Port Guide

Kasilof Fishing Guide

The Kenai's quieter neighbor — a drift-boat river with no motors and a hatchery-backed king run.

Kasilof is a small unincorporated community on the Sterling Highway about 10 miles south of Soldotna, built around the Kasilof River, a glacial stream that drains Tustumena Lake (the largest lake on the Kenai Peninsula) and runs roughly 20 miles to Cook Inlet.

What sets the Kasilof apart from the Kenai next door is the pace: motors are prohibited while fishing, so this is a drift-boat river. Guides row you down the current instead of running powerboats between holes, which makes for a noticeably quieter day. The river also gets a hatchery-supported early king run tied to Crooked Creek, which has kept king opportunity alive here in years when other area king fisheries tightened, though rules shift season to season, so check current ADF&G emergency orders.

The town's operators are mostly day-trip guides and small lodges. A typical Kasilof itinerary is a morning drift for kings or sockeye, and many outfits pair river days with saltwater halibut trips launched a short drive south down the Sterling Highway.

When to Go

• Mid-May – mid/late June: Early-run kings, a mix of wild fish and Crooked Creek hatchery fish, fished from drift boats on the lower river. Rules around keeping hatchery-marked versus wild kings change, so read the current regs and emergency orders before you go.
• Mid-June – July: Sockeye build steadily from around mid-June, with the peak typically July 10–25. The personal-use dipnet fishery at the river mouth (Alaska residents only) runs June 25–August 7.
• July – August: A later push of wild kings has historically entered in July, often under tighter restrictions. July is also prime time for Cook Inlet halibut charters running from launches just south of town.
• August – September: Silvers. Fish within tidal reach of the lower river are fresh and aggressive, and drift trips keep running through the run.
• Late August – November: Steelhead return from late August through fall, with the best fishing usually in October, mostly between Tustumena Lake and the Sterling Highway. Fishing here is generally catch-and-release, so confirm current regs with ADF&G.

What You Can Catch

Species	Prime Months	Notes
King (Chinook) salmon	Mid-May–Jul	The early run (mid-May into June) includes ADF&G hatchery fish returning to Crooked Creek, with a wild component following into July. Recent rules have included a closed area near the Crooked Creek confluence and a stop-fishing requirement after harvesting a hatchery king below the bridge, so read the current regulations carefully.
Sockeye (red) salmon	Mid-Jun–early Aug	The most dependable run, with numbers climbing through late June to a peak around July 10–25. Fished from the bank and from drift boats with weighted flies, similar to Kenai River technique.
Coho (silver) salmon	Aug–Sep	Fresh, tide-bright silvers in the lower river make for lively drift-boat fishing in August and September.
Steelhead	Late Aug–Nov	A fall run with peak fishing in October, best between Tustumena Lake and the Sterling Highway bridge. Expect catch-and-release with tackle restrictions.
Pacific halibut	May–Sep	Not in the river itself: charters run from Cook Inlet beach launches a short drive south, in the Deep Creek/Ninilchik area. Charter size and bag limits change annually under federal rules, so confirm the current year's limits.
Rockfish and lingcod	Summer	Offered by some saltwater operators as add-ons to halibut days, depending on where the boat runs. Seasons and limits are specific, so verify with your captain.

Seasons and limits change — always confirm current regulations with ADF&G before booking.

How Trips Work in Kasilof

River trips are drift-boat floats. Because motors can't be used while fishing, guides launch at one point and row a one-way drift, with a vehicle shuttle at the takeout. The two standard floats are the upper river from the Tustumena Lake area down to the Sterling Highway bridge, and the popular lower drift from the state recreation site at the bridge down toward the mouth. Boats typically carry small groups, so book seats rather than whole boats unless you have a full party; trips commonly run as half-day drifts, with kings in the early morning.

Guides supply rods, tackle, and usually waders on request. Many Kasilof operators also sell multi-day combos: a river king or sockeye day plus a Cook Inlet halibut day out of the tractor-launch beaches south of town.

Getting to Kasilof

Kasilof sits on the Sterling Highway roughly 10 miles south of Soldotna, about 165–170 road miles and 3 to 3.5 hours' drive from Anchorage through Cooper Landing. There's no scheduled air service to Kasilof itself; fly-in visitors typically land at Kenai Municipal Airport (frequent daily commuter flights from Anchorage) and rent a car for the 20–25 minute drive south. The Kasilof River State Recreation Site at the highway bridge is the main public access and boat launch.

Local Tips

›This river rewards early booking in May and June: the drift-only king fishery has limited boat seats compared to the Kenai's powerboat fleet, and it draws anglers when other king fisheries are restricted.
›Know the hatchery-king rules before you keep a fish: fin-clipped hatchery fish and wild fish are treated differently, and rules can require you to stop fishing below the bridge after keeping a hatchery king. Ask your guide if you're unsure.
›The dipnet and gillnet personal-use fisheries at the Kasilof mouth are for Alaska residents only, and no kings may be kept in the dipnet fishery; visitors fish rod-and-reel under sport regs.
›Bring your own rain gear and layers. Drift boats are open and the weather off Cook Inlet changes fast; guides don't supply raingear.
›Expect company during the July sockeye peak, when the state recreation site and lower river get busy. Midweek and early mornings are noticeably quieter.
›If halibut is on your list, plan it as a separate day out of the Deep Creek/Ninilchik launches south of town rather than trying to squeeze it around a river drift.

Kasilof FAQs

How is the Kasilof different from the Kenai River?

It's smaller, quieter, and motorless: fishing is done from rowed drift boats rather than powerboats. It also has a hatchery-supported early king run tied to Crooked Creek, which has sometimes stayed open when other area king fisheries were restricted. Check current emergency orders either way.

Do I need a fishing license in Kasilof?

Yes. Nonresident licenses are $30 for one day or $145 annual, plus a King Salmon Stamp (extra, sold by duration) if you fish for kings.

When is the sockeye run on the Kasilof River?

Sockeye arrive from about mid-June, with the peak usually between July 10 and July 25. Timing shifts a bit year to year, so watch ADF&G's in-season counts and reports.

Can visitors dipnet at the mouth of the Kasilof?

No. The dipnet and setnet fisheries at the mouth are personal-use fisheries for Alaska residents only. Sport rod-and-reel fishing on the river is open to anyone with a license.

Can you catch halibut from Kasilof?

Yes, by booking a Cook Inlet charter that launches a short drive south of town in the Deep Creek/Ninilchik area; many Kasilof outfits sell river-plus-halibut combos.