Today, we hang out with Shannon Martin, executive director of the Kenai River Sportfishing Association. She’s here to take us behind the scenes into what they are doing to protect the best salmon rivers in the country. Plus, we’ll get an update on the Chinook status in this area.
Have you heard of the suicide run? It’s a multi-day fishing adventure where anglers stay up all night, catching their limit for the day and getting their limit again for the next day.
There’s nothing better than Alaska King Salmon. Let’s jump into it with Shannon and KRSA.
Show Notes with Shannon Martin on Kenai River Sportfishing Association. Hit play below! 
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(Read the Full Transcript at the bottom of this Blog Post)
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Episode Chapters with Shannon Martin on Kenai River Sportfishing Association
02:34 – Shannon grew up in Alaska, where fishing has always been part of her life. About 15 years ago, her brother retired from the Army and got into fly fishing on the Kenai River. Shannon joined him, fell in love with it, and got hooked.
Fly Fishing the Kenai River
03:48 – The Kenai River is over 80 miles long with more than 15 public access points. The river is famous for its huge salmon, including the world record King salmon that weighed 97 pounds.
The “Suicide Run” and Dip Net Fishing
06:26 – The “suicide run” is a unique way to fish on the Kenai River. You get off work at 5:00 PM in Anchorage, drive down to the river, catch your limit of salmon by midnight, and then catch the next day’s limit after midnight.
This July, the sockeye salmon run is expected to bring in about 3.3 million fish, making it a great time to try out a suicide run.
Dip net fishing is only for Alaska residents where they can harvest salmon using a five-foot-wide hoop net. Each household gets 25 fish for the head of the household and an additional 10 for each dependent.
Kenai River Sportfishing Association
10:25 – Kenai River Sport Fishing Association was founded in 1984 by Bob Penney to protect Chinook salmon. Commercial fishing, especially with gill nets, impacts Chinook as they return to spawn. KRSA aims to balance commercial interests with preserving fish stocks for future generations.
Check out our episode with Adam of FishHound Expeditions! He talked about his experience visiting Capitol Hill to spread the word about the issues facing Alaska’s fish.
16:42 – Shannon explains how heavy foot traffic on the Kenai River banks harms salmon habitats. To fix this, they’ve built light-penetrating boardwalks. These walkways let people access the river without damaging the vegetation that holds the banks together.
18:35 – KRSA hosts events like the Kenai River Spring Cleanup, where local students help remove litter from the riverbanks. They organize the Jr Classic in the fall, where they introduce around 100 children to fishing and water safety.
24:19 – Shannon talks about the importance of educating anglers on proper catch and release techniques, especially for the declining Chinook salmon.
31:24 – We talk about KRSA’s major project with Alaska State Parks to restore and improve a popular state recreation site on the Kenai. This includes:
- Installing light-penetrating boardwalks
- Adding stairwells
- Providing offsite parking
Kenai River Classic
33:58 – The Kenai River Classic functions as not only an educational opportunity for KRSA to get together with local policymakers and philanthropists, but it’s also a fundraiser. Highlights of the Kenai River Classic include:
- A three-day fishing event for about 150 participants
- The national round table on sport fish policy, in partnership with Yamaha Rightwaters
- Speakers from the American Sport Fishing Association and local tribal entities discussing important topics like the MMPA and in-river fishery protection.
Follow Shannon on Instagram: @shannonfishes
Check out KRSA on Instagram: @reelalaska
On Facebook: Kenai River Sportfishing Association
Visit their website at KRSA.com
Kenai River Sportfishing Association Resources Noted in the Show
Related Podcast Episodes
Read the Full Podcast Transcript Below
Conclusion with Shannon Martin on Kenai River Sportfishing Association
If you’re inspired by the work being done at KRSA to protect and enhance our fisheries, reach out to Shannon and let them know you heard about this podcast.
Every small action helps make a big difference. Get involved and let’s work together to support our fisheries!
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I spent a handful of years guiding on the Kenai, it’s a truly special place with some incredible history angling and otherwise. In my last year up there I was so frustrated with the limits ADKFG was allowing and what was permitted in the commercial realm. Between development, aging hydro dams and heavy sport fishing pressures these fish are pushed to the limit. As for Kenai contacts you should talk to Josh Hayes of Alaska Trout Guides and Billy Coulliette and Dusty Byrd of Alaska Troutfitters. All three worked for Curt Trout Muse who pretty much opened up the trout fishery on the Kenai. Billy and Dusty carry on his legacy in AK Troutfitters. Curt’s was a good friend of mine and still works for Troutfitters.