Fishing the Kenai

Planning for your Kenai River Fishing Trip.

Just mention Alaska fishing and the mighty Kenai River will surely come up in the conversation. There is good reason for this as the Kenai is the most publicized river in the state mainly due to the excellent accessibility to prime fishing waters, a large base of guide services, and some of the largest runs of world class salmon anywhere on the planet.

What’s the first thing that comes to mind when we talking about fishing the Kenai River? well for most, it’s Kenai River Salmon Fishing and rightfully so. This 82 mile long river meanders through a lush spruce, birch and cottonwood lined valley from it’s outlet at Kenai lake down through Skilak lake and on out to the saltwater of Cook Inlet at the town of Kenai. Many miles of the river are accessible by road and even more by trails but to really fish this mighty river for King Salmon, the need of a boat is often required.
If this is your first time fishing the Kenai, you will need to obtain a current copy of the Alaska Fishing Regulations for Southcentral Alaska and thoroughly read the sections that concern the Kenai River section you are planning to fish. There are many rules sections of the river so be sure to read and understand the regs for the area of the Kenai River you are fishing.

Fishing Tackle for Fishing the Kenai River.

If your tackle box looks like mine, than choosing a lure gets to be a pain staking trial of well educated guess work at best. But with every river and each individual quarry, there are some lures and methods that seem to work more often than not. All this depends greatly upon the methods of fishing, water conditions and time of day to just name a few.

Fishing Rods

Your fishing rod for the Kenai needs to be built with a good strong backbone to help control the fish in the strong current of this large fast flowing river. Graphite Rods made by companies like St. Croix and Lamiglas use quality guides (eyelets) are the basis for a good Kenai salmon rod. Choose a rod in the 8 to 9 foot range and with at least 8 line guides. Longer rods act like extended shock absorbers when fighting a fish and place less stress upon your line and the hook in the mouth of that Kenai River Salmon you are fighting.

The line weight rating for the rod varies upon salmon species and fishing methods but a good general rule is 12-25 lb test for King Salmon, 10-20 lb test for Silvers and 6-17 lb test for Reds. This may need to be adjusted depending upon your methods but you can use it as a general rule.

Some of the proven rod builders are G-Loomis, Lamiglas, St. Croix, and Fenwick.

Fishing Reels

Basically there are two types of reels for fishing the Kenai River. First is the Bait Caster (Level Wind) and then there is the Spinning Reel.

Bait Casting Reels.

The level wind reels like this Ambassadeur Reel from Abu Garcia has been the workhorse of the Alaska Salmon fishing crowd for years. Built strong, these reels excel in the harsh environment encountered attempting to control the immense power of these mighty salmon of the Kenai River.

Advantages of the Level Wind Reel.

Generally speaking, bait casting reels are the types that have the spool winding the line parallel with the length of the rod, as compared to the spinning reel which has the spool winding the line perpendicularly to the length of the rod. Bait casting reels come in two styles, the low profile and the round bait casters. Whichever one you chose is up to you but they each have their own advantages and characteristics. A low profile bait caster will fit nicely in your hand, has an open top which gives easy access to clear out a backlash, and in some cases just looks cool. A round bait caster will generally have more drag washers (which can deliver a smoother drag and more breaking power), more line capacity, and is usually made with a durable all metal construction. Another big advantage to the bait caster is that they tend not to twist your line on the reel like a spinning reel does.

Spinning Reels.

The spinning reel is the beginner fisherman's friend, yet in many cases, it’s the ideal reel for certain fishing. Often referred to as "coffee grinders" because of their resemblance to one with the spinning bail section winding the line while cranking on the handle. These reels excel when light lines and lures are on the ticket for the day. If your fishing with say 6 or 8 lb. test and casting a 1/8 ounce or lighter lure, spinning reels are your first choice. This comes true when fishing for the Kenai Rainbow Trout or Dolly Varden.

There are two main types of spinning reels classified by the location of their drag mechanism. The first type is the rear drag.
Rear Drag Spinning Reels.
On this particular style the adjustment knob for the drag setting is on the rear of the reel body. The big convenience here is not having to reach in front of the reel to adjust the drag, a nice feature when fighting a large salmon.
Front Drag Spinning Reels.
The second type is the front drag spinning reel, which has the drag adjustment on the front of the reel spool. The drag mechanism is actually built into the spool itself. Having the drag system here brings it close to the actual moving part of the reel as line is being pulled out against the drag. This results in a smoother drag. Also by having it there, it allows for larger and more drag washers to be used. The increased surface area greatly contributes to the smoothness of the drag.

Fishing Reel Roundup.

Match the lure to the line, the line to the reel, and the reel to the rod and you will be in a pretty good position for fishing the Kenai or any other body of water.

Fishing Line

In the past few years the world of fishing line has seemed to move into the high tech world of spectra fibres and our old friend the monofilament line has seemingly fewer and fewer followers on the river these days. The weight of your line depends on your rod and reel, the weight of the lure, the size of the fish, and the water where you are planning to go fishing. Keep in mind that a heavy line (larger diameter) rides up higher in the water, especially fast water, so it can severely limit fishing depth. Big fish can be landed with lighter, smaller diameter, line if your rod and reel choice, terminal tackle and your personal skill level are sufficient to the task.

The New Generation of Spectra Fibre Fishing Lines.

