The Kasilof's best king fishing is May 15 to June 11, and its sockeye run peaks in mid-July. We fish the Kasilof from May 15 to September 30, by drift boat, and every Kasilof trip is a full day at $300 per person. Sockeye trips start June 11; over the last 10 counted seasons the sockeye peak week was Jul 16–Jul 22, about a week ahead of the Kenai.
- May 15 to June 11best king fishing (when open)
- From June 11sockeye trips
- Jul 16–Jul 22sockeye peak week
- $300 per personevery trip, full day, drift boat
- Our trip season
- Usual counting season
- Middle half of the run
- Peak week
- Halfway day
- Our guides' dates (no count)
- Our best dates
- Our Kasilof River tripstripsMay 15 to September 30, all full-day drift boat trips
- Kings (when ADF&G opens)our datesMay 15 to June 30; best May 15 to June 11
- King count at Crooked CreekcountCounted at a tributary weir: not every Kasilof king
- Sockeye tripsour datesfrom June 11, through the run (its usual last counted day, Aug 14)
- Kasilof River sockeyecountPeak week Jul 16–Jul 22 (20% of the run); halfway Jul 17–Jul 20 in most years
- Silversour datesAugust 1 to September 30, best mid-August to mid-September
- Steelhead and troutour datesAugust 10 to September 30, catch-and-release
What's biting, month by month "best" marks the month with the peak week (counted runs) or the best dates (our guides)
May
- Kings (when open) best
June
- Kings (when open) best
- Sockeye
July
- Sockeye best
August
- Sockeye
- Silvers best
- Steelhead and trout
September
- Silvers best
- Steelhead and trout
How the runs build through the summer
The share of a season’s fish counted each day, averaged over the last 10 seasons. The king count comes from the Crooked Creek weir on a tributary, not from the whole river, and its peak in early July comes weeks after our best king fishing (May 15 to June 11).
Average share of the season's fish counted each day (7-day average), 2016–2025 seasons. Same scale on every panel.
Run by run
| Run | Our dates | Peak week (counts) | What it means for your trip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kasilof kings | May 15 to June 30, best May 15 to June 11 | Crooked Creek weir: Jul 4–Jul 10 | Early hatchery kings make this one of the first king fisheries on the Kenai Peninsula, when ADF&G opens it. |
| Kasilof sockeye | from June 11 | Jul 16–Jul 22 | One long run. Its early fish arrive with the Russian River’s early run; its later fish overlap the Kenai in July. |
| Kasilof silvers | August 1 to September 30 | no count | Best from mid-August to mid-September. |
| Steelhead and trout | August 10 to September 30 | no count | All catch-and-release. See our trout and steelhead charter. |
Kings on the Kasilof
The Kasilof is where we fish for kings. Part of its king run comes from a hatchery program, and the hatchery kings arrive early, which makes the Kasilof one of the first king fisheries on the Kenai Peninsula. The season runs May 15 to June 30, and the best time is May 15 to June 11. Kasilof kings are fishable most years, and when the Alaska Department of Fish and Game opens the fishery, we run guided king trips by drift boat. Wild and hatchery kings are managed differently, so check ADF&G’s emergency orders before you go.
The king count at the Crooked Creek weir is small:
The numbers
| Season | Fish counted |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 563 |
| 2025 | 305 |
| 2024 | 521 |
| 2023 | 500 |
| 2022 | 735 |
| 2021 | 594 |
| 2020 | 830 |
| 2019 | 1,444 |
| 2018 | 714 |
| 2017 | 911 |
| 2016 | 1,747 |
| 2015 | 1,459 |
| 2014 | 1,411 |
| 2013 | 1,102 |
| 2012 | 631 |
Sockeye, season by season
The Kasilof sockeye count was 1,055,565 fish in 2026 and 1,198,423 in 2025, against 239,981 in 2016.
The numbers
| Season | Fish counted |
|---|---|
| 2026 | 1,055,565 |
| 2025 | 1,198,423 |
| 2024 | 1,048,092 |
| 2023 | 932,896 |
| 2022 | 971,604 |
| 2021 | 521,859 |
| 2020 | 545,654 |
| 2019 | 378,416 |
| 2018 | 394,309 |
| 2017 | 358,724 |
| 2016 | 239,981 |
| 2015 | 470,679 |
| 2014 | 439,977 |
| 2013 | 489,654 |
| 2012 | 374,523 |
Plan your trip
The trip: Every Kasilof trip is a drift-boat float, and a good part of it runs through the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge. Each trip is $300 per person for a full day (about 7 hours), all gear included. There’s no 3/4-day trip on the Kasilof.
Where we meet: the Kasilof State Recreation Area. From Soldotna, take the Sterling Highway toward Homer for about 10 miles; right after the Kasilof River Bridge, turn left onto Spetz Avenue. Pay the daily parking fee and walk down to the launch. It’s an easy drive from an RV park, a hotel or a rental anywhere around Soldotna and Kenai.
Why the Kasilof: drift boats only, no motors and quiet water. River regulations allow up to 5 guests in a boat, and we have enough boats and guides for large groups.
Book a Kasilof River trip: $300 per person
More: Kasilof River fishing · Kasilof king charter · Kasilof sockeye charter · Kasilof silver charter · Kasilof sockeye counts · Kasilof king counts · Kenai River run timing
Questions about Kasilof River run timing
When is the best time to fish for kings on the Kasilof River?
The Kasilof king season runs May 15 to June 30, and the best time is May 15 to June 11, when the Alaska Department of Fish and Game opens the fishery. Kasilof kings are fishable most years, and we run guided king trips by drift boat.
When is the Kasilof River sockeye run?
Our sockeye trips start June 11. The Kasilof has one long sockeye run; over the last 10 counted seasons its peak week was Jul 16–Jul 22, about a week ahead of the Kenai River.
How much is a Kasilof River trip?
Every Kasilof trip is $300 per person for a full day by drift boat, with all gear included. There is no 3/4-day trip on the Kasilof.
When do silver salmon run on the Kasilof River?
From August 1 to September 30, and best from mid-August to mid-September.
When is steelhead season on the Kasilof River?
Our Kasilof trout and steelhead trips run from August 10 through September 30. All trout and steelhead fishing on the Kasilof is catch-and-release.
Where do Kasilof River trips meet?
At the Kasilof State Recreation Area, about 10 miles south of Soldotna on the Sterling Highway, just past the Kasilof River Bridge.