Kenai River (Soldotna) fishing conditions · Alaska

Now until Tuesday 1 amSockeye salmon

The bite peaks at 80. Water is 42°, inside their 40–60° range, and a solunar period lands on the window.

Right now: 80 for sockeye salmon, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Sockeye salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

8011 pm
80Mon
80
802 am
80
80
805 am
80
80
808 am
80
80
8011 am
80
80
802 pm
80
80
805 pm
80
80
808 pm
80
80
8011 pm
80Tue
70
702 am
70
80
805 am
80
80
808 am
80
80

Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Water: 42°F
Wind: 10 mph
Flow: 3,910 cfs
Light: Dark
Sky: Partly Cloudy
Air: 33°F
Moon: 100% lit

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Alaska non-tidal regulations for these waters.

Sockeye salmon

Oncorhynchus nerka

80Worth the tripNow until Tuesday 1 am

Water

42°

30°40–60° · ideal 52°70°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside sockeye salmon's active range. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 1–20 ft down.

Keep

3 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kenai Peninsula flowing waters: chum, coho, pink and sockeye salmon 16" or longer are 3 a day in combination, 3 in possession, and only 2 of those may be coho. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Alaska non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Jun–Aug. More on sockeye salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

39Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

42°

34°44–58° · ideal 53°68°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Below coho salmon's active range (44–58°F). Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Alaska non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Rainbow trout

Oncorhynchus mykiss

39Sit it outNo window clears the bar

Water

42°

35°45–68° · ideal 55°78°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Below rainbow trout's active range (45–68°F). Holds 3–20 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Kenai Peninsula flowing waters: 2 rainbow/steelhead a day in combination, 2 in possession, only 1 of which may be 20" or longer. North of Point Adam there is an annual limit of 2 rainbow/steelhead 20" or longer, recorded at harvest. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Alaska non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct, from this spot’s water-temperature record, 2023–2025. More on rainbow trout

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

42°

32°42–58° · ideal 50°68°

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Inside chinook salmon's active range. Settled river level — clearer water, easier wading. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 1 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. King salmon fishing in the Kenai River, the Anchorage area and most Kenai Peninsula fresh water is closed in 2026 by emergency order. Do not fish for kings, and release any you hook immediately. Alaska changes limits by Emergency Order in season, so check the ADF&G emergency orders the day you fish.

Verified Oct 18, 2026 · Alaska non-tidal

Last checked 8 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

The water

Water temperature42°F
River3,910 cfs · steady · -2% in 24 h
Barometer30.22 inHg

Sun, moon & solunar

Sunrise tomorrow9:13 am
Sunset tomorrow6:23 pm
MoonFull, 100% lit
Major solunarTonight 12:50 am–2:50 am
Minor solunarTomorrow 10:20 am–11:20 am
Major solunarTomorrow 1:10 pm–3:10 pm

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game · fish-consumption advisories

About this spot

The most famous salmon river in Alaska — glacial-turquoise water that produces world-record king salmon and astonishing sockeye runs through Soldotna and Kenai. Sockeye ("reds") are flipped by the thousands in July, kings and silvers run the main stem, and trophy rainbow trout and Dolly Varden hold below the spawning salmon. Live USGS flow and water temperature at Soldotna read the river.

King salmon fishing on the Kenai is closed in 2026 by Emergency Order. In the lower river, sockeye are 6 a day June 20–August 15 and 3 a day the rest of the year. Rainbows here must be under 16".

WaterRiver
AccessPier, shore and ramp
RulesAlaska non-tidal
WhereKenai Peninsula Borough · 60.4870, -151.0750

Nearby

Public spots within 40 miles, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Kasilof River13 mi · AlaskaBest tomorrow 7 pm to Tuesday 11 am

68Marginal

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Kenai River (Soldotna)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Kenai River (Soldotna) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Kenai River (Soldotna)?

Kenai River (Soldotna) is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Sockeye Salmon, Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Rainbow Trout. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Kenai River (Soldotna)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Kenai River (Soldotna) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Kenai River (Soldotna) have?

Kenai River (Soldotna) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. King salmon fishing on the Kenai is closed in 2026 by Emergency Order. In the lower river, sockeye are 6 a day June 20–August 15 and 3 a day the rest of the year. Rainbows here must be under 16".

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Kenai River (Soldotna)?

state agency regulations apply at Kenai River (Soldotna). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Kenai River (Soldotna) tidal water?

No. Kenai River (Soldotna) is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.