draypersonal

Red Salmon Fishing On The Kenai Peninsula

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:29:04 GMT

Red Salmon Fishing On The Kenai Peninsula!

It’s that time of the year, when people (both locals and tourist alike), start thinking about the upcoming salmon season. And the salmon most folks pursue, are red/sockeye salmon. Not only because they return to the streams and rivers in such prolific numbers, but also because they’re considered one of the tastiest salmon on the planet! The first run of sockeye’s hit the peninsula rivers in fishable numbers by early June. The June run is much smaller in numbers and fish size compared to the second run in July. The Kenai River has one of the largest sockeye runs in the world (we’re talking in the millions), with fish averaging 7 to 12 pounds!

Fishing Gear and Techniques

The gear used to catch red salmon, include baitcaster/spinning and flyrods! The technique used to catch these delicious eating fish is called flossing (where you cast your fly upstream, and let the current take your leader and fly downstream at the river current speed, pulling the fly through the salmons opening and closing mouth downstream). Once hooked, let the drag on your reel do the work. These fish are all wild and some of the hardest fighting fish you will ever encounter. Another river where I like to fish sockeye is on the Kasilof River (which is about twenty miles South of the Kenai River).

Planning for the Salmon Fishing Season

Although shore accessibility isn’t quite as good as the Kenai (you will need a boat to get to the good holes), it does offer a more relaxed environment in which to pursue sockeyes! Rarely any shoulder to shoulder crowding there. If you are planning a trip down to the Kenai Peninsula during sockeye season, remember the population almost doubles there during the sockeye frenzy! Meaning, limited availability for lodging, car rentals, goods in the grocery stores (especially freezer bags), and heavy traffic. All of that can be minimized with some pre-planning. Here are some reminders:

By securing lodging or campsites months in advance, you’ll save yourself the hassle of looking for accommodations during the peak season!
Make sure you have plenty of freezer storage bags to store your processed fish in.
Don’t forget the cooler and ice (there has been times when I’ve been in Soldotna on the Kenai Peninsula during the peak red run in July, and there was no ice to be found).

So, this summer, get out there and catch some of those chrome bodied, red fleshed beauties! And most of all, be safe on the drive down, don’t be in a hurry (pull over to take in the beautiful scenery – take some pictures, create some memories, live in the moment). And remember, going fishing isn’t always just about catching fish!

FISH ON!

D RAY

Downtown Anchorage Urban Fishery

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:15:09 GMT

Fishing in Downtown Anchorage

Anchorage has a unique fishery downtown called “Ship Creek.” There are few places in the U.S. where you have a viable fishery for all five species of Pacific salmon minutes from your front door. So, if you’re on a time crunch, and you don’t have the time to drive for hours, Ship Creek might be what you’re looking for. Or if you’re wanting to wet a line and you have a few hours to burn, but you want to have a good chance of catching a salmon, this may be your new fishing destination.

What to Wear

When gearing up to fish Ship Creek, remember that most areas around the river are muddy due to one of the highest tidal fluctuations in the world. So wear clothing that you don’t mind getting a little hard-to-get- off glacial silt on. Footwear can consist of muck boots or hip waders. The most productive fishing usually takes place 2.5 hours before and after high tide. Everyone has their own preference on what gear they choose to use, whether fly rod, spin rod or bait-caster. They all can be effective. I prefer to soak bait on the bottom of the river, and wait for the fish to find it. It can be very productive.

However you choose to fish our downtown urban gem, get out there, practice social distancing (which is still required as of now), and catch some fresh salmon fillets for the grill.

STAY SAFE!

River Fishing Etiquette 101

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 23:07:29 GMT

Follow These Simple Steps to be a Great Fishing Neighbor

In this month’s issue, I’m going to talk about river etiquette when fishing, both on shore and when operating a boat. You may ask, “Why is etiquette so important on a river or stream?” Etiquette teaches us how to behave appropriately in a given situation. It also sets an example, not only for the parties involved in the activity, but also for future generations that may be watching, particularly children.

