Dipnetting areas on the Kenai River.

Dip Net Fishing from the riverbank is available in selected locations below the Warren Ames Memorial Bridge. Some areas have excellent access like at the Kenai River Flats day use area while others require some sort of specialized vehicle or encompasses a lengthily hike. There are areas where camping is allowed and some with portable toilets but one thing is for certain, all are charging to access the water.

North Beach, Kenai River Mouth: Located at the foot of Spruce Drive in the town of Kenai is the mouth of the Kenai River. Access is very good with camping and toilets available in the parking lot. The fee is $10.00 for parking up to 12 hours and $20.00 for camping overnight. To get to this beach, take the spur highway west at the "Y" in Soldotna to the town of Kenai. Drive straight thru town past the visitors center, as you approach the next traffic light located on Forest Drive, watch for the turnoff for Spruce Drive and the Little League ball fields. It's located one block east of the traffic light. Take Spruce Drive past the ball fields and down the hill to the beach.

South Beach, Kenai River Mouth: This on is a little trickier to find as well as access. From the light on the Spur Highway and Bridge Access Road turn south and drive across the bridge on the Kenai River to the light at the Tee with Kalifornsky Beach Road. Turn right and drive about 3 miles to Cannery Road, turn right onto Cannery Road for about 1 mile to Beach Access Road. Turn left and the parking lot in just ahead. Here you will need to pay the $10.00 parking fee for 12 hours or $20.00 for camping overnight. With a four wheel drive it is possible to drive down onto the beach and turn right to the mouth of the Kenai River. Camping also permitted at the river mouth.

Kenai Boat Launch, Kenai City Dock: Fishing from the bank is only permitted above the marker on the bank above the launch facility. This is muddy and difficult to fish but access is at the first parking area along the gravel road. To get to the city dock, From the light on the Spur Highway and Bridge Access Road turn south and procede about 1 mile to Boat Launch Road just past Carlile Trucking. The parking area is straight ahead on the gravel parking area before the toll booth.

Bag limits For Personal Use Dipnet Fishing

Upper Cook Inlet Personal Use Salmon Fishery
The total yearly harvest out of all the Upper Cook Inlet personal use salmon fisheries (Kenai, Kasilof, and Fish Creek) is 25 salmon and 10 flounder for the permit holder and 10 salmon for each additional household member. The limit is combined for all four fisheries - Kenai dipnetting, Kasilof dipnetting, Kasilof set gillnetting, and Fish Creek dipnetting.

Of the total household limit, only one (1) king salmon may be kept from the Kenai River dipnet fishery. No king salmon may be kept in the Kasilof River dipnet fishery or the Fish Creek dipnet fishery. Any king salmon caught in the Kasilof River personal use set gillnet fishery may be retained.

These are household limits, not a daily limit, or a limit per fishery.

Defining "Personal Use" from the ADF&G

" Personal use" is a legally defined type of fishery. It is defined as "the taking, attempting to take or possession of finfish, shellfish or aquatic plants by an individual Alaskan for consumption as food or use as bait by that individual or his immediate family."

For fishing and hunting purposes, the Alaska State Legislature has defined a resident as "a person who is physically present in Alaska with the intent to remain indefinitely and makes a home here, has maintained that person's domicile in Alaska for 12 consecutive months immediately preceding an application for a license and not claiming residency or obtaining benefits under a claim of residency in another state, territory or country."

The Board of Fisheries established personal use fisheries to allow Alaskan residents to harvest fish for food in areas that are not eligible for subsistence fisheries, such as Cook Inlet.

Personal use fisheries are only allowed when they won't jeopardize sustained yield of the resource, and won't negatively impact an existing resource use, and are in the broad public interest.

It is unlawful to buy, sell, trade or barter personal use finfish, shellfish, aquatic plants, or their parts.

Kenai River Flats Recreation Area: located just after the bridge on Bridge Access Road. State run facility with no fee at this time. Beach is mostly gravel with mud as the tide goes out. Dipnetting is only allowed below the lower edge of the bridge.

Dipnetting areas on the Kenai River.
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