15,000 king salmon and an optimum escapement goal of 30,000 fish. This fact alone highlights the significantly larger size of the Kenai River’s late run of king salmon compared to the early run.
By now, it is pretty common knowledge that king salmon stocks all over the world are in serious decline. The Kenai River is feeling these very same effects. You can see from the escapement goals that on average neither of the two runs is reaching their minimum goals for a healthy and sustainable fishery. In fact, the last time these runs achieved their minimum escapement goals was in 2018. The optimum escapement goals for the two runs hasn’t been achieved in many years prior to that.
In 2023, due to weak Kenai River king salmon returns, the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issued in-season emergency orders. King Salmon fishing was largely halted in all watersheds flowing into Cook Inlet, including the Kenai River, and was also heavily restricted in saltwater areas. Despite these measures, the Kenai River’s early king salmon run barely met its escapement goal, and the late run fell short by about 1,100 fish.
Best fishing Dates For Alaska's Most Popular Rivers & Species
See the table below for Alaska’s most popular rivers and species. For more specific information on each river, click on the link to be taken to that pages specific review of the fish counts.
| River | Species | Dates | Peak Dates |
| Kenai River | King Salmon Early Run | 5/15 – 6/30 | 6/1 – 6/16 |
| King Salmon Late Run | 7/1 – 8/15 | 7/11 – 7/31 | |
| Sockeye Salmon Run | 7/1 – 8/20 | 7/11 – 8/19 | |
| Silver Salmon Early Run | 8/1 – 8/30 | 8/11 – 8/25 | |
| Silver Salmon Late Run | 9/1 – 9/30 | 9/11 – 9/25 | |
| Kasilof River | King Salmon Early Run | 5/15 – 6/30 | 5/28 – 6/19 |
| King Salmon Late Run | 7/1 – 8/15 | 7/11 – 7/31 | |
| Sockeye Salmon Run | 6/11 – 8/20 | 6/22 – 8/11 | |
| Russian River | Sockeye Salmon Early Run | 6/4 – 7/14 | 6/14 – 7/8 |
| Sockeye Salmon Late Run | 7/15 – 9/10 | 7/28 – 8/24 | |
| Silver Salmon Late Run | 8/1- 9/10 | 8/27 – 9/9 | |
| Copper River | Sockeye Salmon | 5/8 – 7/28 | 5/29 – 7/19 |
| Anchor River | King Salmon | 5/5 – 8/31 | 5/30 – 7/22 |
| Ninilchik River | King Salmon | 5/21 – 8/21 | 6/28 – 7/24 |
| Deshka River | King Salmon | 5/19 – 8/27 | 6/11 – 6/29 |
| Nushagak River | King Salmon | 6/6 – 8/17 | 6/14 – 7/11 |
Ready to go Fishing?
Ready to cast your line into the stunning waters of the Kenai River? For more information or to book your unforgettable fishing adventure, visit our ‘Trips & Bookings’ page. Dive deeper into the Kenai River experience and secure your spot with Kenai Sportfishing today – where epic catches and breathtaking scenery await!