Trout fishing in the last frontier.
Our Kenai River trout fishing guides are top notch fly fishing anglers and educators.
When searching online, it may seem like there is an endless number of Kenai River trout fishing guides. As with all professions, every guide has their own style, skill sets, and totally unique personalities. Some fly fishing guides operate more like coaches, some focus more on conversation, and some provide more overall boating comforts. Don’t spend 8 hours fishing for trout with the wrong one.
Our fishing guides though eat, sleep, and breathe Kenai River Rainbow Trout. We have been targeting them specifically for many years, and are confident that we can put you on them year round. Our trout fishing guides are educated, experienced, and strive as professionals to continuously grow and develop angling skills that keeping them ahead of the crowd. Our Kenai River guides are masterful coaches, and always want to push your fishing skill levels up a notch.
We operate our rainbow trout fishing trips utilizing private boats, meaning you will not share a trout fishing trip on the Kenai with other anglers from a different group. This allows us to focus our full attention on you for entirety of the trip. You will come away better angler and have a much more relaxed and comfortable day on the water.
Kenai River Rainbow Trout Fishing Quick Facts:
There are 3 sections of the Kenai to fish well as some other smaller tributaries.
Guided Trout fishing is primarily catch and release.
Kenai River trout average 14-25 inches depending on location and season
Most of our Kenai River trout fishing trips start in Sterling, or Soldotna, or Cooper Landing
Full day trips are 8 hours, Half day trips are 4-5 hours
Even if we are booked full, we will help find you the perfect guide for you
Lodging packages are available
KENAI RIVER TROUT FISHING RATES
Private Trout Fishing Charter (up to 3 anglers)
$700 – Half Day (4 hours)
$850 - 3/4 Day (6 hours)
$1000 – Full Day (8 hours)
Trout Fishing Charter (per angler)
$250 – Hal Day (4 hours)
$300 - 3/4 Day (6 hours)
$400 – Full Day (8 hours)
Spring rainbow trout fishing on the Kenai River
(April-June)
We begin our guided Kenai river trout fishing trips in late April/Early May, chasing the trout that are not spawning or are in post spawn conditions and are beginning to spread out all over the watershed in search of food. Typically, our fly fishing guides will target the large rainbows trout by pushing indicators, or swinging leech-style flies as the water begins to rise to its summer levels. The best part about chasing trout on the Kenai River during the spring, is the long days that offer nearly 24 hours of fishing opportunity.
The Rainbow Trout Fishing Opener
On June 11th, a large section of the middle Kenai River, near Skilak Lake, opens to fishing. This portion of the river often provides some of the best swinging and streamer fishing of the year. Anglers should expect to spend the day taking advantage of the wade fishing opportunities, or twitching flesh and leech patterns out of the boat. Spring is a great time to see how dynamic the Kenai River can be.
Summer rainbow trout fishing on the Kenai River
(LATE JUNE, JULY, AUGUST)
Trout begin to scatter throughout the Kenai River watershed feeding on whatever they can during the early summer. Old salmon carcass, minnows, leeches, baby eels, eggs,…..whatever. Simply said, the trout are on the eat.
As the season progresses, a wide variety of salmon show up in the Kenai River, providing both flesh and eggs for the Kenai River rainbow trout to gorge on. For the majority of the summer, anglers taking part in a guided Kenai River trout fishing trip should expect to be using flesh and egg patterns regularly.
Fall rainbow trout fishing on the Kenai River
(SEPTEMBER-NOVEMBER)
Fall trout fishing on the Kenai River is a fabled time. Eggs and flesh are blanketing the river bottom, ballooning the trout to epic proportions. Fish can put on multiple pounds in these few months alone, eating flies with vigor.
Anglers looking to swing flies to trout should look to book their trip with a Kenai trout guide during the fall for sure. There are often great opportunities at some trophy fish from the bank.
Winter on the Kenai is a time that mostly locals, and a few well insulated visitors regard as one of the best times of the year on the Kenai. There are no crowds and the fish are hungry. The silvers are actively spawning and sculpins cover the river bottom. As long as you can brave the cold, you can get into some great fishing all throughout the winter on a Kenai River trout fishing guide trip.
What to expect during your Kenai River guided fly fishing trip.
Fly Fishing Techniques
About 90% of the rainbow trout fishing on this river is done with the use of indicators. It often is simply the most effective technique for this large, and often deep river. The proper use of an indicator over a variety of river scenarios is an incredibly technical feat. We pride ourselves in growing the skills of our anglers, not just simply rowing you around all day on a hope and prayer.
During the beginning and the end of the season we also find swinging streamer patterns to be quite successful as well. Rainbow Trout during the spring and fall are feeding heavily, and will greedily attack any meaty offering that is twitched in front of them. Sculpins, leeches, lamprey eels, salmon smolt and other patterns all have a time to shine on the Kenai.
Spey Techniques For Rainbow Trout
For two-handed anglers, the best spey fishing on the Kenai is often in early spring and late fall. The Kenai River rainbow trout regularly attack a well presented leech or sculpin pattern. Double Haul’s guides are well versed in educating fishermen in the use of these two handed tools.
Conventional Techniques
If you do not know how to use a fly rod, and really don’t care to learn, you can still enjoy trout fishing on the Kenai using conventional gear. We provide all the rods and reels you’ll need.
Often, we will be utilizing bobbers and other drifting floats when we fish for trout. We have an array of float fishing rods designed specifically for drift fishing rainbow trout and char.