When is the best time to come fishing in Alaska?

- Part 1
Picking the perfect date is difficult for the life-long Alaskan guide much less the person planning their once in lifetime fishing trip!

I will attempt to pass on to you the information that I have compiled over a lifetime of fishing the kenai Peninsula and hopefully it will help you in picking your date. Continue...

When is the best time to come fishing in Alaska? Pt 2

Depending on the variety of fish you're "fishing" for:

First Run King Salmon: This run begins in mid May and continues through the month of June. I have historically found that the 3rd week of June to be the peak of this run , however the peak can vary from 1 week earlier to 1 week later. This is not to say that we do not well throughout the whole month just that the 3rd week has historically been the peak.(average size 35 lbs)

First Run Sockeye Salmon: These fish begin to make their way up river about mid June. The first run of Sockeye Salmon heads straight through the Kenai to the Russian River located in the Cooper Landing area of the upper Kenai. Therefore the Russian River is far and beyond the best and sometimes the only place to nail these first run fish.(average size 5-7 lbs)

Second Run King Salmon: This run of king Salmon start upstream July 1 and continue through July 31st. Historically the 3rd week of July is the peak for these fish but like the first run it can also be one week either direction.(average size 40 lbs)

Second Run Sockeye Salmon: The second run Sockeyes start to enter the river mid July and run through the first week of August. This run is about 10 times the size in numbers of the first run. These fish are caught from the bank from one end of the Kenai to the other! The second run Sockeye is what most Alaskans fill their freezers with.(average size 8-12 lbs)

Early Run Silver Salmon: These fish start arriving in late July and continue through August. I have found that the peak seems to be around the 15th-25th.(average size 8-14 lbs)

Late Run Silver Salmon: This run starts in the begginning of September and runs through the end of the month. The peak seems to be Sept. 15th-31st . (average size 9-16 lbs)

Rainbow Trout: The hard fighting Kenai River Rainbow are in the river throughout the year. The primetime for fishing these Trout though is mid August- the first week of October. The later the season gets the fatter these fish become with one or two caught every year in the 15 lb or larger bracket! (average size 2-8 lbs)

Cook Inlet Halibut: These Cook Inlet flat fish are readily available mid May - September The one thing to remember is after late August the water gets rougher and we have more trips cancelled due to blow-off conditions.(average size 20-60 lbs)

Other Things To Consider:
1. The Kenai River is closed to guides on Sunday and Monday in May , June and July. (making for usually better than normal fishing on Tuesday mornings)
2. The Kenai River is closed to guides taking Silver Salmon on Mondays in August and September. (however we are allowed to fish for Trout on these days)
3. The first day of bait is always the hottest during King season , picking the exact day is difficult though as Fish & Game opens bait according to their escapement numbers.
4. Weekdays ie: Tues-Fri are sometimes slightly better than weekends.

courtesy of FAQ pages at www.keniaking.com

Alaska Fishing Trips

Alaska is the perfect place in the world to have the fishing experience of a lifetime. With an infinite number of fishing resources, Alaska is the location to go to fish for rainbow trout, king salmon or halibut.

Alaska fishing trips assure a splendid fishing experience against the spectacular wilderness of the land.

When choosing where to go in Alaska, it is important to know the type of fish you are hoping to catch, because some species are region-specific. For example, if you are going on a fishing trip in Alaska and are looking to catch halibut, you should try and look for the fishing locales where halibut is known to reside. Ask the local population where this might be, and you will get some good tips.

The climatic conditions must also be conducive to the fish you are looking for. If you are fishing in the summertime, you may not be able to catch the same types of fish you caught last winter.

Again, ask around.

Southeast Alaska is popular for salmon, steelhead and halibut fishing. A great abundance of fighting fish is found in the Kenai River. Anchorage, Seward, Soldotna, Homer, the Kodiak Island of south-central Alaska, Bristol Bay and the Kuskokwim River of southwest Alaska are prime fishing destinations. Lake Hood in Anchorage Alaska is famous for fly fishing.

No matter where or when you choose to fish in Alaska, be sure to pack all of the necessary supplies. In the cold winter months, you should dress extremely warmly. In other seasons, dress in layers so that the sudden shifts in temperature can be accomodated as you fish all day or over the course of a week or weekend.