Kenai Area Guides

offensivename

offensivename

Steelhead
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Parents are planning a trip to the Kenai area next summer, while spending 7 hours driving to a national park and 7 hours back to spend a couple hours and get a stamp at the visitor center sounds thrilling, I'd rather spend a couple days fishing. Anyone have any guides they'd recommend in the area? Or any self service options they'd recommend? Just starting the research now, sounds like we're targeting July.
 
Troutfitters for the upper/middle.

July will be wall-to-wall reds and the resulting army of harvesters 24/7, hope you weren't looking for any solitude.
 
G_Smolt said:
Troutfitters for the upper/middle.

July will be wall-to-wall reds and the resulting army of harvesters 24/7, hope you weren't looking for any solitude.
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I'm coming for the free airfare and lodging, if it hooks me I'll probably try and find more me things up there in the future.
 
offensivename said:
I'm coming for the free airfare and lodging, if it hooks me I'll probably try and find more me things up there in the future.
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I've never, ever heard any fisherperson go up to Alaska and see what a real functioning salmon ecosystem looks like and come back and say, "Meh, whatever, I like fishing down here better."
 
offensivename said:
Parents are planning a trip to the Kenai area next summer, while spending 7 hours driving to a national park and 7 hours back to spend a couple hours and get a stamp at the visitor center sounds thrilling, I'd rather spend a couple days fishing. Anyone have any guides they'd recommend in the area? Or any self service options they'd recommend? Just starting the research now, sounds like we're targeting July.
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Mid to Late July to you should hit the 2nd run of Sockeye. This last year there were 100,000-250,000 fish per day entering the Kenai River from July 16th - August 6th (historically large numbers). You can use the link below to see what the runs have looked like the past several years.

Fish Counts - Sport Fish - ADF&G

Sport Fish Escapement Counts, Alaska Dept. of Fish & Game
www.adfg.alaska.gov www.adfg.alaska.gov

If you want to target Rainbows and Dollies you'll want a guide, but July isn't really prime time for those species...much better earlier and later.

If you are targeting Sockeye you can get a guide if you want to see more of the river and have a more relaxing experience, but you don't need a guide to catch fish. The flossing method should easily catch you your limit as long as the fish are in. You will have a lot of company, but if you are willing to walk a distance from the road/ferry you will be able to find some elbow room. The top of the area that the guides start fishing on the upper Kenai (below the powerlines) is at most a 30 minute walk down river from the ferry. Quick map below (not hotspotting...common knowledge in Alaska).

1761586058638.png

Gear recommendations:
-7/8 weight with floating WF line to match...cheap rod is fine
-15-20lb leader
-Weight: enough to bounce on bottom, not so much that it hangs up on bottom
-Flies: Standard "Coho" fly. It really doesn't matter for flossing

I've spent a lot of time fishing that stretch of river, so just DM if you need specific info.
 
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