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Kenai Bound!

8K views 58 replies 20 participants last post by  RB Drifter 
#1 Ā·
Well my dad just suprised me with a trip for 8 days 7 nights to the Kenai! Looks like a beautiful lodge (Big Eddys Resort), a little different from the Glacier Bear in Yakutat. For right now we're booked from August 30 - September 6 with 2 guided salmon trips and 2 guided halibut trips along with 1 remote floatplane trip to Wolverine Creek. After reading this months issue of STS (great article btw TY) it got me thinking...

With almost 18 hours of daylight I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands to fish, and although the Kenai is just out the back door from the lodge, there's alot of other rivers to fish. Which of the other smaller streams in the area get substantial runs of Coho? Do any of you know anything about Wolverine Creek? I can't seem to find too much info. on it on the internet. Is our time period right on to catch good numers of these fish or should we change? And most importantly, what do I need to bring from my arsenal to slay these fish? I'm lovin the looks of that hootchie spinner the girl on the cover of STS is using...I can't wait, feel free to chime in and answer any of these questions or PM me if you have any secrets you wanna share!
 
#2 Ā·
With almost 18 hours of daylight I'm going to have a lot of time on my hands to fish,
Earlier in the summer, maybe.

But your dates are well past the solstice, and you will be losing about 6 minutes of daylight with each passing day.

Still plenty of time to git 'er done, but not quite like June and July.

Sunday
30 August 2009 Alaska Daylight Time


Begin civil twilight 6:08 a.m.
Sunrise 6:55 a.m.
Sun transit 2:06 p.m.
Sunset 9:15 p.m.
End civil twilight 10:01 p.m.
Sunday
6 September 2009 Alaska Daylight Time


Begin civil twilight 6:27 a.m.
Sunrise 7:12 a.m.
Sun transit 2:03 p.m.
Sunset 8:53 p.m.
End civil twilight 9:37 p.m.
 
#5 Ā·
So what do you guys think about our timing? It's not set in stone so we should still be able to change dates if need be depending on my dads schedule. The guy that sold us the trip said that the silvers should be in full swing but I dont want to just catch the end of the run...
 
#4 Ā·
Here are some spinner design that I have had great success w/ at Wolverine Cr, all over Western AK, and on the Kenai Peninsula:

Kodiak Custom, known for fish killing color combo and durable design and great action.

My custom designs, blades by R & B Lures



 
#9 Ā·
Should be in silver central.... Big Eddy Resort is aka RW's...Think right around RM 15 (I think) RW's has some great Silver fishing from their platforms, where the boat lagoon enters the river and, just downstream aboce the Island at Riverquest.

Here is a great map of the lower river from the ADFG regulations:
http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/regulations/southcentral/SCkenai.pdf
 
#8 Ā·
Oh and one more thing, my dad's been on this Pike kick and has been looking for a trip to catch some monster Northerns. Is there any lakes around there for him to get his feet wet before he spends the mucho bucks to go with a guide?
 
#10 Ā·
Trying to descifer these rules a little...can someone dum it up for me cause this doesn't exactly make sense to me?

Coho salmon 16ā€ or longer​
. . . . . July 1ā€“October 31 . . . 3 per person/3 in possesion in combination, BUT only 2 per day/2 in possesion can be Coho salmon
 
#11 Ā·
Trying to descifer these rules a little...can someone dum it up for me cause this doesn't exactly make sense to me?​



Coho salmon 16ā€ or longer
. . . . . July 1ā€“October 31 . . . 3 per person/3 in possesion in combination, BUT only 2 per day/2 in possesion can be Coho salmon
Can keep three coho. or two coho + one sockeye or chinook or two coho + 4 pink.
 
#14 Ā·
I keep my boat at Rw's Big Eddy Resort. This is an awesome spot for fishing silvers and rainbows. In fact, many coho are caught right out of the lagoon! So, on the days that you are halibut fishing or after the fly out (depending on your limit allowances) you can fish from the bank or even right in the lagoon and find fish. Casting spinners like those posted by Ty are great, however the chartreusse spinners seems to work best.

There is an area at the mouth of the lagoon where floating eggs work great as well.

While I am independant, I can say that RW empoys some very good guides and halibut charters. The flyout should be with Alaska West Air, also excellent operation.

The condo's are very nice and well equipped, and like you say, right on the river (a couple of buildings are just off the river but share about 1000' of private river frontage).

I really don't think you will be dissapointed.

Cheers
 
#16 Ā·
Thanks for clarifying that for me guys. Although almost all of our fish will be released, i'm sure a few will make the flight home :wink:. Sounds like I don't really have anything to worry about, so I guess I'll just start counting down the days....
 
#19 Ā·
You will be fishing mostly tidewater and just above for silvers in this section of river. There is a high C&R mortality for silvers in this section of river. One regulation to keep in mind is that once you kill your second silver you must hang your rod up for the day.
You will be in the areas during a great time, usually lots of fish and few people, a great combination!
 
