Kasilof River set gillnetting and dipnetting

About the Kasilof River

The Kasilof River is a large glacial system draining Tustumena Lake, and emptying into Upper Cook Inlet after approximately 20 river miles.

Personal use fisheries are allowed only at the mouth of the Kasilof, which is approximately 180 highway miles south of Anchorage.

Kasilof River salmon allocated to historic users

The Alaska Board of Fisheries is responsible for allocation of resources among user groups. Through the Kasilof River Salmon Management Plan, Kasilof River salmon are allocated to fisheries that have historically harvested them.

The Kasilof Personal Use fisheries are also managed according to a management plan adopted by the Alaska Board of Fisheries, and are affected by several other management plans for salmon in Cook Inlet. For example, Kasilof River commercial openings are specified in management plans.

For more information on how this fishery is managed, click "Management" above.

A permit is required, and salmon must be marked

See "Important Information," above.

Kasilof River personal use set gillnetting regular open seasons and times

The Kasilof River personal use salmon set gillnet fishery is open June 15 through June 24. Set gillnetting is allowed only between 6:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m., regardless of the tides.

Harvest limits are seasonal limits based on household size

The harvest limit for the Kasilof gillnet and dipnet fishery is combined with the other Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use salmon fisheries (Kenai River dipnetting and Fish Creek dipnetting). Your household may take your entire limit from one fishery, or visit any other open Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use salmon fishery. Also, the household limit is a seasonal limit, not a daily limit.

See "Important Information," above for specific limits.

Set gillnet restrictions specific to the Kasilof River

The following requirements for Kasilof River personal use set gillnetting are in addition to the regular requirements of a set gillnet (see "Important Information," above):

• A Kasilof River personal use set gillnet may not exceed 10 fathoms in length, six inches in mesh size, and 45 meshes in depth, and
• No part of a Kasilof River set gillnet may be operated within 100 feet of another set gillnet, and
• A person may not operate more than one set gillnet, and only one set gillnet may be operated per household, and
• The permit holder shall attend the set gillnet at all times when it is being used to take fish.

There are no inherent rights establishing a set gillnet fishing site. The placement of signs, running lines, stakes, buoys, or dry nets on the beach in anticipation of tides does not constitute any prior right to a net location.

Kasilof River personal use dipnetting regular open seasons and times

Kasilof River personal use salmon dipnetting is open June 25 through August 7.

Dipnetting on the Kasilof is allowed 24-hours per day, 7-days per week. No king salmon may be kept in the Kasilof River personal use dipnet fishery.

Gear restrictions specific to the Kasilof River dipnet fishery

In the dipnet fishery, there are no additional gear restrictions over what is found in the general statewide "Definition of dipnet", under "Important Information," above.

When to go: general run timing and peak harvest times

The Division of Commercial Fisheries operates sonar equipment just upstream of the Sterling Highway bridge to estimate inriver return of Kasilof River salmon. Sonar data show that Kasilof River salmon go past the sonar site as early as June 15 and as late as July 31.

Since the sonar site is upriver, daily sonar estimates, therefore, do not reflect the number of fish present on that day at the mouth of the Kasilof River. To date, the Department has not done any research to determine how long it takes a salmon to travel from the mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway bridge.

The Department does have harvest data as reported on the required personal use permit. These data show that peak sockeye salmon harvest for set gillnetters at the mouth of the Kasilof River takes place between June 17 through June 23, and peak king salmon harvest June 16 through June 20.

These data also show that peak harvest for dipnetters at the mouth of the Kasilof River takes place between July 11 through July 21.

The Department also has cumulative harvest and effort data by fishery from 1996 to last season, for all species taken in Upper Cook Inlet personal use salmon fisheries. See Helpful Links, below.

Area open to set gillnetting and dipnetting

Gillnetting is allowed in salt waters about 1 mile north and south of the Kasilof River mouth, as defined by ADF&G markers. Fishing is prohibited beyond 1 mile from the mean high water mark, and is also prohibited within the flowing waters or over the stream bed or channel of the Kasilof River at any stage of the tide. In addition, set gillnetting is not allowed within the flowing waters or over the stream bed or channel of the Kasilof River at any stage of the tide.

Dipnetting is allowed from ADF&G markers posted on Cook Inlet outside of the mouth of the Kasilof River, to about 1 mile upstream to ADF&G markers.

Kasilof River north shore access

To access the north shore, take Kasilof Beach Road, which is off the south end of Kalifornsky Beach Road.

Do not drive through the private property signs at the cannery. You may park your vehicle off the driving surface, but staying within the road right-of-way. Four-wheel drive is recommended due to the softness of the sand off the driving surface.

Please do not park on the sand dunes -- the beach grasses can not survive the impacts.

Kasilof River south shore access

To access the south shore, turn west on North Cohoe Loop Road, off the Sterling Highway. When the pavement turns to the south (left), continue west (straight) on the rough, unpaved dirt road to the beach. The mouth of the Kasilof is approximately ¼-mile north (right) along the beach. Four-wheel-drive is necessary to get to the mouth on the south shore. Don't drive anything you can't get unstuck, such as a motorhome, down the beach. It is very expensive to get towed.

Dipnetting from a boat

Dipnetting from a boat is allowed during the same open season and times as dipnetting from shore. The same permit, harvest limits, and marking requirements apply. All your personal use fish must be recorded on the permit and the tail fins clipped before leaving the designated personal use fishing area, or you may be subject to a fine.

The open area is the same as that of the shore dipnetting area. There are no nearby public boat launches. The public boat launch is just upstream of the Sterling Highway bridge.

All other boating regulations remain in effect, including use and availability of PFDs, laws against drinking and boating, and more. See Helpful Links, below.

Camping on the beach, and available services

There are no public campgrounds at the mouth Kasilof River. The closest State Parks campground is the Crooked Creek State Recreation Area. There are a few commercial lodging facilities in the area, see Helpful Links, below.

Since trash and toilet services are not provided, be prepared to pack out everything you pack in. No open fires are allowed within 25 feet of any vegetation. Open fires are permitted only during times of low fire danger, only on the beach and only below the high tide line.

Dune's and Don'ts

Don't drive trucks, cars, or ATVs/4-wheelers across the dunes. Each time a vehicle crosses the dunes, no matter the size or the speed, more damage is caused to the beach grass.

Driving on the dunes causes erosion of the dunes. The dunes hold the mouth of the river in place and prevent saltwater flooding of lowland areas. Traveling on the dunes will break up the grass roots that are holding the dunes in place.

To use a vehicle to access the fisheries, you must drive along the shore above the high tide mark but below the dunes.

Helpful links

• Printable Fact Sheet [Dipnetting 101]
• Sport Fish & Personal Use Emergency Orders
• Potential fishing strategies for the Upper Cook Inlet, 2006 (23 Kb PDF)
• Central Region Commercial Fishery Emergency Order openings
• Where to get your permit
• Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use Salmon Fishery Harvest and Effort
• Printable Southcentral Alaska Personal Use regulations (Personal Use link off this page)
• Management Plans   (This link is to the Table of Contents for the Alaska Administrative Code. Please note the number of the management plan you are interested in reading, and enter that as a search term.)
• Proxy Fishing
• In-season sonar estimates & weir counts
• Board of Fisheries
• Alaska Department of Public Safety, Division of Wildlife Troopers
• Boating safety and regulations
• Safely boating past the Kenai River king salmon sonar project

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