Specific Alaska Fishing Information
Thank
you for choosing
Alaska Fishing with Mark Glassmaker!
Since 1990, we have been assisting Alaska visitors in planning professionally
guided, high-quality fishing adventures to the Kenai Peninsula. From
their lodging, fishing, sightseeing and travel arrangements, it has
been our foremost priority to provide our guests with only the highest
quality of services. My wife Cindy and I offer honest, detailed information
for the customer to base their decisions on. For most, a trip to Alaska
is a very special, even "once in a lifetime" occasion and
we want it to meet all of your expectations. This is why we encourage
you to fully research your destination and the various activities you
plan to pursue. A well established game plan will go a long way toward
making sure you not only catch fish, but that your entire trip flows
smoothly.
On
all of our guided fishing trips, we provide all of the necessary fishing
gear. We are very particular about the equipment we use and you should
expect nothing but the best. All of our boats are new, clean, and comfortable.
On the rivers, we use both 20-foot power and drift boats that are custom
designed for the water we fish. Both vessels comfortably accommodate
four passengers. Once aboard you will see only top of the line fishing
equipment. We are factory sponsored by Fish-On! /Tempress and they supply
only the finest seats, rod holders and additional marine equipment for
our guests. As an exclusive Pro Staff member for Lamiglas fishing rods,
we also have the privilege of providing the most advanced rods on the
market today. With over 50 years of experience designing salmon and
steelhead rods, Lamiglas has established an industry standard that we
are proud to represent. To compliment these fine fishing rods, we exclusively
offer Shimano reels. This combination gets the job done every day against
some of the most demanding fisheries in the world. In addition to premium
rods and reels, you can expect only the sharpest hooks, most innovative
and proven lures and the freshest bait. We hand wash every inch of our
gear and boats after all of our trips, so you can expect everything
to be spotless when we meet you in the morning.
KING ME!
During
king season, we offer both full and half day fishing trips. On the Kenai,
guides are restricted to fishing between the hours of 6:00 AM and 6:00
PM in May, June and July. Accordingly, we begin in the morning at 5:30
AM. Full day trips allow for 8-10 hours of fishing time, typically from
6AM to 3-4PM. We also offer two half day trips daily, one in the morning
from 5:30AM to 11:30AM and an afternoon trip from 12:00PM to 6:00PM.
While there are a number of days when a half day trip offers ample opportunity
at catching a Kenai King, a full day trip does afford you additional
flexibility as you have the boat for the entire day and sometimes an
extra 2-3 hours can make a big difference. We also fish the Kasilof
River, and this is a drift boat only fishery (no motors). Far more glacial
(murky) than the Kenai, the Kasilof is 15 miles to the south and flows
from the largest lake on the Kenai Peninsula, Tustamena Lake.
It
is important to remember that the Kenai is not known for producing daily
limits or extraordinary numbers of kings. In fact many other rivers
in Alaska surpass the Kenai in sheer numbers of king salmon. The Kenai
is a trophy river. It holds the largest STRAIN of king salmon in the
world with the average fish weighing 35-40 lbs. King salmon over fifty
pounds are actually common, and nine out of the ten largest kings EVER
CAUGHT were taken from the Kenai River. The world record was set here
in May 1985 with a Kenai king that weighed 97lbs. Kenai King Salmon
can also be very difficult to catch and fishing from a boat is paramount.
The Kenai is a very refined fishery where it has been accurately portrayed
that 10 % of the guides catch 90 % of the king salmon.
The
Kenai and the Kasilof each have two annual returns of king salmon. On
the Kenai, the early run begins in May and lasts until the end of June.
While this run has less fish (15-year average of approximately 15,000
fish) and is less predictable than the late run, it also sees far less
fishing pressure. The early run on the Kenai also coincides with an
early run of both hatchery and wild king salmon on the Kasilof River
and these two fisheries make both May and June a great time to visit.
We are prepared to fish each river daily so we will often schedule our
king salmon trips for either the Kenai or the Kasilof in May and June,
and then let you decide the evening prior to your trip according to
current fishing conditions. We always recommend fishing both of these
beautiful rivers, as each destination offers its own unique experience.
Pertinent information regarding early-run kings on both
the Kenai and the Kasilof:
Kenai Kings, Early Run:
- Season:
May 1 - June 30
-
Regulations: Single Hook, Bait allowed after in-season projections
for escapement are met. No retention slot: 46-55 inches. One fish
per day, two per year. No fishing after retention. Closed to guided
fishing Sundays and Mondays.
-
Peak time: June 10-20
Kasilof
Kings, Early Run:
- Season:
May 15 - June 30
-
Regulations: Multiple Hooks, Bait Allowed, Retention of two hatchery
fish (adipose clipped) 7 days a week, retention of wild fish on Tuesdays,
Thursdays and Saturdays only. Limit two fish per day (two hatchery
or one wild /one hatchery: Tues, Thur. Sat), five per season. Fishing
after retention allowed.
