The Kenai River is Alaska's most famous fishing destination. With some of the largest king salmon in the world, red salmon runs that can exceed a million fish and rainbow trout that grow to the size of salmon, the Kenai - together with its Russian River tributary - attracts anglers from around the world.
Located on the Kenai Peninsula a few hours' drive from Anchorage, the Kenai is also one of Alaska's most accessible rivers. Campgrounds and parks along the river provide plenty of options for bank anglers, a well-developed fishing-guide industry allows novices a good chance to catch a king, and the towns of Kenai and Soldotna offer the accommodations and services - restaurants, grocery stores, motels, lodges, campgrounds, tackle shops, gas stations - that visitors need.
With the Kenai's fame and easy access, however,
come crowds. The river's reputation for combat fishing is well-deserved. In an average year, anglers spend 275,000 days fishing the Kenai River, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Anglers should not come to this river expecting a wilderness experience. But for those who enjoy good fishing and don't mind some company, the Kenai is hard to beat.
The Kenai's biggest claim to fame is its king salmon. This glacier-fed river boasts the largest king salmon ever landed with a rod and reel, a 97-pound, 4-ounce monster caught in 1985. Every year kings weighing 80 pounds or more are caught. Most are not that big, of course, but it's not uncommon to catch a 50-pounder.
It's not easy, though. Last year, the average guided angler fished 16 hours to catch a Kenai king in July, according to Fish and Game biologist Larry Marsh. Nonguided anglers fared worse, fishing 23 hours on average before hooking and landing one.
Almost all king fishing is done from a boat. There are few places on the river where a bank angler has enough room to chase one of these powerful fish when they run and fight. As a result, most visitors who want to catch a king hire a guide.
There are two distinct king runs in the Kenai. The early run starts in mid-May and ends June 30, with a peak in mid-June. This is the smaller of the two runs and because of conservation concerns has some special regulations. Bait cannot be used before June 30, and kings between 44 inches and 55 inches must be released.
Despite the restrictions, this is Scott Miller's favorite time to fish Kenai kings.
"It's just quieter," said Miller, who has been fishing the Kenai for 30 years and, as manager of the Soldotna Trustworthy Hardware store, regularly gives fishing advice to visitors. "There's not as many fish, but there's not as much pressure."
The second run starts July 1 and ends July 31. This run has more fish, and bait is allowed, but expect crowds. When fishing is good in July, the Kenai is a traffic jam of boats jostling to get into the best fishing holes. No king fishing is allowed after July 31.
Guided trips usually last about six hours and cost around $150 to $200. Guides will supply all gear, tackle and bait. Last year, more than 300 guides registered to fish the Kenai River, so shop around.
Red salmon can't compete with kings for size, but what they lack in heft they make up for in numbers. On the best days, more than 100,000 reds will enter the river.
"Most of the people are here to catch reds," Miller said. "It creates a lot of excitement and buzz. Most people have a blast."
As with kings, there are early and late runs of reds, also known as sockeye. The early run, mid-June to mid-July, is considerably smaller than the later run, but all of these fish head for the Russian River to spawn. Most fishing for this run, therefore, is concentrated on or near the Russian. Because this is one of the first salmon runs of the year and it's only a couple hours' drive from Anchorage, crowds can be overwhelming.
The second run usually starts in the second week of July and peaks during the last two weeks of the month. The fish don't always follow the calendar, though. Last year, so few fish showed up in July that the river was closed temporarily to red fishing. The fish finally came near the end of the month and kept coming all through August. By the end of August, nearly 1.5 million reds entered the Kenai.
Unlike king fishing, red fishing is done from the bank, and most people don't use guides. Catching reds can be tricky because they generally don't strike bait or lures. Red anglers use a technique known as the "Kenai flip" and end up snagging the fish in the mouth.
Reds weigh 6 to 8 pounds on average and put up a good fight. It's important to use a stout rod and heavy line. It's also important to protect yourself from flying hooks and sinkers. When the reds are in thick, expect combat fishing.
The Kenai quiets significantly in August when king fishing ends and the red run thins out. The river can still offer great salmon fishing in August and September, though, when the silvers return. Like kings, silvers are fished mostly from a boat on the Kenai, and most guide services offer trips.
Pink salmon return to the Kenai every other year. This is an off-year for these fish.
The Kenai has more to offer than salmon fishing. The Upper Kenai - near Cooper Landing - and the Russian River can provide excellent fishing for rainbow trout and Dolly Varden and is a popular destination for fly-fishers. These areas open to fishing June 11 and remain open throughout the summer and fall.
The best fishing is usually in August and September after the salmon have returned and started to spawn. Dollies and rainbows follow the salmon and gorge themselves on salmon eggs and carcasses. The abundance of food allows these fish to grow large. It's not uncommon to catch Dollies and rainbows larger than 20 inches, and some of these fish rival red salmon in size.
The fishing regulations on the Kenai are complicated. Visitors should be sure to read Fish and Game's regulations carefully, and it's probably a good idea to confirm the rules at a local tackle shop.
For more information about the Kenai River, visit these Web sites:
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game: www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/areas/kenai/kenhome.cfm.
- Kenai Convention and Visitors Bureau: www.
visitkenai.com.
- Soldotna Chamber of Commerce: www.
soldotnachamber.com.
Freelance writer Tony Lewis lives in Kenai.
