Do you adore fishing?  Have you heard of the Kenai River in Alaska?  Kenai River fishing is an angler’s fantasy, truly the ma lode of salmon fishing.  The Kenai runs an impressive 82 miles, from Kenai Lake in southern Alaska to the Pacific sea, at Cook’s Inlet.  

Beginning in May, continuing through mid-October, the Kenai Peninsula, just three hours south of harbor, offers a smorgasbord of fishing adventures you won’t shortly forget.  

Among the salmon varieties found are King, Sockeye, Silver and Red, with 2 runs each year.  In addition to record-sized salmon, Kenai River fishing offers Steelhead, Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.  

If you adore fishing, the Kenai River headland is heaven on earth.  The largest salmon ever caught in the world was a 97-pound King Salmon, in 1985.  Enthusiastic fishermen flock to the Kenai Peninsula, expecting to best this record.  A typical catch is forty pounds!  It does not get much better than that.  

Here is a rundown of the Kenai River fishing season, to help you plan your vacation!  

around the middle of June, there’s one run of the Red Blueback salmon, followed by another in the middle of July.  If you like smoked salmon, you will want to be fishing now, as the Red variety is the king of smoked salmon.  Reds are also highly valued for the griddle, as well as canning.  

Also running in mid-June and mid-July are the King salmon.  While other streams in Alaska yield more fish, the Chinook of the Kenai brook are famous for their huge size.  A normal catch in the second run is 40-50 pounds.  Don’t be surprised to net a King of a larger size!  

Kenai River fishing offers two runs of Silver salmon, one in early Aug and another in late September.  The larger catches are usually found in the September run.  

If all of this is not enough to whet your appetite, the Kenai River yields trophy sized Dolly Varden and Rainbow trout.  

Your vacation plans should include a trip to Cook’s Inlet for a deep-sea excursion of Kachemak and Resurrection Bays, where the giant bottom-dwelling halibut live.  The Alaskan record halibut of 466 pounds was caught in Kachemak Bay!  

Drive just 30 miles from Kenai to Clam Gulch, a popular destination for clamming.  Razor clams are abundant here.  As the name implies, their shells are pointy, so be careful!  Best digging times are when the tide is at minus 2 feet or lower.  Check with the dep. of Fish and Game for local boundaries.  

As you might guess, accommodations are bounteous throughout the area of the Kenai River.  You’ll find fully furnished cabins all along the Kenai, with excellent steered fishing tours.  Visitors come from all around the planet to sample a Kenai River fishing vacation.  Be sure you book ahead!  It is an experience you will not forget.  Bon Appetit!

This article was penned by Richard Codd, a keen fisherman who has fished on some of the finest rivers and lakes in the world. He has a very popular blog (http://www.bass-fishing.com) devoted to the subject of Bass Fishing.

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