The Kenai River is the most popular angling stream in Alaska and has gained a worldwide reputation for its trophy king salmon fishing. Visitors from every continent have ventured here in the hopes that they will be lucky enough to land one of these true giants of the salmon family.
The early run begins in mid-May and continues to the end of June. It is a relatively small run of fish which frequently encounters escapement goal problems and has been restricted or closed during some years. Although the current all-tackle world record king salmon was caught during this run, fish tend to average smaller than the second run.
With the possibilities of "catch-n-release" or closure of the season, this run is a gamble to fish if you are traveling to Alaska for a fishing trip solely concentrating on Kenai kings. Restrictions or closures occur with only a couple days of warning from Fish & Game.
Fortunately all is not lost should a closure or restrictions be implemented. There are many streams on the Kenai Peninsula as well as the saltwater which provide other opportunities to catch kings at this time of year. A lot of this fishing is from shore and does not require a guide. The Alaska Outdoor Journal Fishing Section is filled with information designed to provide you alternate plans should hard times fall on the Kenai fishery.
The internet is a wonderful resource for finding fishing guides and charters throughout Alaska. But as in any advertising, it may be hard to separate the wheat from the chaff. To make choosing a guide or charter much easier, we have put together some information called Tips For Choosing a Guide or Charter which will make the selection process much easier. Most Alaskan guides will be more than willing to answer all your questions and assist in any way they can.
The information provided below will give you the odds you will encounter when persuing this highly prized fish.
