UPDATED AUGUST 29, 2026
KENAI RIVER
FISH COUNTS
Official ADF&G sonar counts for the Kenai River, what is running right now, and how the season plays out month by month.
1,111,781 late-run sockeye passed the Kenai River sonar in 2026. The biggest day was 07/24, when 171,844 fish moved through in twenty-four hours. ADF&G finished counting for the year on 08/10.
SEASON TOTAL
1,111,781
sockeye, 2026
PEAK DAY
171,844
on 07/24
FINAL COUNT
8,227
on 08/10
KASILOF
1,055,565
sockeye, 2026
Source: Alaska Department of Fish and Game sonar, Mile 19 of the Kenai River. Counts refresh automatically from the ADF&G Fish Counts database.
Final 2026 daily counts
| DATE | SOCKEYE | SEASON TO DATE |
|---|---|---|
| 08/10 | 8,227 | 1,111,781 |
| 08/09 | 6,881 | 1,103,554 |
| 08/08 | 12,217 | 1,096,673 |
| 08/07 | 10,275 | 1,084,456 |
| 08/06 | 12,187 | 1,074,181 |
| 08/05 | 12,289 | 1,061,994 |
| 08/04 | 19,817 | 1,049,705 |
| 08/03 | 24,614 | 1,029,888 |
| 08/02 | 9,608 | 1,005,274 |
| 08/01 | 12,172 | 995,666 |
BIGGEST DAYS OF 2026
How 2026 compares to the last 6 years
The 2026 Kenai sockeye run finished 51% below the 6-year average of 2,280,803 fish, making it the weakest run in that span. The Kasilof told a different story the same season, finishing 11% above its own average — worth knowing when you are deciding which river to fish.
Total late-run sockeye past the ADF&G Mile 19 sonar, by season. Peak day has landed between July 17 and August 2 in every year on record, which is why the last ten days of July are the safest window to book.
Silver salmon are the story right now
Late August is first-run silver salmon season on the middle Kenai. These are the 6-to-10-pound coho that show up in numbers through the last two weeks of the month, and they hit hard. The sockeye sonar has finished counting for the year, and trophy rainbow trout fishing turns on as salmon eggs come into play.
OPEN AND FISHING
- Silver salmon (coho) — first run, peaking through the end of August
- Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden — improving as egg drop begins, catch-and-release only
- Ocean halibut and cod out of Ninilchik and Homer — running through September
CLOSED OR RESTRICTED
- Kenai River king salmon — closed under ADF&G emergency order for the 2026 season
Kenai River season, month by month
MAY
Season opener. Cold, quiet water. Early rainbow trout and Dolly Varden, plus the first ocean halibut charters out of Ninilchik.
JUNE
Early-run sockeye reach the river and king salmon historically arrive, though kings are restricted or closed in recent seasons. Check current emergency orders.
JULY
Late-run sockeye, and by far the biggest counting days of the year. In 2026 the peak landed on 07/24 with 171,844 fish through the sonar in a single day.
AUGUST
First-run silver salmon peak through the last two weeks, averaging 6 to 10 pounds. Halibut charters continue out of Ninilchik, Homer, and Seward.
SEPTEMBER
Second silver run peaks mid-month with bigger fish, 10 to 14 pounds. Best trophy rainbow trout fishing of the year as trout feed aggressively on salmon eggs.
OCTOBER
Final stretch. Quiet river, late silvers, and trophy trout for anglers who want the place close to themselves.
For the full breakdown see our month-by-month season guide, the silver salmon timing guide, and our king salmon restrictions explainer.
How sockeye fishing on the Kenai actually works
The technique is called flipping. You drift a weighted setup through schools of moving fish and set the hook when the line ticks. It is repetitive, it is effective, and first-timers pick it up in an afternoon. Kids do it. Grandparents do it. Everybody fills a cooler.
Limits stay generous during a strong run. ADF&G has set the mainstem sockeye limit as high as six per day during a heavy July push. Those orders shift with run strength, so confirm the current limit and the latest emergency order before you fish.
Staying on the river means gear, waders, and access are handled, so you fish from arrival to departure. More detail on our sockeye salmon page and our guided fishing trips.
Kenai River fish counts — common questions
WHAT IS THE KENAI RIVER SOCKEYE COUNT FOR 2026?
1,111,781 late-run sockeye passed the ADF&G sonar at Mile 19 of the Kenai River in 2026. The single biggest day was 07/24, when 171,844 fish were counted. ADF&G counts daily from July 1 until the run tapers in August; the 2026 count closed on 08/10.
WHEN DOES THE KENAI RIVER SOCKEYE RUN PEAK?
The late-run sockeye peak on the Kenai lands in the last week of July almost every year. In 2026 the top four days were 07/24, 07/25, 07/26, 07/27, topping out at 171,844 fish in one day. The run builds through the first three weeks of July and tapers through early August.
ARE KENAI RIVER KING SALMON OPEN IN 2026?
No. Kenai River king salmon are closed for the 2026 season under Alaska Department of Fish and Game emergency orders. The sonar counted only 1,499 Chinook for the year, which is why the restrictions are in place. Anglers wanting a large Alaska fish are fishing Cook Inlet halibut charters out of Ninilchik, Homer, or Seward instead.
WAS THE 2026 KENAI RIVER SOCKEYE RUN GOOD?
It ran well below average. The 2026 late-run total of 1,111,781 sockeye was 51% below the 6-year average of 2,280,803, making it the weakest run since 2021. For comparison, 2025 produced 4,286,091.
WHERE DO THE OFFICIAL KENAI RIVER FISH COUNTS COME FROM?
The Alaska Department of Fish and Game operates a sonar station at Mile 19 of the Kenai River that counts late-run sockeye daily from July 1. That sonar is the official count, and ADF&G publishes both the daily figure and the cumulative season total. Any Kenai River fish count you see quoted traces back to that station.
HOW DOES THE KASILOF RIVER COMPARE TO THE KENAI?
The Kasilof runs its own sonar and its own sockeye run, and the two rivers do not always move together. In 2026 the Kasilof counted 1,055,565 sockeye against the Kenai's 1,111,781 — the Kasilof finishing 11% above its own average while the Kenai finished 51% below its own. That is worth checking before you pick a river. The Kasilof is a quieter, drift-only fishery about 30 to 40 minutes from the lodge.
WHEN IS THE BEST TIME TO FISH THE KENAI RIVER?
It depends on the target. Mid-to-late July is peak sockeye and the highest fish density of the year. Late August through mid-September is silver salmon. September is the best trophy rainbow trout fishing on the river. May and October are the quietest months with the least crowding.
WHERE CAN I STAY ON THE KENAI RIVER DURING THE RUN?
Marlow's on the Kenai is a family-run lodge in Sterling, Alaska with four riverfront cabins and private fishing docks on the productive middle river. Guests fish directly from the property or book guided river and ocean trips. Call +1 907-341-4966 for current availability.
FISH IT FROM THE BANK
STAY ON THE RIVER YOU ARE READING ABOUT
Marlow’s on the Kenai sits on the productive middle river in Sterling, Alaska, with four riverfront cabins and private fishing docks. Fish from the property or let us line up guided river and ocean days around whatever is running.