Author: Krog_admin

This summer’s fishing season will begin soon! Come join us and fish the salt waters of Cook Inlet in hopes of catching a new world record king salmon. The current record weighed 97 pounds 4 ounces and was caught on May 17, 1985 by local resident Les Anderson. The mammoth Chinook was nearly 5 feet long and had an amazing 37.5 inch girth! This fish was caught several hours before it was weighed. Several kings weighing in excess of 90 pounds have been caught since the world record was caught but none have managed to equal or surpass the record. Could this be the year?

Temperatures this winter have been like a yoyo ranging from minus 0 to 30 above and we have had tons of snow. Today the sun is shinning and our temperature is around 35 degrees Fahrenheit. Are we having breakup in January? I doubt it but dreams can come true. Typically speaking, February is the coldest month of the year but only time will tell.

We are offering super deals in the month of June. Send an email or give us a call to find out just how good a deal we are offering. Email us at fishing@krogskamp.com or call 907-252-1521. Mel will give you all the details!

Spring is here on the Kenai.  The river is flowing and the snow along the banks is almost gone.  Our front lawn is almost bare with just the dead grass showing now. It’s time for spring cleanup. The river is holding its level and is coming up very slowly. It’s almost time to throw a line in the water as the world record sport caught king salmon was caught on May 17 of 1985.  Who knows, a new world record fish just might be out there in the river as I write this. Kings from  the Kenai River may be caught and kept in June using a single hook with no bait or scent, but there is a restriction on the size. Kenai River king salmon sport fishing general regulations for January 1 through June 30, in Kenai River waters downstream of Skilak Lake are as follows:

• Bait is prohibited, and only one single-hook, artificial lure may be used.
• The bag and possession limit for king salmon 20 inches or greater in length is one king salmon. Only king salmon less than 34 inches in length may be retained. King salmon 34 inches in length and greater may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
• There is a combined annual limit of five king salmon over 20 inches from all Cook Inlet Drainage waters, which includes only two fish per year over 20 inches from the Kenai River, except fish under 28 inches in length caught in the Kenai River prior to July 1 do not count towards the annual limit. All harvested fish that count towards an annual limit must be recorded on a harvest record card or your license.
• The bag and possession limit for king salmon less than 20 inches (jack king salmon), is 10 fish per day, 10 in possession, in combination with coho, sockeye, chum, or pink salmon less than 16 inches in length.

More to follow regarding the Kasilof River next week.

This has been a real old-fashioned winter here on the Kenai Peninsula.  We have had so much snow that we are running out of places to put it. The past week, we have had unusually warm weather with temperatures running above freezing. We have had rain which of course make has melted a lot of the snow and left puddles on the driveway. Then it snowed so you couldn’t see where you could walk without slipping and falling.  We had sanded the main driveway but it was still very dangerous to walk from one building to another.  Josh who helps here at the kamp and is very sure footed even slipped and fell.

We are optimistic that we are going to have an early breakup as temperatures are slated to be above freezing for the next week. There is just such an enormous amount of snow that has to melt before we get down to the gravel driveway and the lawn. Anchorage is slated to have temps at or above 40 degrees for the next several days and ours should follow suit.

If the current trend in weather continues, we could have a terrific and long summer. As the snow melts, it will fill up the river and its tributaries. We won’t have a problem with low water. It should also help keep the water temperature cooler than it has been the last few years which is thought to have been detrimental to our fish runs.

We will be open for occupancy as soon as the possibility of freezing temperatures has passed.  All buildings have been winterized for the winter months.  We are hopeful that we do not have any broken water lines. During late spring or the early part of the summer, although most fishing has not started yet, other than perhaps ice fishing, there are still many things that one can do in the area.

In March, there is a winter king salmon derby in Homer. This is an exciting event and was won last year by a 10 year old boy. The kings are not that big but they still put up a good fight.

The 2022 winter king tournament in Homer will take place on Saturday, April 9, 2022. This one-day tournament presents a welcome break from the snowy days of winter.
This tournament awards tens of thousands of dollars in prize money. The winning king in 2021 weighed just over 25.62 pounds and was caught by a 10 year old boy from Anchorage. This youngster took home over $87,000 including all the side tournaments. The total amount paid out during the 2021 tournament was $208,309. There are random drawings every hour so your chances of winning a prize are fairly good.
Start planning now to participate in this lucrative contest. Who knows, you might be the next winner.

The 2022 Kasilof River early-run king salmon sport fishery, beginning when the ice goes out until June 30, will be limited to the harvest of hatchery produced fish only and anglers may only use one single hook or single-hook artificial lure, baited or unbaited. The bag limit is two hatchery fish per day and in possession. All natural king salmon must be released immediately.

The late-run king salmon fishery, July 1 through July 31, allows for harvest of hatchery produced king salmon only and prohibits the retention of natural king salmon from its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge. In addition, only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing in these waters. The bag limit during the second run is one per day and one in possession.

Anglers are urged to use caution when releasing a king salmon so as not to hurt the fish.

The 2022 Kenai River early-run king salmon season is from the time the river ice goes out through June 30. The preseason projection is for approximately 4,300 large (> 34 inches) king salmon. This projection falls within the optimal escapement goal (OEG) of 3,900 to 6,600 large king salmon. Anglers may fish for and keep king salmon during this time frame but may only use unbaited single hook artificial lure and may not keep fish 34 inches in length or greater. All fish over this length must be released immediately.

Fishing for king salmon beginning July 1 through July 31, 2022, the late run, is limited to catch and release only at this time. The optimum escapement goal for the late run is 15,000 to 30,000 large king salmon. At this time, projections are that <16,000> fish will return. These restrictions are necessary to protect returning king salmon runs to increase fishing opportunities in the future. King salmon of any size may not be retained or possessed, may not be removed from the water, and must be released immediately. Anglers are encouraged to use care when releasing a king salmon.