Explore Species & Fisheries
Dive into an unforgettable adventure with a guided fishing trip for rainbow trout or Alaskan salmon.
Guided Fishing Trips
Guided fishing is available as part of a Fishing Package or a-la-carte as a full or half day trip. For every fishing trip, we provide all the fishing equipment needed, including rods and reels fully rigged by your guide and Simms and Patagonia chest waders for your comfort.
If you are ready to talk fishing, give us a call to discuss the options! From there, we can either send you a custom quote or confirm a date right away. Pricing for day trips depends on dates, group size, and the species you will target, so reach out to get started.
Rainbow Trout Fishing
Available June 11th - October 10th
World-class trophy trout fishing
Many people come to the Kenai Peninsula with salmon on the brain without realizing the Kenai River is also a world class rainbow trout and dolly varden fishery. Its baby-blue glacier-fed waters possess a magic blend of characteristics to support trophy rainbows of up to 30+ inches. Seeking out these monstrous trout is an obsession for many of our guides and guests. Kenai River rainbows’ primary food source is salmon flesh and eggs, which means you are engaging with a quintessentially Alaskan food chain when you fly fish for rainbows using flesh flies and beads.
Kenai River Sections
The Kenai can be broken down into several distinct sections, each with a different flavor to the fishing. The Upper-upper and Refuge flow through the mountains and offer traditional pocket water fishing to our anglers. They are drift-only sections, so they’re extra peaceful and make for a wonderful introduction to the river. If you are chasing big ‘bows, we will visit the Middle Kenai in order to fish bigger water that holds more food and fish overall in the system. The Middle is where we find our biggest trout, and we can utilize either drift or power boats to work the water. Besides the Kenai, we also fish the Russian River and some other small clearwater streams for trout and dolly varden. You can easily spend a week trout fishing, and no two days would look alike.
Techniques
Good to Know:
- The Kenai River opens June 11th
- Trout fishing is good all season from June 11th to early October, with peak trophy dates in Mid June and Fall.
Trips Available
- Half or full day trout on the Upper-upper Kenai
- Full day trout on the Middle Kenai
- Hike-in Russian River for trout
- Combo trout/salmon fishing options
- Full day Steelhead
- Hike-in Quartz Creek dolly varden
Good to Know:
- We target three different runs of sockeye salmon
- Most sockeye salmon fishing is done from the bank
Sockeye Runs and Dates:
Kenai Early Run
- June 11 - 30 Russian River (hike-in wade fishing)
- June 11 - 30 Upper Kenai River Refuge (boat access to wade fishing)
Kenai Late Run
- July 10 - Aug 15 Middle and Lower Kenai River (boat access to wade fishing, some opportunities for back trolling from the boat)
Kasilof River Run
- June 25 - July 15 Kasilof River (boat access)
Sockeye Salmon Fishing
Available June 11th - August 15th
If one of your goals is to bring home fresh-caught Alaskan salmon, sockeye are the perfect species to target. These fish are prized for their delicious, firm, bright red meat, and the runs are abundant: the Kenai River late run can bring in 1-2 million fish in a month. That means during the peak of the run, huge pushes of fish come into the river on a daily basis, sometimes topping 100,000 fish on the sonar count.
Sockeye salmon are also known as “reds” because they turn bright red and green in preparation for spawning. We target sockeye when they are still bright chrome silver and coming in fresh from the ocean. The longer they have been in freshwater, the less desirable they are to eat.
Sockeye are fished primarily from the bank using a technique we call flipping, also known as flossing. It’s always fun to introduce anglers to this method of fishing, since it is a very hands-on and involved way to target the fish. We use 10 weight fly rods, heavy leader, and a basic fly, which swings downstream into the fish as they push upriver. Average sockeye can range from 6-10 pounds, with the biggest fish normally caught during the Kenai late run.
King Salmon Fishing
Available May 25th - June 30th, Late July
King salmon are highly sought after by many anglers traveling to Alaska. The mystique of the king salmon as the biggest, most badass salmon around becomes a personal legend for those lucky enough to fight and land one. The Kenai River is known for holding the world record for king salmon caught on rod and reel in 1985.
These days, king runs everywhere are among the most delicate of the pacific salmon runs, and so we approach our king fishing with a sense of reverence, but also care and respect for the regulations set forth by Alaska Department of Fish and Game for managing the runs. If you are interested in targeting kings, we will discuss the nuances of regulations, expectations, and a backup option just in case!
Kasilof Early Run Techniques
The Kasilof River Early Run is our most consistent opportunity to target king salmon, since this run is supported by a hatchery population of fish (distinguished by a clipped adipose fin). The Kasilof River late run and the Kenai River early and late runs are populations of wild fish, and they bring in the biggest kings, sometimes pushing 50+ pounds.
To target kings, we most commonly backtroll with bait or backbounce cured eggs as regulations allow. We call king fishing “high-risk, high-reward,” meaning, this is not a trip of constant action, and there is no guarantee of landing a king. You’ll sit back and take in the scenery while you wait for those moments of excitement when the rod goes down. Then, it’s an intense fight to land the king.
