Kenai River World Record King Salmon

The Fish That Made the Kenai River Famous

On May 17, 1985, angler Les Anderson landed a 97 lb 4 oz Chinook salmon on the Kenai River near Soldotna, Alaska. The fish — which measured 58.5 inches in length and 37.5 inches in girth — still stands as the IGFA all-tackle world record for Chinook salmon 41 years later. No river in the world has produced a larger king salmon on rod and reel.

The Record — Stats & Significance

• Weight: 97 lbs 4 oz (44.1 kg) — the heaviest Chinook salmon ever recorded on rod and reel by IGFA standards.
• Date caught: May 17, 1985 — during the Kenai's early king run.
• Angler: Les Anderson, a local Soldotna resident who hooked the fish from a drift boat on the lower river.
• Location: Lower Kenai River, near river mile 14 in Soldotna, Alaska.
• Method: Backtrolling with a spinner bait — a classic Kenai technique.
• IGFA recognition: Certified as the All-Tackle World Record by the International Game Fish Association.
• Mount/display: A full-size mount of the world-record fish is on permanent display at the Soldotna Visitor Center in Soldotna, Alaska.
• The previous record: The prior world record was a 93-lb king also caught on the Kenai River.

Why Does the Kenai River Produce Such Large Kings?

Kenai kings are genetically and biologically distinct from Chinook salmon found elsewhere in Alaska. Several factors combine to make them the largest in the world:

• Ocean feeding time: Kenai kings spend 4–7 years at sea before returning to spawn — far longer than most Pacific salmon populations. Each additional year adds 10–25 lbs of ocean-fed growth.
• North Pacific forage: The Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea are among the most productive marine ecosystems on earth. Kenai kings feed on sand lance, capelin, herring, and squid — all calorie-dense prey.
• Genetics: The Kenai king population has been described by biologists as a "super stock" — consistently producing fish that are genetically predisposed to larger body size than other Chinook populations.
• River conditions: The Kenai is a glacially-fed river with cold, clear water — ideal spawning habitat that supports multiple distinct run timings and allows genetic diversity to be maintained across decades.

2026 Season Status & Regulation Warning

Important: Under ADF&G Emergency Orders, sport fishing for King salmon (including catch-and-release) is CLOSED on the Kenai River for 2026 to rebuild spawning stocks toward Optimal Escapement Goals. Our guided charters during 2026 target high-volume Sockeye Salmon, aggressive Silver Salmon, and Trophy Rainbow Trout instead.