Section 5.57.121. Special provisions for the seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means for the Lower Section of the Kenai River Drainage Area.

Unless otherwise specified by an emergency order issued under AS 16.05.060, the following are the special provisions and localized exceptions to the general seasons, bag, possession, and size limits, and methods and means set out in 5 AAC 57.120 and 5 AAC 75 for the Lower Section of the Kenai River Drainage Area:  
		(1) sport fishing gear restrictions:  
			(A) from January 1 - June 30, in the Kenai River, and from July 1 - July 14, in the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, only one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure may be used;  
			(B) from July 1 - July 31, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek, and from July 15 - July 31, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, only one single hook may be used;  
			(C) from September 1 - December 31, in the Kenai River from the mouth of the Upper Killey River upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;  
			(D) from December 1 - December 31, in the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, only unbaited, artificial lures may be used;  
			(E) from May 15 - August 15, the Moose River from its confluence with the Kenai River upstream to the upstream edge of the Sterling Highway Bridge, and the waters of the Kenai River within a 100-yard radius of the Moose River, are fly-fishing-only waters;  
			(F) from January 1 - July 31, the following waters are fly-fishing-only waters:  
				(i) that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards upstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek;  
				(ii) that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile downstream from the mouth of Funny River, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 200 yards upstream from the mouth of the Funny River;  
			(G) from January 1 - July 31, that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately three-quarters of a mile downstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile upstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River, is fly-fishing-only waters;  
			(H) repealed 5/18/2014;  
			(I) in Mackey Lakes, Derks Lake, Sevena Lake, Union Lake, and the unnamed lakes on Tote Road, five lines may be used to fish for northern pike through the ice; allowable gear is limited to standard ice fishing gear as specified in 5 AAC 57.120(9)(B); fishing gear must be closely attended as specified in 5 AAC 75.033; all other species of fish caught must be released immediately;  
			(J) during times when the retention of king salmon is prohibited under 5 AAC 57.160(d)(2)(A) or 5 AAC 21.359(e)(1), only one unbaited, barbless, single-hook, artificial lure may be used when sport fishing for king salmon; in this subparagraph, "barbless" means the hook is manufactured without a barb or the barb has been completely removed or compressed so the barb is in complete contact with the shaft of the hook;  
		(2) the following waters of the Kenai River are closed to sport fishing, as follows:  
			(A) from April 15 - August 15, Slikok Creek;  
			(B) from January 1 - December 31, the flowing waters of Soldotna Creek upstream of ADF&G markers located approximately 100 feet upstream from its confluence with the Kenai River;  
			(C) from May 2 - June 10, the flowing waters of Soldotna Creek downstream from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 100 feet upstream from its confluence with the Kenai River;  
			(D) from January 1 - July 31, that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile downstream from the mouth of the Funny River, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 200 yards upstream from the mouth of the Funny River, is closed to the taking of king salmon;  
			(E) from June 11 - August 14, the Funny River from the Kenai River upstream to the Funny River Road Bridge;  
			(F) from May 2 - June 10, the flowing waters of Moose River upstream of the upper edge of the Sterling Highway Bridge;  
			(G) from January 1 - July 31, that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately three-quarters of a mile downstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile upstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River, is closed to the taking of king salmon;  
			(H) repealed 5/18/2014;  
			(I) from July 1 - August 15, the Kenai River riparian habitats described in 5 AAC 57.180(d) are closed to all sport fishing, except to sport fishing from a boat that is more than 10 feet from shore and is not connected to the shore or any riparian habitat;  
			(J) from January 1 - July 31, the waters in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards upstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek, is closed to the taking of king salmon;  
			(K) from May 2 - June 10, in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile upstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake;  
			(L) from July 1 - August 30, the waters of the Soldotna Centennial Campground boat launch lagoon inside a line from an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the upstream end of the disabled fishing platform to the downstream end of the rock pile jetty to the southernmost end of the lagoon;  
		(3) a person may not sport fish from a boat  
			(A) on any Monday in May, June, and July, except Memorial Day, in that portion of the Kenai River from the Sterling Highway Bridge upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, except that unguided sport fishing from a nonmotorized vessel is allowed on Mondays in May, June, and July as described in 5 AAC 21.359(c)(3); for the purposes of this subparagraph, "nonmotorized vessel" is a vessel that does not have a motor on board;  
			(B) from January 1 - July 31, in the following waters:  
				(i) in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards downstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 300 yards upstream from the mouth of Slikok Creek;  
				(ii) in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile downstream from the mouth of the Funny River, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 200 yards upstream from the mouth of Funny River;  
			(C) from May 15 until the end of the king salmon season, or July 31, whichever is later, in the following waters:  
				(i) in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 250 yards downstream from the upper breakwater at Centennial Park boat launch, upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge at Soldotna;  
				(ii) in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately 100 yards downstream from the landing at Morgan's Hole, at river mile 31, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the north section line of Section 28, Township 5 North, Range 9 West, Seward Meridian;  
				(iii) in that portion of the Kenai River from ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 100 yards downstream of the mouth of the Moose River, upstream to ADF&G regulatory markers located approximately 100 yards upstream from the mouth of the Moose River, and the Moose River upstream to the upstream edge of the Sterling Highway Bridge;  
			(D) from January 1 - July 31, in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately three-quarters of a mile downstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River, upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located approximately one mile upstream from the mouth of the Lower Killey River;  
			(E) that is anchored in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located at the outlet of Skilak Lake, downstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at approximately river mile 47, from August 1 - December 31; for the purposes of this paragraph, "anchored vessel" means a vessel on which any device other than oars, paddles, or a motor is used to slow or stop the downstream drift of the vessel;  
			(F) on any Monday in May, June, and July, except Memorial Day, in that portion of the Kenai River from its mouth upstream to the Sterling Highway Bridge, except as described in 5 AAC 21.359(c)(3); a vessel that has on board the vessel no more than one motor, with that motor not more than 10 horsepower, may be used between the mouth of the Kenai River and ADF&G regulatory markers located at Cunningham Park, but only after fishing from the vessel has ceased for that day; a person may not deploy sport fishing gear from a vessel after a motor has been used to propel that vessel on the same day;  
			(G) from July 1 - July 31, in that portion of the Kenai River from an ADF&G regulatory marker located at approximately river mile 11 upstream to an ADF&G regulatory marker located at approximately river mile 12, a person may not sport fish for any species of fish from a vessel that is making upstream progress relative to the water with the aid of a motor;  
		(4) sport fishing from guided vessels is restricted in waters of the Kenai River as specified in 5 AAC 57.140;  
		(5) repealed 5/18/2014;  
		(6) repealed 5/18/2014.  

Authorities

16.05.060;16.05.251

Notes

Reference

11 AAC 20.862
5 AAC 21.359
5 AAC 57.120
5 AAC 57.160

Authority

AS 16.05.060 AS 16.05.251

History

Eff. 10/1/2006, Register 179; am 11/12/2006, Register 180; am 12/30/2006, Register 180; am 6/4/2008, Register 186; am 6/12/2011, Register 198; am 5/18/2014, Register 210