A good angler respects both the resource he fishes and fellow anglers. This, in turn, provides a safe and enjoyable day on the water. Below is a short list of river etiquette, not necessarily in order of importance:

Don’t low-hole. Low-holing is when you, either from shore or in a boat, drop below someone in close proximity that is fishing a run. The correct thing to do is go to the top of the run, and work down. Give your fellow anglers some space.
Have your boat ready to launch. Do not make others sit at a boat ramp waiting while you take off straps on the boat, get your rods ready, and the like. Your boat should be ready to launch when you move onto the boat ramp. It is a courtesy your fellow boaters will appreciate.
Don’t be a gomer. A gomer is someone who is typically inept at fishing, a person who immediately pulls up on another fisherman with a bent rod, assuming it is the only place the fish are biting. Instead, give other fishermen space. Do not navigate your boat too close to other anglers or walk in below them. (See low-holing).
Do not create wakes. Try to be conscious of people on the shore. Likewise, give a wide berth to other vessels on the water. Do not accidentally knock someone overboard with the wake you created.
Last, but certainly not least, clean up after yourself. No one wants to see dirty diapers, toilet paper, beer cans, or any trash left along the riverbank or in the woods. If you pack it in, please pack it out. Remember, common courtesy and a little etiquette are what we should all strive for.

Tight Lines!

Dan Hardy is the owner of D-Ray Personal Guide Service

Anchorage, Alaska

FISH ON!

Fishing the Kenai River for Rainbow Trout

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 22:57:42 GMT

Kenai River Rainbows

As the green leaves of summer begin to turn to the glowing reds and yellows of fall, it’s always a reminder for me that my favorite time of year to fish for rainbows is autumn.

Waking up to cooler temperatures and frost-covered windows will be the norm for the next several months. While I don’t look forward to it, what I am looking forward to is fishing for the huge rainbows and Dolly Varden that have started to feed voraciously in the cooler temperatures, trying to store up energy for the long winter months ahead.

On even-numbered years, there will be a ton of bio-mass in which to feed (think pink salmon), plus red and king salmon spawn. The autumn trout tend to be huge, not only because they’ve had all summer to feed, but also because genetically they are naturally bigger. Seven of the top ten largest rainbows caught in the state of Alaska have come from the Kenai River. I was down there fishing in September, and I hooked and fought a rainbow that I estimated to be well over 30 inches. I had my lunch handed to me, but it was exciting while it lasted.

When on the river, certain things are a constant reminder that fall has arrived. There is the overpowering stench of rotting fish carcasses, which, by the way, are perfume to trophy trout hunters. Water flows at a quarter of what it did in the summer, which makes wading somewhat safer and more enjoyable. And there is a quiet and stillness. Fishing the lower flows of the Kenai River is comparable to fishing the smaller streams up North in the Mat-Su Valley.

Spey fishing/swinging is really popular during October and into November, precisely because of the lower water flows. There aren’t many things more exciting than getting a tug from a monster rainbow on a fly that you’ve tied. The battles can be epic and not soon forgotten.

So, that’s it for now. Stay safe out there, handle the fish with care, and like I always say:

“The tug is the drug!”

Dan Hardy

Southeast Alaska Steelhead Fishing

Fri, 29 Oct 2021 22:53:54 GMT

My Passion, My Story

Southeast Alaska Steelhead fishing has been a passion and mainstay of my personal fishing for over 30 years. I remember flying to a well known Southeast Alaska stream every month (November through May) to chase steel. I had an addiction that I had to feed. During the spring months when things started to thaw and warm up (Mary-May), you could look up and sometimes see up to 200 different species of birds – Blue Herons, Aleutian Terns, Sandhill Cranes, to name a few – migrating or nesting in the area. And if your timing was right, the river would be full of outgoing and incoming fish. I wrote and article in Fish Alaska many years ago, describing just that, a crystal clear run that had hundreds of fish just waiting for a fly to be presented to them.

During the winter months, I’d ride a snow machine over fifteen miles through deep snow, just to get to the river. There were times when after two great days of fishing, the third day would find the river completely frozen, and I would have to cut my trip short.

Except for two old timers that I would occasionally see during those odd winter moths, I would have the river all to myself. I remember walking the stream and not seeing anyone for days, just river otters playing along the riverbank, sliding in and out of the water. Sometimes you would see them chasing after steelhead trying to secure a meal. I remember hooking so many wild-eyes, sea-lice laden, fresh-from-the-ocean fish, that the lactic acid buildup in my arm would be almost unbearable. I would literally start casting with my other hand just to keep fishing. Sometimes I would get the shakes (from standing in waist deep freezing water), and laugh at myself at how crazy I had to be to be out here. But, every time iI would reach down into the frigid water to release another gorgeous chrome fish, I had no doubt about what had drawn me to this moment in time. And despite the trying conditions, I was truly in my element. I can truthfully say, “I was living in the moment.” There days were incredible life experiences that still guide me tot this day. I took lots of pictures back then, and I still look at them from time to time, if only to remind myself of hose great the steelhead fishing was back then to never take anything for granted.

Over 30 years, the dynamics of the fishery have definitely changed, and not necessarily for the better. But, since change is inevitable, I can’t and won’t let it stop me from pursing my passion of chasing steel.

Fish On!