Kings of the Kenai

The Kenai River flows more than 80 miles through the stunning U.S. state of Alaska. After its journey begins in the Chugach Mountains, the waterway continues flowing through Kenai Lake and passes through low-elevation woodlands before meeting with the salty water of Cook Inlet, 150 miles southwest of Anchorage, near the city of Kenai.
The Kenai River Sportfishing Association (KRSA) was founded 30 years ago by Bob Penney with a strong and clear mission: sustain the Kenai River’s King salmon population in order to preserve the Kenai’s status as the greatest sportfishing river in the world. KRSA accomplishes this through strategic habitat conservation and rehabilitation, fisheries management, research, and education.
Over the years the organization has grown and developed numerous conservation and sustainability projects to support the health of this one-of-a-kind waterway, several of which are explored in our film, “Kings of the Kenai.”
One such project is the Ted Stevens Kenai River Classic - a three-day, invitational fishing event held in August to raise funds and educate policymakers and business leaders about KRSA’s habitat-restoration and access projects, fisheries education, research and management. The event has raised more than $18 million over 25 years for fisheries conservation, and there are ways we can all help

[@Nick-xw3dk]

I started coming to Alaska when I was a kid. Now I am in my 30's and own a home in Soldotna. The Kenai river is directly across the street from my home. The same love you have for that river that is displayed in that video is the same reason I bought land and built a home here. It's a special place and that river is special and it's something that either touches you or it doesn't. With that said due to how amazing I find this place to be I go above and beyond and make sure anybody with me does also to tread lightly around the river, to clean up after ourselves, to retrieve any snagged fishing line, pick up any litter even if it is not ours, and making sure to stay on the state supplied walking platforms. BUT almost everyday I go out to fish I see at least a few people who don't have a care in the world about protecting that river, they want their fish and are super unpleasant about that fact. Ive seen people just leave broken line or leaders where they were fishing and just walk off with their catch for the day and move on. Ive seen people absolutely plow a new path right through the brush maybe 3 feet off the banks of the river especially at Crooked Creek on the Kasilof. Ive seen people run their boats right up into the vegetation along the banks all up and down the Kenai, anchor up and stay their all day with their boat just terrorizing the vegetation along the bank. Not all but some of the people I come across on the Kenai along with the excessive commercial fishing may ruin that river habitat forever if something pretty aggressive isn't done. They very much remind me of poachers in Africa they don't care about anything other than getting what they came for. I try to live my life the opposite way, I want to leave something better then how I found it or at least not leave lasting damage to something I am lucky to get to experience in my life. Just my thoughts and observations.

[@jefferymelvin7252]

It's all the Outsiders who think just because they spent a bunch of money that they can do whatever they want, and by God they're going to get their fish! I've lived on that river for twenty years.

[@Jwilson1202]

My favorite place in the world. We need to continue to do more in restoring this habitat

[@Alaskahuntr]

Proud member of KRSA!!

[@greatnorthernadventures570]

RIP Mr. Penney. You were a true friend to the Kenai.

[@riversarelife]

We are so sad to hear of the passing of Bob Penney. He had an incredibly positive impact on the Kenai River and King salmon.

[@harveykraft7247]

Excellent video, I've fishing the Kenai River for the last 35 years and sadly watch the decline of the King fishery. I hope it can recover.

[@riversarelife]

We hope so too! Thanks for watching!

[@greatnorthernadventures570]

I grew up on that river. I tell people if you cut me I’ll bleed Kenai Blue. Sad to see the state of those chinook. I fear my kids will never get to catch a 60lb May Hog.

[@MSIFILMS1]

Amazing work KRSA is doing!

[@riversarelife]

It really is!

[@user-fv6rt5lq4k]

Stayed and fished there in 2007 for a week... heaven

[@Glaciershark]

Hey I’m a commercial fisherman. We live here and support the community 365 days a year. I’m not some rich guy living in a water front home I’m a regular guy working 60 hours a week. These pro sports fishing videos only look at one perspective.

