By Steve Strauss | Guest Contributor
Put the flip-flops and bathing suits away. Pack your waders, thermals, and bear spray. You’re heading 4,500 miles north to experience Kenai Peninsula fishing and the adventure of Alaska’s wild waters. Since this is not a spontaneous day trip to the river or the beach, there will be considerably more planning. This series of articles will offer you insight into the bucket list experience of fishing in Alaska.
My expertise is gleaned from over 20 summers of fishing in the fresh and salt waters of Alaska. Although I’m not an accomplished author, I am a somewhat accomplished salmon fisherman.
It is also an advantage that my son-in-law is the proprietor of this magazine. So let’s start with a few basic considerations.
Where To Fish In Alaska
Alaska is a huge state twice the size of Texas with only 700,000 residents. The road system is comically limited but gives you access to a wide plethora of fishing opportunities. For this article, we will explore the easily accessible areas of South Central Alaska within a couple of 100 miles of Anchorage. Most “Chechahcos” (Chinook Jargon for residents of the lower 48) will concentrate they’re angling in this area as Anchorage is the easiest access point.
From Anchorage, you can pan out in rental cars and RVs to drive to points or fly to the hundreds of fishing lodges throughout the state.
Obviously, most people will fly to Alaska. To give a reference, Alaska is 4 hours earlier than Eastern time. It’s a seven-and-a-half-hour flight from Atlanta if you’re lucky enough to get a direct flight. All flights going west originate in the morning and get to Alaska late afternoon/ early evening. No matter how late you get in it will be light outside. On the solstice, June 21, there will be 22 hours of functional light. Dusk is around 12:00a to 12:30a and Dawn is around 2:30a to 3:00a. You essentially get two days worth of light every day! Feel like hitting the river at 11 pm? Have at it! Although remember some rather large critters like to eat fish at that time also.
When Is Fishing Season In Alaska?
Alaska has four seasons: June, July, August, and Winter. Unless you plan on augering through three feet of ice plan on fishing the three summer months. Luckily the fishing Gods arranged for excellent fishing throughout the whole timeframe. In the saltwater, the bottom fishing for Pacific Halibut, Rockfish (Bass), and Ling cod is constant all summer long. But in the fresh, it’s all about timing the Salmon runs.
When Is Salmon Fishing Season in Alaska?
There are five distinct species of salmon Chinook (King) Coho (Silver), Sockeye (Red), Pink (Humpy), and Chum (Dog). They are anadromous, which means they spend time in both fresh and saltwater. They begin their lifecycle in the freshwater rivers and lakes as smolt. After one to two years in the freshwater, they migrate by the millions into the Pacific Ocean where they grow and return to the exact same rivers one to four years later. It’s a one-way trip as they complete the cycle by spawning and subsequently dying.
In the freshwater rivers, there are numerous runs (periods when the salmon are migrating to spawning grounds) of the different salmon species. The runs overlap each other and occur in numerous rivers as well. The most targeted salmon are the King, Silver, and Sockeye. The pink and Chum Salmon are not looked at favorably as they deteriorate rapidly when they enter the freshwater.
Unfortunately, the most prized trophy fish, the King, has had its returns so severely diminished over the last decade that the fishing for these magnificent salmon is highly restricted. Conversely, targeting Sockeye has never been better. For whatever reason Sockeye have returned to the rivers in record numbers over the past five to six years. Sockeye are 6 to 12-pound fish that can be best described as bass on steroids. They are abundant in numerous rivers from June to the beginning of August. When the sockeye run starts to wane, the silver run starts and goes until it starts snowing.
Halibut Fishing the Kenai Peninsula
For the saltwater enthusiast, there are abundant opportunities to target fish all summer long. For these, you will have to charter boats out of the many ports south of Anchorage. The three most common are Seward, Homer, and Whittier. The most targeted fish is the Pacific Halibut. These range from the chickens in the 15 to 20-pound range to the barn doors in the 100-plus pound range. Also available are cod, ling, and rockfish (bass). You can fish for one or all of the above on combo trips. Limits are generous and the scenery and wildlife sightings are just amazing.
Other Opportunities on the Kenai Peninsula
It should also be mentioned that the rivers and lakes have resident fish available also. Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden are abundant all summer long. They are especially aggressive during the salmon runs when the rivers have plenty of salmon roe and decomposing salmon flesh available. These beautiful fish can get to 10 pounds and are for the most part catch and release. Most rivers will allow one of these fish up to 18 inches to be kept per day, but it’s generally take the selfie and return it to the river.
As far as the lakes, of which there are thousands, lake trout and brown trout are abundant and can push 30 pounds. In recent years that has been an increase in Northern Pike which comete with native fish. Anglers are encouraged to target and keep these unwanted predators.
If you are so inclined to dig for your dinner, Razor clams are available during big negative tides. A trip across the Cook Inlet will give you the opportunity to fill a couple of 5 gallon buckets, calming on the peninsula is not as productive. The actual limit is how many clams you want to clean! And finally, if you are fished out, there are quite a few microbreweries on the Kenai Peninsula. Hit your Sockeye limit and your Alaskan Amber limit on the same day! You should probably do it in that order though.
So, Where Are We Headed?
In future articles, I will discuss the when, where, and how of planning an Alaskan trip from a non-Chamber of Commerce point of view. There are so many avenues, from five-star lodges to renting a car and packing a tent, especially when it comes to Kenai Peninsula fishing adventures. And although Alaska is a US state, it’s almost as if you were in a foreign country.
