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Back from my Kenai vacation

6K views 33 replies 26 participants last post by  FrogPond 
#1 · (Edited)
I just got back from nine days fishing Alaska’s Kenai River, talk about sleep depravation!

On the first night we got there we were on the water at midnight and fished ‘till 2:30 a.m. then we caught a little sleep and were back on the water again by five.

Midnight on our first night.


This window sticker became our motto.


In the first four days (96 hours) I only slept eight hours. It all became a blur.

We couldn’t tell night from day or up from down. Everything started to seem funny and we couldn’t even order at a drive through and remember what we had just ordered. It was like being drunk without ever drinking a thing. Ty would even fall asleep in mid sentence and start snoring.

How did we do it? I’m not sure. Except for the Rockstar.


After those first four days we began to moderate and sleep in just a little more each day. We went into a fishing mode of fish, eat fast food, sleep a little and fish some more.

Fishing was a little slow by Alaskan standards but we ended up managing. It has been seventeen years since I last fished the Kenai but within one trip we were in the groove of catching three or four fish a day. I think our best day we caught seven. With good bait and reading water we were catching as many or more than most.

The Kenai is far from a wilderness experience with all the development and boats but it’s still awesome.


We released a lot of our fish but here’s a few 40’s that we did keep.







I’d also like to thank all those who showed us that great Alaskan hospitality by hooking us up with boats, vehicles and places to stay.

I have more pictures and will update when I get them developed and/or when I have time so stay tuned.
 
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#7 ·
Awesome place, ain't it?! Looks like you had a great trip! My trip last year mimmicked your "fishing/sleeping mode" too! We're headed out tomorrow for a week! Can't wait! Thanks for sharing!
 
#12 ·
David - I just got back from 8 days on the Kenai as well. I'm sure we passed each other a few times. I was fishing with a friend (but he has guide stickers) so we were had to pull out at 6PM each night (fortunately). I released a bunch and kept 1 45 pound hen that had an artery poke. I was trying my hardest not to kill anything on this special river.

I had two "fish of a lifetimes" on within 10 minutes on Thursday when the first push of big bucks came in. The first one I got to the boat and it released itself before we could get a measure. The second grabbed my line and ran 200 yards down river and straightened my hook after a few head shakes... I guess I'll have to go back and try for my replica mount next year.

Jeff

Jeff
 
#17 ·
David loves to "Party like a rockstar"!!! and for good reason becuase on his days off, he does often fish : ) I have chrome colored proof coming very soon...


:dance:!!!Party Like A Rock Star!!!:dance:
 
#22 ·
On one of my last days of my trip Ty got me out on the upper Kenai in his nice, new drift boat. GREAT TIMES!

I haven’t fished for trout since I was in high school but let me tell you, this is the place to fish for trout. Up until this trip my biggest rainbow was 18 inches. It’s now over 28 inches!

We started fishing about 3:30 pm and fished until 10. My first fish was a twenty one inch scrapper that would make any steelhead proud. From then on we were into fish in every place we tried, landing 35 to 40 fish.

There were a few twelve inchers but most were eighteen to twenty three inches with some even bigger.

It took forever to get my slide developed and then scanned but I finally got them and it seems like the camera wasn’t in focus on most pics so what I have doesn’t do justice to how great these fish looked.


Twenty six inches


Twenty eight inches:dance:
 
#25 ·
David,
As always your stay was awsome and it was great meeting Shawn and Eric. You couldn't have come at a more opportune time and it appears that the fishing didn't improve to significantly due the those darn gill nets.

Thanks for all your help and over the years for the little time that we have spent together fishing I have learned more from u than any of my mentors. Look forward to the next time we can fish!













 
#27 ·
Man, there are a number of reasons on this post to make me want to head to Alaska for the 1st time! Some of those reasons are very chrome and very large, but there is something very appealing about those trout!

Great pictures and some great fish!!
 
#28 ·


Man! That background looks familiar! What a great feeling this post gave me. Reminds me of my sleepless trip to AK. What fun! This is Kim Katsion with a brute!

Jen
 
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