My Tentative Fishing Schedule
Back to My Home page
I get a lot of emails about where and when to fish in Alaska. So I thought I would post
the most likely places I will be fishing week by week. Now this
doesn't mean people should stop sending emails asking me for specific information! I also
know that experienced fisherman in Alaska will be chuckling at a few of my selections.
Alaska is a HUGE place with lots of opportunities. This is a personal list from my past
experience and once again where I intend to be fishing. But here are a few quirks about
the type of fishing I like so people can better understand why I chose the following
locations:
- I like BIG fish. I almost always opt for quality fish versus quantity of fish. But
getting skunked isn't my idea of a great time...maybe a good time, but not great.
- I prefer salmon fishing to all other types of fishing. To me an average Pink
Salmon is a HUGE trout.
- I HATE crowds, but I can combat fish with the best of them. There are tried and proven
ways to get around the crowds. One is with a group of friends, the other is either with a
good alarm clock or hiking shoes.
- If I keep a fish, I'd rather catch them closer to the ocean then way upstream.
- I lived on the Kenai Peninsula from Kindergarten through High School, I seem to prefer
the Peninsula over anywhere else of equal opportunity.
Below is a week by week listing. but in general my peak(s) fishing can be summed
up as:
My favorite 10 day stretches
June 10 to June 20 - The peak of my "quantity" king season. Kasilof
River, Ninilchik River, Ship Creek can all produce double digit days of kings during this
period. The only drawback is these kings tend to be smaller at 15 to 30 pounds on
average.
July 15 to July 25 - Trophy fishing plus variety. You should be able to hit the
peak of the second run Kenai kings famous for their size. Also the second run of
Kenai sockeyes should be flowing at 20,000 to 70,000 fish per day on a normal year.
At the end of the 10 days, you may even hit a few silvers. This is the period of
time I take my summer vacation almost every year.
August 1 to August 15 - This year especially a fun time due to the pinks. But its
a great time to hit pinks, silvers, & chums. After the king season the crowds
dwindle rapidly. Much easier to appreciate "Alaska fishing" when you
aren't fishing with 1,000 people.
My tentative weekly fishing schedule
Okay, contrary to popular belief and my wishful thinking, I have to work to fund my
fishing habit so the date I'll list indicates the Saturday of the weekend I'm fishing for
the most part.
Keep checking back though because this list will change as more information comes in!
I'll place in BOLD the fishing I actually did or know I am going
to do!
May 6
Susitna River- Big Rainbows, Dollies and Grayling. Most of the tributaries
running into the Su should hold good fish…if the tributaries are free of ice.
Lake Louise - Ice should be good through Mid May. Take a look at the logs from this
winter and you know why I think this is a good spot.
Homer Spit - Great casting practice. Cod & Pollock past 10 pounds, chicken halibut,
Sea run Dollies, flounder, Irish Lords, and maybe an early King!
May 13
Susitna River - Tribs should be open by now.
Kasilof River - Okay it’s a bit early but the first few kings should be showing up
anytime now!
Deep Creek Saltwater: The Halibut should be showing up and all those kings we are
waiting for have to pass through here first!
Kenai River Saltwater - Huh, Saltwater, Kenai River? Yup, head out of the Mouth of the
Kenai River go out a couple of miles or head north along the shore. Halibut to 50 pounds,
cod, and a few sharks. If you have never caught a halibut in shallow water (30 to 50 ft)
It’s a blast!
Any Lake - New Open water tends to turn the trout on. In stocked lakes you can
often see big rainbows cruising the shoreline looking for a place to spawn. I don't
feel too guilty catching and even keeping a few of these fish since there are no suitable
spawning habitat on many of the stocked lakes. Even lakes in Anchorage like Delong,
Jewel, and Sand kick out some Big FISH in the spring time past 20 inches.
May 20th
Susitna River - It’s getting a bit late, but we still catch rainbows, dollies, and
grayling!
Kasilof River - This the time of year I usually hook up to my first king. Still long
hours for a few fish..But they are KINGS!
Big Lake - The water should be open and springtime is a great time to catch some nice
rainbows and dollies.
Deep Creek Saltwater: Sweet-oh! I got a Call from Dan
France of Salmon Herder Charters wanting to know
if I would be interested in some saltwater kings out of Deep Creek! Nah, I'm
busy....yah right! I'm there! Dad and I will be going out with Dan on May
20th. I think we are taking a smaller boat so let's hope for good weather.
This should be a blast! Two weekend in a row I get to go learn from the
"Herder"!
May 27th
Kasilof River - Our annual pilgrimage for the Memorial Day Weekend, with effort, we
normally all catch a king or two.
Ninilchik River - Almost a guaranteed king, if you can find a place to fish!
Deep Creek Saltwater - Prime time for saltwater kings. The halibut fishing should be
good as well.
Kenai River - The water is usually clear cold and low. Not too many kings, but even
fewer people. Great time to hook a monster! The world record 97 pounder came in May!
May 28 (Sunday)
I'll be on the Kasilof River with Dan France of Salmon Herder Charters. Dan's a lifelong
Alaskan and I have chartered with Dan every year at the beginning of the season for the
past several years. Check out the logs on my last three trips out with Dan by
selecting the year. 1997 1998 1999 .
