KENAI, Alaska (AP) – Several hundred people made their way to Kenai for the opening weekend of the most widely used personal dipnetting beach in the state.

More than 300 people gathered on the Kenai River Saturday to use their hand nets to search for salmon, the Peninsula Clarion reported.

The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has predicted that 3.7 million sockeye will be harvested during the 2015 fishing season, but many people reported smaller-than-average catches and slow fishing this weekend.

“Very few people (are catching),’’ said Matthew Dollick, 16, of Wasilla. “Everyone...