Experience Alaska’s legendary Kenai River with one of our custom tailored fishing packages, crafted to deliver an unforgettable Alaskan adventure. Our guides will lead you to the heart of the action, where you can target King Salmon, Silver Salmon, Sockeye Salmon, and the river’s renowned Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden. Each fishing package and trip is designed for your goals and comfort, providing exceptional lodging and the inside track to the Kenai’s most productive spots.
Watch the video below to learn about our kenai river fishing packages and choose the perfect fit for your Alaskan dream trip.
Which fishing package is right for me?
A simple, river fishing package with lodging, guided fishing trips, breakfast, and lunch included. Perfect for adding a day or two of fishing onto your existing Kenai Peninsula trip.
Choose Premium for more flexibility in your itinerary and the option for upgrades, plus fishing licenses and fish processing included. Premium Package guests will still need a rental car.
The hands-off, worry free, just get to Anchorage and we’ll take it from there Package! You get everything included on the Premium Package, plus all transportation while in Alaska and dinners covered at our local restaurants.
Accommodations in a private cabin
Daily guided river fishing trip of your choice
All fishing equipment provided (rods, reels, terminal tackle, waders)
Fishing upgrades available (such as ocean halibut or fly-in trips)
Non-fishing substitutions available (rafting, glacier cruise, hiking, etc)
Breakfast & Lunch
Dinners included at our local restraints
Fishing License & king salmon stamp
Fish Processing, freezer storage, and packaging in insulated boxes
Airport Pickup / Dropoff
Transportation To / From Activities
Book any duration up to 8 nights
Curious about the process of building and booking a Kenai River Fishing Package? Here’s how it works:
The Kenai River offers incredible fishing throughout the season, but knowing when to target each species is key. Our graphic provides a visual overview of the major salmon runs and the best times to fish for Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden.
Prices shown are per person, based on double occupancy. Single travelers will incur an up-charge. Non-fishing activity substitutions are available in place of any fishing day on a Premium or All-inclusive Package. Click here to view options.
*Durations can be customized with an extra day or night.
Guided Fishing, Alaskan Trout, Salmon, & Fly Out Fishing
Available Dates:
June 11th – October 10th
Many anglers come to Alaska for the first time with salmon in mind, but after a few visits they quickly realize that the Kenai River is home to some of the best Trophy Rainbow Trout fishing in the world. Most of the Rainbow Trout are native to the Kenai River and most of the rainbows are resident fish (they never leave the Kenai River). Due to the fish being native and growing to impressive sizes, our guides practice catch and release to ensure there are big fish for years to come.
With over a million salmon entering the Kenai River every year, the Native Rainbow Trout are provided with a never-ending supply of food. This enables the Rainbow Trout on the Kenai River to reach epic sizes and proportions. For anglers dreaming of catching a prized 30” trout, this is the river for you. The Kenai River is one of the few watersheds in the world where 30” + Rainbow Trout can be found regularly and are hooked into! In Alaska, it is certainly one of the most easily accessible Trophy Rainbow fisheries. Right on the road system, there are spots you can still pull over and throw a line in or you can hire a guide to get you to the tried and true “honey holes” by boat.
The Kenai River provides anglers with 82 miles of river to fish; creating endless opportunities for beginners, families, and experts. No matter what your time constraints, we have the trip for you. Our professional guides are some of the very best and will work tirelessly to ensure your fishing trip is that of a lifetime. We will customize your trip to fit your experience and needs to make a trip like no other!
For salmon fishing, the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska is hard to beat. The reason is simple: the Kenai Peninsula has wild Pacific salmon runs in abundance. We believe the great variety, larger fish size, plentifulness and easy accessibility makes it the best place in the world to fish for salmon.
Available Dates:
May 25th – June 30th
King Salmon are the largest of the salmon species. The Kenai River is home to the world record King Salmon weighing in at 97.4 pounds and measuring in at over 5 ft in length! On average these beasts weigh between 15-25lbs with fish over 30lbs hitting the nets regularly.
Our guides have come to prefer the calmer, quieter “drift only” waters of the Kasilof for King fishing. Additionally, the Kasilof is a hatchery enhanced river, providing anglers with more opportunities at these epic river Monsters. In recent years, fish returns have declined on the Kenai and in the interest of allowing the species to regenerate and hopefully make a comeback, we do not fish on the Kenai for King Salmon.
Available Dates:
June 11th – August 15th (various runs and locations)
On the Kenai, we have two runs and millions of fish entering the river annually. Sockeye salmon are a guest favorite as they allow them to take fish home, filling their freezers with fresh salmon for months to come. We target runs on the Kenai, Russian, and Kasilof Rivers from mid-June through mid-August. Flossing from the bank and back trolling from the boat are the main fishing techniques.
Available Dates:
August 10th – September 30th
Silver salmon are an angler’s dream due to their aggression and the numerous methods of fishing. Casting spinners, jigging, back trolling, float setups, and fly fishing are all effective. For anglers familiar with bass fishing in the lower 48, fishing for Silver will feel very similar. Arriving later in the season, the silver salmon runs coincide with some best trout fishing of the season, making a great time for combo trips targeting both species.
Available Dates:
June 11th – August 10th (alping lakes grayling)
Drifters Lodge partners with some of the best backcountry pilots on the Kenai Peninsula to deliver you and your Drifters guide to one of several remote high alpine lakes in our local Chugach Mountains. Feel the quiet settle in as the plane departs, leaving you and your guide to work the lake for Arctic Grayling and/or Rainbow Trout.
The trout are beautifully colored, and the grayling are often wonderfully aggressive, giving you the opportunity to experiment with fly rods and ultra-light spinning rods. Enjoy your lunch surrounded by mountain peaks and take a break from fishing to explore the streams and shore around the lake. The pilot will return in 4-6 hours to pick you up.
Many people find this trip to be the absolute high point of their entire vacation. It is a freeing experience to be removed from civilization and to not see another person all day long. That being said, safety is the top consideration. Your guide will be prepared with survival gear and a satellite phone in case of emergencies.
Available Dates:
June 11th – September 30th (salmon, bear viewing, and custom trips)
For an incredible salmon experience, take a float plane across Cook Inlet to the edge of Lake Clark National Park. Here, you will meet your guide, who will lead you to some of the best bear viewing and fishing opportunities around at Wolverine Creek. Fish for sockeye salmon from a spot on the bank before heading out in the boat to seek out some bears doing their own fishing. Don’t forget your zoom lens to take advantage of the incredible photo ops. With any luck, you’ll return from this trip with amazing pictures of bears in their natural habitat and a bag of fresh salmon fillets to enjoy yourself.
Riverfront Lodging on the Kenai River
Our 5 Bedoom / 3 Bath riverfront house is located right on the banks of the Kenai River headwaters in Cooper Landing, Alaska. Imagine being nestled in the glaciated valley with the Kenai and Chugach Mountains on either side, and the turquoise river gliding by just off your deck.
Cozy, private retreats
We have 6 cabins on our property, all just steps away from the Kenai River. Each cabin has views of the river and nearby mountains, along with a porch from which you can take in the spectacular scenery. All lodging and package guests will be able to use the riverfront Swedish Sauna with views of the Kenai River and mountains, enjoy the nightly riverside campfire and grab breakfast from our cozy Breakfast Nook.