[@aaronpoloni]

Good video. It’s an absolute travesty what has happened to the greatest run of salmon in the world. I agree 100% the habit is incredibly important but if there aren’t fish to get to the gravel, it’s all for not. Years and years of commercial fishing and sports fishing killing those monsters has caught up.

[@riversarelife]

Agreed. We are glad that you enjoyed our film!

[@Willy-Wonka316]

What i believe is very overlooked is the impact of the over fishing in international waters by other countries. Those fish live on a 5-6 year cycle. A lot of all species of fish on the Kenai are being caught in international waters

[@mikekuczynski1552]

How is this working out ? Are you see more returns with the big Kings back ? It’s sad to see not only this fishery but all fisheries in decline at the rate they have in the past 40 years . People just don’t get it . Thanks for sharing.

[@greatnorthernadventures570]

Last year was I believe the 4th year in a row they didn’t hit escapement goals. They’ve already released emergency orders shutting down the fishery for 2023.

[@riversarelife]

Thanks for reaching out! In 2022, an estimated 4,300 King salmon were born, and this estimation falls within the optimal escapement goal of 3,900 to 6,600 large King salmon.

[@mikekuczynski1552]

@@riversarelife Still seams like a small number , what were the numbers 30 years ago ? Thanks for the feedback .

[@jefferymelvin7252]

@@mikekuczynski1552 Tens of thousands

[@MaddogMcfly]

It’s sad what happened to the kings. Whe I was a kid you could almost jump boat for half a mile. 2 a day and the guide services running 24/7 and the commercial guys in the inlet. It went unchecked and for a the foreseeable, foreseeable future it will never come back.

[@jonwebb5395]

In full disclosure I am taking a fishing trip to AK this summer. That said, I would be very supportive if AK put salmon fishing off limits for 5 to 10 years to everyone except subsistence fishing. The data is clear, the places that still have healthy returns of King salmon or the fisheries in the southwestern state and the Alutiens where there is far less fishing pressure, and even there the numbers are declining.

[@riversarelife]

🙌

[@richardclemons8473]

i know im going to take some heat but the truth is the truth, during the late 70s and early 80s i was fishing on the kenai every summer when the ice broke to first freeze, knew every inch of that river and all the runs, sport fishing did not hurt the river the amount of fish coming up that river was unbelievable, we helped fish and game tag and locate fish areas to get the hogs that came up river, the only time we ever had problems is when the commercial fishing industry started putting nets out to catch the king run, i have witnessed weeks without any kings being caught because they were taken at the mouth and all the while fish and wildlife along with representatives and any one else who could make money off of it were blaming the sport fisherman, it was all about money nothing else.

[@riversarelife]

Thanks, Richard, for your insight and passion for fishing the Kenai. There are many stories that can be told about the impacts people have on rivers and we are working to tell as many as possible, while shedding light on the incredible solutions and people working to make positive change on those rivers. Our goal at Rivers are Life is to inspire action to protect, preserve, and explore rivers globally.

[@alaskanmike5548]

Gotta get rid of the trout and dollies. What do trout/dollies eat? Salmon roe. Gotta get rid of the outta state charters and guides.

[@greatnorthernadventures570]

They are predominantly eating the roe that didn’t make it into the redd or was otherwise not fertilized. Those ‘bows and dollies are just as vital to the health of that river as the chinook, coho, and sockeyes. I can agree on the charters and guides if you’re going to be one you should be a resident. What needs to be done is habitat restoration and preservation, addressing the warming of the streams which affects all stages of life in salmonids, the loss of chinook as they in migrate especially from the east side setnetters (ESSNs), trawling bycatch in the salt, and the huge numbers of hatchery pinks dumped in from PWS that compete both with the salmon for bait, but also the bait itself for their food.

[@aaronpoloni]

Need to stop the trawlers scooping up the feeders.