By Chris Klint KTUU.com KTUU

3:39 p.m. AKDT, July 20, 2011
ANCHORAGE, Alaska—

A huge sockeye salmon run on the Kenai River has prompted the Alaska Department of Fish and Game to make changes to sport and personal-use fishing on the river, including an increase in sockeye bag limits and a 24-hour dipnetting fishery for the rest of the month.

Fish and Game says the new bag and possession limits of six per day for non-king salmon 16 inches or longer, of which no more than two may be coho, will go into effect Thursday. The changes do not affect the Russian River and fly-fishing-only waters of the Upper Kenai near the Russian, where limits remain at three per day and in possession.

Officials believe the change is warranted by a late run of Kenai sockeyes estimated to exceed 2.3 million fish, versus optimal escapement goals of 700,000 to 1.4 million fish.

The size of the run also allowed Fish and Game to order the expansion of the Kenai's personal-use dip net fishery to 24 hours daily, effective from 11 p.m. Wednesday to 11:59 p.m. on Sunday, July 31. Harvest limits and permit requirements for the fishery have not been changed.

Officials say dipnetters' catch rates may fluctuate after the passage of a large pulse of fish through the lower river last weekend.

Visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game's website for the most up-to-date and accurate regulations.