Oh for another opportunity for a fishing trip to Alaska. I messed up the last time and didn’t quite make it to Alaska before they sent me back home to New Brunswick Canada.

Do you adore fishing?  Have you heard of the Kenai River in Alaska?  Kenai River fishing is an angler’s fantasy, actually the mother lode of salmon fishing.  The Kenai runs a spectacular 82 miles, from Kenai Lake in southern Alaska to the Pacific sea, at Cook’s Inlet.

Starting in May, continuing thru mid-October, the Kenai Peninsula, just 3 hours south of port, offers a smorgasbord of fishing adventures you won’t shortly forget.

Among the salmon varieties found are King, Sockeye, Silver and Red, with two runs each year.  As well as record-sized salmon, Kenai River fishing offers Steelhead, Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.

If you like fishing, the Kenai River peninsula is heaven on earth.  The biggest salmon ever caught in the world was a 97-pound King Salmon, in 1985.  Keen fishermen head to the Kenai Peninsula, expecting to best this record.  A typical catch is 40 pounds!  It isn’t getting much better.

Here’s a rundown of the Kenai River fishing season, to help you plan your vacation!

round the middle of June, there’s one run of the Red Blueback salmon, followed by another in the middle of July.  If you like smoked salmon, you will want to be fishing now, as the Red variety is the king of smoked salmon.  Reds are also highly cherished for the grill, as well as canning.

Also running in mid-June and mid-July are the King salmon.  While other rivers in Alaska yield more fish, the Kings of the Kenai stream are famous for their monster size.  A normal catch in the second run is 40-50 pounds.  Do not be surprised to net a King of a larger size!

Kenai River fishing offers 2 runs of Silver salmon, one in early August and another in late Sep.  The bigger catches are usually found in the September run.

If all of this is not enough to give you the nibbles, the Kenai River yields trophy sized rainbow trout and dolly varden.

Your holiday plans should include a visit to Cook’s Inlet for a deep-sea excursion to Kachemak and Resurrection Bays, where the huge bottom-dwelling halibut live.  An Alaskan record-sized halibut which weighed in at 466 pounds was caught in Kachemak Bay!

Drive just 30 miles from Kenai to Clam Gulch, a popular destination for clamming.  Razor clams are abounding here.  As the name implies, their shells are sharp, so be careful!  Best digging times are when the tide is at minus 2 feet or lower.  Check with the dep. of Fish and Game for local boundaries.

You will not be surprised to hear that accommodations are abundant in the area along the Kenai River.  You will find fully furnished cabins all along the Kenai, with wonderful led fishing tours.  Visitors come from all over the world to sample a Kenai River fishing holiday.  Be sure to make a reservation!  It is an experience you will not forget.  Bon Appetit!

This article was written by Richard Codd, a lifelong fisherman who has visited some of the finest fishing spots in the world. He has a well known fishing blog (http://www.bass-fishing.com) on the subject of Smallmouth Bass Fishing.