Alaska 2004 August 7-15 Phil Lilley I was asked to help host a fishing trip to the Kenai River in Alaska by friends Jim and Tom Johnson of Baldwin, MI this past spring in which I relucently said...  "SURE!!"  Who hasn't dreamed of going to Alaska--for fishing or just for sightseeing.  Our trip was set for the second week of August.  Anglers going- Rolan "Peppy Scud" Duffield and Darrell Steiner of KC, Phil Hamilton and son Matthew (Phil from Hastings, Ne. and Matt from Melbourne, Australia), Bob O'Neil of St Louis, and Tom and wife Chris of Baldwin, Mi. I watched the weather forecast for the Anchorage area to see what to expect.  Rain and mid 60's during the day--what I understand to be the norm.  I packed fleece and rain geer expecting the worse rainy weather of my life... but got just the opposite.  The weather channel had let me down.  The Kenai area is in a 6 week drought and the temps were 20 degrees higher than normal.  The Kenai River was about a foot high, getting most of its water from glacier runoff.  The other river and streams were low and warm--not good for the silver salmon run we were looking forward to. For those who haven't been there or researched the Kenai, it's a large river, flowing hundreds of miles through the Kenai Peninsula to the Cook Inlet.  It's color--a chalky bluish-green from the glaciers it comes from.  It flows through 2 lakes, the Kenai and the Skilak.  There are quite a few public access points to launch.  We did a couple of floats- the Russian River access to Jim's Landing and Skilak Lake access to Bing's Landing- both were about 12 miles long.  We also walked in and fishing the lower Russian River and a couple of access gravel bars just below the mouth of the Russian on the Kenai.  I found this pic on a site-- across the lake and to the left is the bar we walked in off the Sterling Highway and caught alot of sockeye and rainbows off of.  As for the number of people on the bar in front- we never saw that many people in one place- even on the weekend. Map of Kenai River           Pic #1 of Kenai        Pic #1 of Kenai         Pic #1 of Kenai The Russian was my favorite.  It was a clear, free stone river in a box canyon setting and full of fish.  You could easily see the sockeye but if you really took your time and watched, you'd see lots of rainbows in and around the salmon and against the banks.  Also a few dollies and white fish.  I caught a 25 inch rainbow on a double humpy almost right off the bat first trip in.... thought I was on to something... but it was the only fish I caught on a dry.  Several in our group caught other rainbows, dollies and sockeye on the Russian.  Three of us got to see a grizzley stroll down the hill and into the river.  He hung around for long enough for us to get off some shots with the camera and back the way he came.. he went.  We had been warned about bears... this encounter was a pleasant one. Pic #1 of Russian River            Rainbow - Russian River           Bear Pic #1           Bear Pic #2          Bear Pic #3                       Bear Pic #4                    Bear Pic #5 We rented a couple of rafts and a trailer to float from access to access of the Kenai.  Most floats were 8 to 12 miles in length with one short floats of 4 miles.  We'd stop on inside bends and fish the "seam" of slower current we found there.  The sockeye stayed close to the bank in fairly shallow water and the rainbows and dollys held on the outside just a bit.  We used 2 methods of fishing- chuck-n-duck and indicator.  C-D we used shooting line to a butt section about 4-6 feet long and 25 lb test, slipped a snap swivel onto that butt section to run freely with the snap on the outside (where we attached the weight), tied a tippet section onto the swivel - 6-14 lb line depending on water speed and clarity and what you were fishing for- 8-10 feet in length.  Then a plastic bead- about 1/8 inch in dia and a variety of colors- red or different shades of orange- then the fly.  We used egg flies- like the ones we use here on Taney- flesh flies (rabbit in white, pink or off white) or a PM wiggler- a fly Tom uses in Michigan- cream in color with marabou and chinelle. Bob O'Neal      Bob's Sockeye     Darrell's Sockeye #1     Darrell's Sockeye #2     Darrell's Sockeye #3      Rainbow #1       Rainbow #2     Sockeye      3 salmon on at the same time... We caught plenty of sockeye, a few rainbows and fewer dollys.  Couldn't find any silvers (coho)- they were late coming into the rivers because of the warm weather and low rainfall- we were told.  We traveled one day down the coast of the Cook Inlet to Ninxxxx and Anchor river outlets to find low water and very few silvers.  There were silvers out in the bay around the mouths of the rivers so we did fish the surf at the mouth of the Anchor that evening with no sucess.  But what an experience- the view was wonderful...  we did have silver come in around us- chased by a group of seals which might answer the question 'why didn't the bite?'. Nin........      Anchor          Surf #1           Surf #2        Surf #3        Sunset #1        Sunset #2        Mountain      But the fish of the trip came on the last day.  We put in at the bottom of Skilak Lake and rowed 2 miles to the outlet (not fun in those rafts!!).  The river was wider and straighter and there wasn't the gravel bars we could get out on like above the lake.  So we drifted Taney-style, dragging out sink tip lines as we floated downstream.  It was my least favorite day... but not Darrell Steiners!  About 7 miles into the trip, something slammed his PM wiggler and took off- and didn't stop till he was almost out of line.  Tom couldn't do much expect row the direction the fish was heading, trying to keep the motor boats from running over the line, now extended out sometimes clear across the river.  Miracles of miracles, no one cut his line and they continued downstream.  Darrell picked up alot of the line he'd lost in the initial strike only to lose it again... and again.  Tom was sure it was a king salmon which grow up to 80-90 lbs in the ocean before heading inland to spawn.  On a fly rod, using 6 lb maxima tippet, in a rubber raft with no motor... not much chance of landing such a fish- right?!?!  Not this time.  Three miles and one hour later, they worked the fish into a calm inlet and Tom jumped in and netted the king.  But this time it had wrapped itself up in the line plus had the second hook embedded into it's side, making the fight that much harder for Darrell.  It was a fresh king, although the main run was long over.  The season on kings had closed July 31- we weren't even supposed to be "catching" this fish but what can you do.... we never saw the fish till Tom netted it- it never broke water or came close to the boat.  We took a couple of picks, weighed it with Tom's "certified" scales and released it- it swam away strong.  Length - 51 inches.  Gerth - 36 inches.  Weight - 62 lbs.  Tom thought it may be a world record - line class for 6 lb line, which will probally test out of 8 lb being maxima tippet so Tom is going to send it in to be tested.                    King #1                     King #2                        King #3                       King #4 All and all, it was a good trip.  But most of all, I know now what Alaska looks like and how things work up there.  I'll have a better plan..... for next time!!! If you're interested - here's the approx costs on our trip:  Airfare $500 from KC to Anchorage.  Rental jeep - $500/week.  Rental raft - $450/week.  Cabin sleeps 6 - $200/night.  Food is alittle high esp if you buy at "convenient" stores on the road.  Gas - $2.10/gallon.  Fishing lisc - $30/week.  Camping sites (all over the place) $10/night.  I saw alot of people hitch hicking- something to consider.  I spent way too much on flies...  simple patterns mentioned earlier worked great.  We did anticipate using alot of silver flies so if you need any- I have them!!