#22 Ā·
If you can I would try for a little earlier. And don't forget the reds [sockeye], Like stealhead on steroids!!! I would rather catch reds than about anything else. Also try to get some razers at clam gultch, if the tides are good, you won't believe the size. Wolverine lake is something else, our last trip up we had grizley bears at 10 yrds! Be sure to have a camera. Get lots of sleep before you go you will need it! Enjoy and give us a report when you get back! :meme:
 
#23 Ā·
The time frame your going will provide plenty of fish. I've fished from Centennial park upstream to Bings a lot over the Labor day weekends, we've always limited out. Red or green pixies are all you'll need. And its true, odd year very little Pinks to fight though. Deep creek or Anchor will also provide fish.

I'll be in the area from ~20 July through Sept. 5th.

Tight liines.
 
#24 Ā·
Iv'e had my fun with the Sockeye that's why we opted for the Coho this year. Hopefully we can get into a steelhead or two along the way. We have 2 days for Halibut, but I have a feeling we'll probally swap one of those hali trips out for another salmon day. I went to Sportsmans today and already started buying some stuff with the trip in mind :D. Got a bunch of spinner making stuff and made my 1st attempt to build some spinners (they look fairly decent), luhr jensen had buy 2 get 1 free kwiks on sale so I picked up a few of them, and got a new spinning reel (Pflueger Pres. 6735XT).

Have any of you done Halibut out of Homer in Sept.? I remember last time I was in Yakutat sitting in the bar having a drink or two with a couple of the guides from the Glacier Bear. One of the young Halibut guides kinda started getting into it with an old school commercial fishermen and I still remember what that old timer said..."Anyone can find a lump in the ocean floor and catch fish in June or July. Come back in September and give it a try, I bet you'll luck will change."
 
#26 Ā·
Definitely try fly fishing for silvers if you can. Probably some of the best fly fishing I've ever done. Those silvers are tough and aerobatic on the fly, and you can C&R a lot easier than with bait, which I don't suggest you do a lot of (the silvers seem to take bait a lot deeper than Kings -- just my opinion). You'll be in perfect fly fishing water where you're staying, and they have a great section of river to fish off the shore.
 
#28 Ā·
Well just finished tying up a bunch of new spinners, I'll try to get some pics up to see what you guys think. Iv'e been thinking a lot lately about instead of trading a Halibut trip for a salmon trip, trading it for a shot at some monster rainbows? What do you guys think? Ty you got any Kenai bow' fish pics you wanna share :flowered: ?
 
#29 Ā·
How about a variety of pics all from the time frame on the Kenai, mainly..........


Upper River fly rod bow.


Middle R sunny bow.


Middle R phat bow.


Middle R leopard bow.


Middle R late night bow.


Upper R typical Dolly.


Middle R silver.


Another Middle R Silver.


Lower R Moster Silver limit.


Upper R rainbow for rainbow.


Steelhead from just a bit further south then Kenai.
 
#32 Ā·
Here are some pics from a little later in the season, but some real nice rainbows from the Middle R.




 
#36 Ā·
Talked to my dad today and told him I thought we should switch one of the trips for some bows'...He thought I was crazy for wanting to catch some trout rather than salmon. "You live on Washingtons only blue ribbon trout stream, and you want to waste a salmon trip?" - exact quote...Then I showed him the pics Ty posted...changed his mind completley!

As far as the steelhead starting to enter some of the rivers, is there any that stand out that time of the year? Iv'e got lots of spinners and jigs but is there something else I should bring to increase my chances from the bank?
 
#37 Ā·
As far as the steelhead starting to enter some of the rivers, is there any that stand out that time of the year? Iv'e got lots of spinners and jigs but is there something else I should bring to increase my chances from the bank?

Deep creek, Anchor and ninilchick will all have steelhead and silvers at that time. Check the regs online for bait closers and other rules pertaining to steelhead, such as it's all C&R and you can't take them out of the water.
As far as gear, just use the same thing you use here. The water is small so the best way is flyfishing IMHO.
 
#38 Ā·
Thanks for all the input and feedback guys, I really appreciate it. I can't wait to get back and share some pics and stories with you guys who gave me all this advise. One more question though! What can we expect for dollie fishing up there? Is the upper river typically a better bet to get into any numbers of Char and Trout?
 
#39 Ā·
One more question though! What can we expect for dollie fishing up there? Is the upper river typically a better bet to get into any numbers of Char and Trout?
The dollie fishing is great in the Kenai lake tribs at that time. I have 100+ days on Quartz creek every year, with my largest going 28" (about 12lb).
If you stop by Trout Fitters in Cooper Landing they will set you up with the right color of bead. I did a guided trout trip about 10 tears ago and with what they showed me, it was the best 200 bucks I've spent. There are also a few big bows around.
 
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