Salmon/Trout Fishing
King Salmon Fishing
May 10 – July 31
The King Salmon season on the Kenai River beginning around May 20th. The May and June first run king salmon average 35 pounds with some fish in the 50 to 80 pound class not uncommon. We have a slot limit on the Kenai River in May and June. Any king salmon between 46 and 55 inches must be released. Trophy fish and eater fish may be retained. The fishing in May and June is excellent. Our second run of king salmon enter the Kenai around July 1st and the numbers build as the month moves on. Fish in the 50 pound class won’t turn any heads on the Kenai. We land fish in the 70 and 80 pound class each year. Quick fish and roe are the preferred baits. Trophy salmon are the rule in July.
Rainbow Trout Fising
May 15 – September 30
The Kenai River produces some of the best trout fishing on the planet. This river has millions of salmon returning to spawn that produces an incredible food source for these native monsters. Kings, Sockeye, Pinks, and silvers all flood in to lay there eggs and reproduce. Then these same fish die and return their [flesh] to the river as food for the Rainbows and Dollies. Through the years we have caught and released hundreds of fish over 30 inches and some in the 32 to 34 inch class with girths of over 18 inches. Most of the fish you see in these pictures have come from the Kenai River. Our fishing on the Kenai is done in two very different ways. We fish early on [June and July] with flies that imitate the smolt headed to the ocean with a stripping action from our drift and power boats. A simple roll cast is very effective. We also use beads size 6-12 to imitate the early run sockeye egg patterns. Later in the season August-October we switch to larger beads and single hinged flesh flies. We fish from power boats with a roll cast and wade fish this time of year. On a typical day you can expect to catch and release 10-30 rainbows with one or two over 27 inches.
Sockeye Salmon Fishing
June 1 – August 15
WOW! FISH ON! THAT’S CRAZY!
Pound for pound the hardest fighting and best tasting salmon of them all. The first run of sockeye salmon enter the Kenai River the first week of June and head to the Russian River. There the fish stack up in great numbers and the fishing can be fantastic. Then around July 18th the second run of sockeye salmon hit the Kenai River in large numbers. These second run salmon average ten pounds and some tip the scales at fifteen pounds. We have both drift and power boats ready for your sockeye salmon experience. We supply all of the fly rods, flies, and conventional gear. Our guides through the years have found the gravel bars where the sockeye are concentrated. If you have never fished for sockeye salmon before, be prepared for some action packed fishing. Our guides are courteous, patient, and have grown up on the Kenai River.
Silver Salmon Fishing
August 1 – September 15
Beginning in early August our Silver Salmon enter the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers in great numbers. These fish average 10 pounds with some fish tipping the scales at 20 pounds. We use drift boats on the Kasilof River and power boats on the Kenai River. The silver salmon are great fighters and are easy to catch. We target the hard fighting silvers from early August through September.
Josh Hayes
Guide
Josh was born and raised in Alaska and has fished from Montana to Bristol Bay for huge Rainbows. Josh is best at home with a fly rod and a bead or flesh fly floating in the Kenai. We are happy to have Josh as a friend and guide here at Moose Creek Lodge.
John David "JD" Stanley III
Guide
JD is an avid lifelong fly angler and guide. Growing up as a fly shop owner and fishing guide’s son JD has seen more days on the water than most. His passion for, and pursuit of exceptionally large trout takes him and his dog Gypsy all over the country each year. If you have fished big trout somewhere in North America the odds are pretty good that JD beat you to it.
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