- Peak
time: May 25 - June 15
The
late run of Kenai Kings is one of the most popular fisheries in all
of Alaska. The annual return typically peaks in the last two weeks of
July. The Kenai opens to the use of bait on July 1 and this greatly
improves fishing success. You can expect excellent king fishing during
the entire month. The annual average for this run is close to 40,000
fish. This late run of king salmon represents the peak of our season
and combined with the late run of sockeye salmon, one can expect the
Kenai River and surrounding communities to be very busy. We suggest
making reservations up to a year in advance, especially for the last
two weeks of July.
Kenai
Kings, Late Run:
- Season:
July 1 - July 31
-
Regulations: Single Hook, bait allowed. One fish per day, two per
year. No fishing after retention. Closed to guided fishing Sundays
and Mondays.
- Peak
time: July 20-31
In July, the Kasilof has an entirely wild return of late run kings.
Since fishing pressure is very low and the number of fish is high, we
encourage our July guests to consider a day of drift boat fishing in
addition to the more popular (and crowded) Kenai fishery. This late
run of Kings in the Kasilof is a big, hard fighting fish often exceeding
40 pounds. Fighting these big kings with no motor in extremely fast
current is a very challenging and remarkable experience.
Kasilof
Kings, Late Run:
- Season:
July 1 - July 31
-
Regulations: Double Hook, bait allowed. One fish per day, two per
year. Fishing allowed after retention. Closed to guided fishing Sundays.
-
Peak time: July 20-31
All
Kasilof trips, both early and late run are all full days. This allows
ample time to shuttle our trailer to the take out and cover all the
water necessary to make the day as productive and enjoyable as possible.
Even
though Kenai and Kasilof King Salmon hold the most lore of the Kenai
Peninsula's fishing opportunities, these fisheries barely scratch the
surface when it comes to the myriad of angling opportunities available.
We also offer unbelievable king salmon fishing in remote locations such
as the Chuitna River and the Nushagak as well as remote locations on
Kodiak Island. Please see our flyout pages for more information on these
more extreme king salmon adventures.
SUPER
SOCKEYE!
From
mid June into August, we offer a wide variety of fishing trips targeting
wild Alaska sockeye salmon. These powerful fighters are mint bright,
just out of the saltwater, and average 8-12 lbs. Sockeye are considered
the finest table fare of all the pacific salmon. The first sockeye (reds)
of the season are heading for the rocky, fast moving tributary of the
upper Kenai near Cooper Landing named the Russian River. This fishery
begins in mid June and extends all the way through late July. Also in
mid June, we see strong numbers of sockeye salmon in remote, fly out
locations such as Big River Lake. In July, the Kenai receives a very
large return of late-run sockeye. These fish tend to arrive in very
high numbers all at once. The peak of this run normally arrives in mid
July with good fishing into the first week of August.
BIG TROUT
Trout
fishing opens in mid-June and extends well into late October. Kenai
trout populations are in excellent shape and multiple fish days are
very common. Kenai rainbows average a remarkable 20 inches and fish
over five pounds are really quite common. We see many trophy class rainbows
over the course of the season with the largest fish well over 30 inches
long. Along with the rainbows we also catch dolly varden and arctic
char. These fish are very aggressive and strong fighters. Although you
are allowed to retain one rainbow or dolly per day less than 18 inches,
we maintain a strict catch and release policy for both these species.
A day of trout fishing can often be the highlight to a great week of
Alaska fishing. The sheer numbers and average size of the fish will
amaze even the most seasoned trout angler and this has always been one
of our favorite trips.
SPECTACULAR
SILVERS
During
August and September, our primary pursuit becomes Silver, or Coho salmon.
The Kenai and the Kasilof receive very robust early runs of silver salmon
with good to excellent fishing from early August into November (weather
permitting). The limit is two fish in August and three fish beginning
Sept. 1. In addition to the silvers, we also have pink salmon in August
and September, but ONLY in EVEN years. The Kenai also has a prominent
late run of silver salmon that begins in September and continues well
into October. On most days, we can fish for both trout and silvers in
the same portion of the river, making for a very well rounded fishing
experience. Overnight temperatures can begin to dip below the freezing
mark beginning in late August and September. With leaves ablaze and
the landscape in full color, the scenery can be breathtaking at this
time of year. Despite the frosty mornings, fall fishing is perhaps the
most prolific and extraordinary of our entire summer season.
In
addition to the Kenai and the Kasilof we also offer a wide range of
remote, fly-out silver trips that will easily rival the best coho fishing
in the entire state. Most of these remote locations are just a short
flight to the west side of Cook Inlet. Since these fish see very little
fishing pressure, they are aggressive beyond belief. We can employ a
wide variety of fishing techniques with fly fishing being very effective.