Good to know:
- Trip times often start very early at the Kasilof River
- Back trolling from a drift boat
King Runs and Dates:
- Kasilof Early Run: May 25th – June 30th, best dates June 1st – 20th
- Kasilof Late Run: July 15th – 31st
Good to know:
- Silvers are the primary salmon species to target in late summer and fall.
- Fishing from a drift or power boat
Silver Runs and Dates:
- Early run on the Kenai River: Aug 1st – 31st, best dates from Aug 10th – 25th
- Late run on the Kenai River: September 1st – 30th, best dates Sept 10th – 20th
Silver Salmon Fishing
Available August 10th - September 30th
Silver salmon give us the best of all worlds: they’re endlessly entertaining to target, and they’re delicious to eat! The Kenai runs of silver salmon arrive after the sockeye runs, making them the main salmon option for late summer and fall, starting around August 15. One of the cool things about silver salmon fishing is it’s adaptable to the angler because of how many different techniques we use to target the fish. You can fly fish, cast spinning gear, jig lures, back bouncing eggs, and back troll bait when regulations allow. Kenai silvers love purple, pink, black, and silver, so all kinds of lures and flies in these color combinations will do the job. Most of our silver salmon fishing is done by boat on the middle and lower Kenai. Often, silverfish are best at first light, so we get up early to hit the bite.
There are technically two overlapping silvers on the Kenai: the early run in August and the late run, which starts in September and sees fish trickle over several months. We also have a run on the Kasilof River, which can fish exceptionally well. Typical Kenai silvers range in size from 6-10 pounds, though some can be bigger, at 12+ pounds. Limits range from 1-3 fish per person daily, depending on run performance and where you fish. So, while we don’t usually set expectations for a freezer-filling mission, a good day of silver fishing will yield plenty of fish to enjoy!
Trips Available:
- Russian River Sockeye Salmon
- Russian River Rainbow Trout
- Quartz Creek Dolly Varden and Trout
- Hike-in Alpine Lakes Arctic Grayling
Hike-in wade fishing trips
Walk-and-wade sockeye salmon fishing
Available June 11th - 30th, July 15th - 31st
There is one main salmon walk and wade fishing trip: The Russian River in June. From June 11-30. The Russian River gets the first wave of sockeye coming in from the Kenai River, and it is a stream only accessible on foot. There are no boat ramps on the Russian River. Other sockeye trips on the Kenai or Kasilof may still satisfy your desire to fish from the banks, standing in the water. However, on boat access trips, you will stake out one bank spot and remain there for the duration of the fishing. You wouldn’t cover the same kind of mileage on foot as you do on a Russian River hike-in.
Wade Fishing Trout Trips
Available June 11th - September 30th
A particular draw for smaller tributary streams are the short, intense windows of salmon spawning and trout “bead bites.” Even tiny streams fill with salmon, and it’s so cool to see the life cycle play out in just a couple feet of crystal clear water. As soon as the salmon start to drop their eggs, trout and dolly varden line up to feed, making for a week or two of fly fishing heaven. The timing for these bead bites is always a little unpredictable, but early August is typically the best.
Hike-in to Alpine Lakes Arctic Grayling
Available June 11th to August 5th
For those looking to get even further off the beaten path, we recommend a hike-in to an alpine lake for arctic grayling. Hike-in trips split the focus between the fishing, and the hike itself, which becomes a feature of the trip. Expect to spend about half your time hiking, and half fishing. Experience the adventure of Alaska first hand as you hike into mountain passes, through fireweed meadows and berry patches.
Ocean Fishing for Halibut, Rockfish, Lingcod, Salmon
Available from mid May to early September
Drifters Lodge has a central location on the Kenai Peninsula, and there are multiple saltwater charter locations accessible within a day trip. We work with trusted companies to book saltwater trips for halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and salmon as part of our packages.
Seward
Ninilchik/Deep Creek
The small town of Ninilchik is about an hour and forty minute drive from Drifters Lodge. The Ninilchik/Deep Creek area is home to a number of incredible charter operations that fish the waters of Cook Inlet. Charters operating out of Deep Creek do a tractor launch from the beach, demonstrating the captain’s skills as they time the surf. On a clear day, you can see active volcanoes across the inlet.
Homer
A Note About Weather
Halibut charters are available from May through early September, although weather becomes much less dependable in the fall. The second half of August sees more frequent weather cancellations due to rough seas, so keep this in mind when booking.
Fly-in Fishing Trips
Available June - September
Small plane fly-in trips are a trip highlight for many of our guests. Float planes open access to practically unlimited fishing locations, and you can take in so much scenery along the way. We work with several trusted companies to get us up in the air to remote fishing spots. Some trips are fully private, and some are organized in small groups. It’s important to think about priorities when choosing a fly-in trip. Are you looking for the best bear viewing? A private trip? The ability to target salmon species? The most remote locations? We will help you narrow your options by date range.
Weather is a critical factor to being able to fly, and we typically have the best conditions in June, July and August. September can be hit and miss. Low clouds, fog, or high winds can make fly-out trips unsafe, so pilots will carefully monitor for these conditions. If conditions are inclement, then flyouts may be delayed or canceled. Safety is always the top priority.
