Frequently Asked Questions.

Here is where you will find frequently asked questions.

When is the best time to come fishing in Alaska?

Picking the perfect date is difficult for the Alaskan guide much less the person planning their once in lifetime fishing trip! Reservations fill up fast for many of the best fishing days. It is best to contact us in early-spring to start making plans. Space permitting we will accept last minute reservations but it is best that you call us in advance so that we are more likely able to do our accommodate you on the dates that you seek.

We also understand that many visits to Alaska happen at the last minute so if you find yourself calling one-week in advance we just might have space available . One word of advise though, many people that wait to book their fishing until they get to Alaska are are sorely disappointed that the best times are taken when they want to go with us or many of the other fishing guide services in the area. I will attempt to pass on to you the information that I have compiled and hopefully it will help you in picking your date.

Kasilof River:
This run begins in mid May and continues through the month of June. King Salmon range from average between 15 pounds to around 35 pounds with an occasional 50 to 60 pound monster taken by a lucky angler. A realistic fishing trip will see clients catching fish in the range of 20 to 30 pound fish that is very feisty. These Kings are only traveling short distances from the saltwater and provide anglers with a great fight on lighter gear than we use on the Kenai Kings. Catch rates by clients tend to be higher during the early mornings of May and June and fishing from a drift boat provides many opportunities to see wildlife that trips on the Kenai River sometimes neglect to see. A frequent trip will include multiple "hook-ups" and a great Alaska fishing experience.

Kenai First Run King Salmon:
Kenai 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)

Kenai 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) I can arrange fly out trips to remote locations to target this run.

Kenai Second Run King Salmon:
Kenai 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)

Kenai 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)

Kenai 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)

Kenai Late Run Silver Salmon:
Kenai 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) Halibut trips departing from Homer and Ninilchik are both a short, roughly 1 hour drive south of Soldotna. Our guides use fully-equipped "6-Passenger" boats that are both efficient and comfortable. Many years of experience in the local waters is crucial due to unexpected weather and sea conditions in Cook Inlet. We only work with Captains' that we fish with ourselves.

Other Things To Consider
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)

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)

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.

Weekdays ie: Tues-Fri are sometimes slightly better than weekends.

The best time is generally before the 1st of the year if you want to be garanteed of booking specific dates. Our heavy booking season generally starts in January and continues through May.

We require a 50% deposit on your total trip to confirm your dates, with the balance due on arrival.

We accept Visa or MC as well as Personal checks and Money Orders.

I hope this gives you a little more insight into picking the perfect date! If you are now totally confused? Pick up the phone and call me and we'll try to figure it out together!

What do I bring on my trip?
The climate in Alaska can very greatly during the summer from rainy and 40 degrees - 85+ degrees and sunny, it is best to be prepared for either. Here are some of our recommendations:

Things to Bring to Alaska List
Several sweaters and or sweat shirts or fleece for dressing in layers

Heavy and light jacket

Sun glasses and sun screen

Rain gear if you have a favorite set

A hat and gloves

Photo Equipment: some people prefer to carry small disposable cameras while others bring digital camcorders, whatever you prefer.

Lunch, Drinks and Snacks: everyone needs to bring a lunch for the day. I will usually have some drinks such as sodas and coffee but I suggest bringing what you would like to eat and drink for the trip. You are welcome to bring a cooler or backpack to keep it in.

*Waders(Mid July - Early August)

*Medium heavy spinning set up(Mid July - Early August)

*Items to be used for Sockeye fishing from bank while not on charters*

License Info

Since Soldotna is a major fishing town in Alaska, there are several places that you can get your license when you arrive here. It should only take a few minutes and is pretty easy. If you are the type of person that likes to get everything taken care of before you arrive then you can visit the Alaska Department of Fish and Game Web Site to purchase your license online, just go to my Links page and click "Buy your license here".

If you prefer to just fight a few Salmon and not keep one, your guide will make the best attempt to revive the fish and release it safely. If the guide deems that the fish will not live if released, then we are required to keep the fish and count it toward your bag limit. We will not waste fish and highly respect what these rivers produce.

State of Alaska, License Fees

Nonresident License Fees

* Nonresident anglers 16 years of age and younger do not need a sports fishing license. For anglers not required to be licensed, a harvest card is issued and may be obtained without charge from any licensed vendor.

Non-resident 1 - day:
$10.00

Non-resident 3 - day:
$20.00

Non-resident 7 - day:
$30.00

Non-resident 14 day:
$50.00

Non-resident annual:
$100.00

Non-resident King Salmon Tag Fees

Non-resident 1 - day:
$10.00

Non-resident 3 - day:
$20.00

Non-resident 7 - day:
$30.00

Non-resident 14 day:
$50.00

Non-resident annual:
$100.00