We also commonly use salmon eggs beneath bobbers as well as spinners.
These remote silver trips are also a great way to see a portion of Alaska
from the air. The West Side of Cook Inlet is extremely scenic with several
coastal volcanoes standing tall in the distance. Steep snow covered
mountains, endless glaciers and thousands of lakes and rivers blanket
the landscape. Setting down in this piscatorial paradise is a very special
experience, one we feel very privileged to offer our guests. After many
years of flying with Alaska West Air and exploring these unique and
remote fisheries, we can show you in one day what many will never experience
in a lifetime of angling.
STEELHEAD
DREAMS
Beginning in late August and running well into late fall, early winter,
Steelhead trout return to a handful of smaller rivers on the southern
Kenai Peninsula. The two primary rivers are the Anchor and Deep Creek.
These ocean going rainbow trout are newly arriving from nearby Cook
Inlet and their aggressive hard fighting nature makes them a tempting
target for fall visitors and locals alike. Steelhead Trout are completely
catch and release, you're not even allowed to take them out of the water
for a picture. Trust me, the memory will last forever. We offer walk
in trips for these Kenai Peninsula metal-heads beginning in late August
and extending well in November.
BARN
DOOR HALIBUT
If
you would like to enjoy some of the best halibut fishing in Alaska,
neighboring Cook Inlet, Homer and Seward are all great choices. Fishing
remains good to excellent for most of the summer with tides and weather
being the biggest factor. Cook Inlet has the second highest tides in
the world and water movement can be 20+ feet each way, twice daily.
The force of the incoming or outgoing tide can make it very difficult
for even several pounds of weight to find the bottom. The best fishing
is usually at the high or the low when the tide has ebbed. Tides with
the least amount of water moving between the high and the low are optimal.
We will help you pick the best tide for your stay. We use only the finest
halibut captains in Deep Creek, Homer and Seward. They are experienced
skippers with very professional operations and excellent people skills.
They will assure your safety with custom designed 28-32 foot offshore
fishing boats with enclosed cabins and powerful engines. They are the
"specialists" at what they do.
ADDITIONAL
COSTS
In
addition to the lodging and fishing, there are several other costs associated
with your trip. One is airfare to Anchorage. Once you arrive in Anchorage,
you will need to rent a car and drive approximately 3 hours south on
the Kenai Peninsula to the town of Soldotna, or take a 20 minute commuter
flight with one of the local commuter airlines. Another expense will
be food. We provide coffee, water and snacks on our personal guided
trips. You will be responsible for all other meals if fishing with a
contractor or on your own. If you would like to save money, we recommend
taking advantage of the full kitchens in the cabins to cook your own
meals. Many prefer to barbeque a filet of fish they caught that day
on our outdoor gas grills. If you prefer not to cook, there are a wide
variety of restaurants in the immediate area. Between Soldotna and Kenai
you will find everything from fresh seafood to fine Italian dining.
There is also pizza, several major fast food establishments and large
modern grocery stores.
OUR
LOCATION
Our
home and business headquarters is located five miles upriver from the
town of Soldotna in a small section of the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge.
We have over two acres and 225 feet of prime Kenai River front property
for you to enjoy and fish from during your stay. Although there are
many places to fish on your own, having private access, especially during
the busy red salmon season, is very convenient. In cooperation with
Alaska Fish and Wildlife, we have installed two sets of light penetrating,
galvanized walkways along the river. This allows our guests to enjoy
the riverside fishing without damaging the sensitive shoreline habitat.
FISHING
LICENSE
An
Alaska State Fishing License is required and you will be able to purchase
this at any of the local grocery stores, gas stations, tackle shops,
etc… They offer a variety of licenses to suit the length of your
stay. If you will be fishing for king salmon, you will be required to
purchase a king stamp in addition to your regular sport fishing license.
For all of the current rates and license options or to purchase your
license online, please visit: www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us/license
FISH
PROCESSING
As
part of your trip, your fish will be cleaned and prepared for processing.
We have an excellent processor located in the town of Soldotna that
will be awaiting your catch. Although you are welcome to take care of
your catch any way you like, we highly recommend having your salmon
and halibut filleted into meal size portions and vacuum-sealed into
individual packages. Smoking and lox services are also available in
a variety of flavors. Vacuum sealing + freezing averages $1.25 per pound
and smoking $3.50 per pound, but please contact the processor for exact
prices. You can store all of your fish in the processor's freezer until
you are ready to depart. At the end of your stay, they will package
your fish in an insulated, wax-coated box for transportation home on
the airplane as luggage. They also offer over-night shipping services,
although this is considerably more expensive.
We
hope this gives you a good impression of how our business operates.
We will always do everything we can to make sure your trip is everything
you expected and more. Please call, email or write if you would like
additional information.
Sincerely,
Mark and Cindy Glassmaker
Alaska Fishing with Mark Glassmaker