I have my own power boats, but the Kasilof is a drift boat only fishery. He
has always gotten us onto fish. In my opinion he is one of the best on the
Peninsula. He's one of the few guides I will "chase" on the Kenai
river. Chase? The guides are on the river every day almost every hour they are
allowed, when I'm fishing on my boat and I see Dan run down river with a client, I
follow! If he's running kwikfish instead of spin-n-glos, then we switch over as
well. I'd say there are only 2 or 3 other guides I "chase" on the
Kenai. From years of watching the boats who seem to always catch fish with a great
deal of envy, I know which guides work for their clients and which guides are going
through the motions. As good as he is, he might be all booked up by now for the peak
of the season, but give him a shout if you have limited time or are new to King
fishing. One day with a pro, is worth several years of poking around on your
own! Don't believe me? Look at the guided versus unguided fishing data
provided by the Alaska
Outdoor Journal you can find right here! The guides ratio of hours per fish is
nearly half of the unguided anglers!
June 3
Kasilof River - Kings should be there in good numbers
Ship Creek - 30 pound kings 5 minutes from home, and very productive. Get the combat
gear out!
Ninilchik, Anchor, and Deep Creek - All good spots depending on water clarity.
Ninilchik is the most consistent producer of the three for me.
Homer Lagoon - Like shooting fish in a barrel. Oh, except these fish can be up to 40
pounds! Can be frustrating at times when you can see hundreds of fish, but can't get them
to hit.
Kenai River - Okay, with a possible world record in the river anytime during the open
season is a good time to fish the Kenai!
June 10
Kasilof River - should be just about the peak of the run! If you can't catch a king on
this weekend, either the run is exceptionally bad or you aren't trying hard enough!
Ship Creek- I don't necessarily recommend this to non-Alaskans, but this is the peak of
the run. On good days, in our group of four or so, we should be hooking up every 5
minutes! I'm not kidding! Kings in downtown Anchorage, how can you not try it if you live
here!
Kenai River - Did I mention the 97 pound king? Oh I did? enuf said.
June 17
Kasilof River- Getting toward the end of the peak. Still should be good fishing though.
Ship Creek- Lots of people, Lots of King!
Russian River- May be a tad early depending on the run. I think the season opens on the
15th. First run sockeyes!
Kenai River – BIG kings
June 24th
Big Su Tributaries - Willow, Montana, Sheep, Kashwitna, and about a dozen others.
Mainly a weekend fishery. Its still might be a touch early for the peak, but the kings
should be there in good numbers.
Kasilof River - Lots of kings turning dark already but should be decent still.
Ship Creek - fewer people, but fewer fish.
Russian River- The red run should be going hot and heavy by this time!
Kenai River – HUGE kings
July 1
Big-Su Tribs – Should be some fast and furious action. The salmon are turning
colors by now, but I’ve had 20 fish days!
Kenai River – MASSIVE Kings
July 8
Kenai River – Unfortunately this has always been a weird week. With the Kenai
River the only place I ever seem to fish. Its not the peak of the 2nd run Kings
but it should be happening soon. Big Su tribs are basically closed for Kings by this
weekend. It’s a good week to golf or do something else because by next week things
can get BUSY! Still since I end up fishing every week, the place to be is the Kenai River.
Why? MONSTER kings!
I'm still open for suggestion on this week!
July 15th
Kenai River – The only place to be! Unfortunately its no secret, it will be
crowded! The second run Kings should be peaking and the red run could hit ANYTIME!
Once the reds and kings begin the peak of the run, there is absolutely nowhere else I will
be! The reds and kings epitomizes everything I like about catching salmon....except
the crowds. This year, like most, I take at least a week of vacation time during
this period This year I am taking 10 days from July 15 to the 25th..
July 22
Kenai River – The reds should be fast and furious and we will be putting in long
hours in search of that trophy King. Why fish anywhere else?!?!?!?
July 29
Kenai River – If we haven’t scored the big King, we’ll most likely be on
the Kenai River. If we have scored our kings, the silvers should be showing up at anytime.
Russian River – The wave of reds should be approaching the Russian. Still, I much
prefer to fish these same fish when they are in the lower Kenai? Why? More
space and the fish fight much better. People never seem to understand that.
But you try swimming a hundred miles against a swift current without eating ( like the
salmon) and then tell me you have more strength after the swim then before. I don't
think so.....The reds are no different. The eating qualities also suffer.
Resurrection Creek – If the king or red salmon is a bust, or you are just plain
sick and tired of the people, grab your ultralight and try some pinks! I'm not
kidding! On four pound test, they WILL test your skills.
August to September
Kenai River – Silver salmon fishing has been spotty but it should be good. If not
go nuts on the pinks.
Homer Lagoon – Silver fishing should be great and even in August, you can catch a
huge second run king up to 70 pounds from this gravel pit. Amazing…..
Anchor, Ninilchik, & Deep Creek – All should have good quantities of silvers
and a few pinks.
Ship & Bird Creek – Closer to home, the silver fishing can be amazingly good
despite the number of people.
Big-su Tribs – Good silver fishing north of Anchorage. Mix in a ton of pinks and
some big bad chums and you have all the fixin’s for a great time. Earlier is better
for the pinks
October
Trout time! Trout in the lakes will be gorging out preparing for winter. Some
great trout fishing! The streams with salmon spawning can be awesome!
Back to My Home page