Spectra Fibre lines like Tuf Line from Western Filament can be seen on more fishing reels along the Kenai River then ever before. There are some good reasons for this as this new and improved fishing line is supper strong, has nearly no stretch, very small diameters that translates into more line on smaller, lighter reels, less drag in the water, and super flexibility for a more natural presentation of the lure or bait. Also very important is that when a fish bites it is easily felt and the hook-set is quick and sure due to the lack of line stretch. You need to adjust your knots for this line but after doing so the knot strength is superior to monofilament. Practice the Triple Palomar knot before heading to the river. It's very easy to tie and suggested with this type of line.

Fishing in rocky waters? this stuff excels their too. Abrasion resistance is outstanding against the rocks of the Kenai River.

The Ole Standby, Monofilament Lines, still a great fishing line.

If a monofilament is to be used on the Kenai, be sure to purchase a top quality line such as Maxima, Trilene or Stren. Using one of the generic off the shelf bulk lines can lead to a very disappointing trip. Also beware that monofilament lines weaken with both age and use. Monofilament is subject to the elements like UV and looses it's strength after repeated use. if using monofilament, be sure to change it out on a regular basis.

Fishing the Kenai with Spoons and Spinners

Each year I hear about some new wonder lure that out fishes every other lure on the river. Trouble is the lure is usually not the main factor in catching fish. Presentation is the key and each lure excells in a paticular type of water.

What I'm trying to say here is this. Knowing the charactoristics of the lures and how to fish them is the key to catching more fish. You will see guides using diving plugs from their boats, but using them from shore is a waste of time. Spinners and spoons cast out from shore or from a boat require that they get down to where the fish are.

As a general rule,
Rivers, unlike lakes, have built-in currents which make it more difficult to present a spinner or spoon properly. There are three basic kinds of casts used to fish rivers with hardware and these are illustrated above. When fishing spoons, the most common cast will be across the stream from your position or just slightly upstream, allowing the spoon to sink a moment or two before beginning a retrieve. As the spoon works downstream and gets caught in the current, you should slow your retrieve. As it works across the stream, back toward your position, stop reeling altogether. Once the lure has reached quiet, soft water and has begun settling toward the bottom (vibrations at the rod tip will fade), then it's time to reel the lure slowly in and make another cast.

Tailout areas are favorites for feeding, resting and holding fish. These areas are at the tail end of a hole or drift where the water gets shallow and begins picking up speed. Because of their shallowness, tailouts are hard to fish with cross-stream casts and are best worked with downstream casts. Position yourself above the tailout you wish to work and then cast across and downstream, into the edge of the tailout. When the spoon or spinner hits the water, take a few turns of your reel handle and then let the current do the work for the rest of the way, pushing and activating the lure as it crosses the river back to your bank.
Extremely deep holes or fast water require yet another kind of casting technique called "upstreaming". The lure is cast upstream and then allowed to settle toward the bottom as you reel in a line very slowly. By the time it has reached a position across from you, it should be near the bottom and then can be slowly reeled in until the current catches it. Then the cross-stream technique is used. With spoons, the upstream cast provides the "extra weight" to get your lure down in deep water.

NOTE: Hardware should not be bounced along the bottom like drift tackle. Although some anglers catch fish by accident this way, it does not allow the lure to obtain the fish-enticing action needed, besides the fact it will often result in snagging up and losing the lure. However, spoons should be fished NEAR the bottom. If you feel a tap now and then from rocks or the bottom, you are fishing the correct depth and reeling at the correct speed. If you feel a series of taps, speed up your retrieve. No taps — slow down the retrieve. A hard tap (strike) . . . set the hook.

Fishing Spinners for Salmon

Spinners can effectively be used in rivers with all three casting methods previously described upstream, cross-stream and downstream. With wide-blade shapes, the upstream technique can be particularly deadly and is best accomplished with a high-speed spinning reel. Cast the spinner out and as soon as it hits the water, begin reeling to start the blade in motion. As soon as the blade begins turning, you will feel vibrations and your rod tip will throb. If you feel steady ticks from the spinner blade, the lure is too close to the bottom and you should reel faster. If you don't feel a tap once in a while, slow down as the lure isn't working close enough to the bottom. You should use a retrieve speed that causes the spinner blade to nick a rock or touch bottom every few seconds.
Most anglers try to fish spinners too fast, even though the most effective method has proved to be a slow-moving lure, fished near the bottom an easy meal for a nearby fish.
Colors and patterns of spinners closely resemble those recommended for lake fishing. You will also find contrasting color combinations best, such as a Nickel Blade/Black Body, Brass Blade/Red Body with black spots, etc. These add extra color and action to the lure. Single hooks are also available for situations where they are required by law like here on the Kenai River or where weeds or moss are a problem. Single hooks tend to not tear out of the fishes mouths as easy and have a wider gap for deeper penetration into the fishes jaw.

A word about Fishing Spinners.

Spinner fishermen must select their terminal tackle with care. Use swivels sparingly, if ever. Most spinners are balanced for optimum performance when tied directly to your line. Remember, quality spinners do not cause line twist. Poorly engineered reels and bad spinner fishing habits cause line twist. Remember to take a quick glance at the spinner before each cast to insure it’s “clean.” The principal causes of line twist is poor quality gear and “junk” stuck to the lure.

We hope that this has been found helpful in planning for your next Kenai River fishing trip. If you have any suggestions to add to this segment, please contact us and we will look into adding your information to this growing Kenai River Fishing Guide.

Thank you for stopping by.

Alaska Fishing
46045 Spruce Place
Kenai Alaska 99611
907-776-5783

If you have an idea or suggestion to add to this section, feel free to contact us here and we will include all appropriate information to this article.