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Fishing Kasilof River: what the data says
Tustumena Lake to the Sterling Highway: drift-only kings and a quiet fall steelhead run. The river tops out around 10 ft. The contours are modeled from the water's real shoreline and maximum depth. Treat them as a rough guide, and never use them for navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Chinook Salmon fishing at Kasilof River
In spring, chinook salmon run shallow here, mostly 1 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Current seam (mile 0.5) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for spring chinook salmon. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a flasher + fly (green/white) or a magnum spoon on downrigger and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Trolled spoon (orange/gold), Stickbait off planer boards |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Flasher + fly (green/white), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | J-plug (glow), Flasher + fly |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Small spoon on a slow troll, Stickbait deep |
Coho Salmon fishing at Kasilof River
Spring coho salmon on Kasilof River hold shallow, usually 1 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 3 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. The spot to know is Current seam (mile 0.5), a current seam in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for coho salmon in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a dodger + fly or a medium spoon above the thermocline gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Small orange dodger + peanut fly, Thin spoon (orange/silver) |
| Summer | 3 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Dodger + fly, Medium spoon above the thermocline |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Casting spoon, Spinner (chartreuse) |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Small spoon, slow troll |
Steelhead fishing at Kasilof River
Spring steelhead on Kasilof River hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. Summer fish stay in 1 to 10 ft, and winter fish hold in 3 to 10 ft. Current seam (mile 0.5) is the standout, a current seam at roughly 6 ft, rated prime for summer steelhead. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A orange dodger + fly high in the column or a thin spoon off boards covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Small spoon or spinner at the mouths, Jig + waxworm under float |
| Summer | 1 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Orange dodger + fly high in the column, Thin spoon off boards |
| Fall | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Spinner (silver/blue), Casting spoon |
| Winter | 3 to 10 ft | midday | Float jig (black/purple), Bead rig |
Notable structure
- Outside-bend hole (mile 2.4): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 4.8): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Outside-bend hole (mile 8.5): creek channel, around 8 ft
- Current seam (mile 0.5): current seam, around 6 ft
Common questions
How deep is Kasilof River?
Kasilof River is about 10 ft at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
What fish are in Kasilof River?
Anglers target chinook salmon, coho salmon, steelhead on Kasilof River.
Where is the best fishing spot on Kasilof River?
Current seam (mile 0.5) is the top-rated area: a current seam in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for steelhead in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
When is the best time to fish Kasilof River?
For chinook salmon, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Nearby waters
Tustumena Lake · Silver Lake · Kenai River (Middle) · Swan Lake · Watson Lake · Egumen Lake
See how Kasilof River stacks up: best chinook salmon lakes in Alaska · best coho salmon lakes in Alaska
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