Fishing for Salmon, Halibut and Trout on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska
The fishing season in Alaska varies depending on the type of fishing you are interested in doing. Please refer to our table below to see when is the best time to plan your Alaska fishing trip.
Rainbow Trout – Oncorhynchus mykiss
Avid rainbow anglers know how famous the Kenai River is for producing world-class rainbows. Rainbows up to 24 inches are common in this prodigious watershed. Surviving in the glacier fed river and gorging themselves on salmon roe, these rainbows will take almost anything that looks or smells native to their diet selection.
Dolly Varden – Oncorhynchus salvelini
Similar in feeding habits to rainbows, dollies provide great fishing action in between rainbows, reds, and silvers. Easily recognized for their bright pink spots, these fish can get as large as rainbows. Like the feeding habits of rainbows, dollies will follow the salmon and gorge themselves on salmon roe making them a surprising and worthy fish to catch.
Sockeye (Red) Salmon – Oncorhynchus nerka
Known for their acrobatic ability once hooked, these fish will give you every bit of fishing action you would want, plus some. Pound for pound, the reds, just coming in from the saltwater are nothing but pure explosive demons on steroids. The second run reds are usually larger and average about 8 lbs. Typical tackle used is a 6 ½ ft. med-stiff action rod with and open or bait-casting reel using 15# test monofilament finished with a single hook adorned with a coho fly. For those interested in fly-fishing, we have 9-weight rods available for your use.
Coho (Silver) Salmon – Oncorhynchus kisutch
Often overlooked by nature and vacation schedules, the silver salmon delivers a wallop of a surprise after a dizzying season of threading single hooks into the passing mouths of reds. Unlike their cousins, the reds, these salmon will aggressively take egg baited hooks or strike at any lure put in front of them. Silvers are larger than the reds, typically averaging 10-12 lbs.
Chinook (King) Salmon – Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Home of the world record King Salmon at 97 lbs, the Kenai River, offers a truly once in a lifetime opportunity to land the freshwater giants. These big boys are best caught and landed by boat. Statistics have shown that 10% of the registered guides catch 90% of the king salmon taken on the Kenai River. Your best chance to land one of these is to “hook up” with a guide on the lower Kenai.
Pacific Halibut
Kachemak Bay is home to the finest halibut fishing found anywhere. Additionally, the savory white meat from this bottom dweller is the absolute best. Even if deep saltwater fishing is not your thing, you are encouraged to try it once. A day fishing trip with a charter captain will provide a day of scenic beauty and an opportunity to observe marine wildlife, and possibly a chance to land that 250 lb. barn door behemoth. There is a good chance to encounter whales, sea otters, eagles, and other marine life. Along the coastlines, black bears are a common sight.
Charter Captain for Pacific Halibut Fishing
