Let me start by saying I'm not an outdoorsman - I don't hunt or fish. I have no hang ups about those activities; just never was exposed to them growing up.
My wife's nephew is a fishing guide on the Kenai and, when my work buddies found out (they like to hunt and fish), my charge was to set up a trip. My nephew is a guide here:
https://www.alaskawildland.com/lodges/kenai-riverside-lodge/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google-my-business
I was excited about trying something new and I was not disappointed. We took this trip last week and fished 4 days. The salmon run is over, although there were a million sockeye spawning and they really came in the way of catching the rainbow and dolly we were after. All catch and release.
Our group of 6 stayed in the very nice and spacious Bear Lodge. Food was great, we cooked nothing as that was part of the package. We were picked up in Anchorage and Riverside is 2 hours away in Cooper Landing. They also dropped us off on the day we came home.
We fished 4 to a Willie boat. the idea is the two fishing on the right coordinate their casts so they don't get tangled up, and the two on the left do the same. Not a lot of roll casting. The "bait" was a plastic bead that looks like a salmon egg. We flipped the line a lot (best way I can describe it...) to reset as the boat moved down the river.
We also stopped a few times to fish off the bank in knee to thigh high water. We didn't go too deep into the water as it was really moving (volume was 5100 to 5800 CFS) and rocks were slippery. The waders and boots are part of the package and they are good quality Simms products. I just had to layer to stay warm.
Really fun trip and I'm going to go back in a couple of years with the rest of my family - this time it was my wife and I. She fished with me on one of the days and we all had fun. My boss is going back next year with some of his other friends they travel with.
I'm no pro, I never will be, so the guided trips are the ways to go for someone like me. Now that I've got a taste of it, I'll go back. Problem is, it was a phenomenal setting. I compare it to a new golfer's first course being Pebble Beach. LOL.
Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience in case anyone is looking into a trip like this. I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have any.
My wife's nephew is a fishing guide on the Kenai and, when my work buddies found out (they like to hunt and fish), my charge was to set up a trip. My nephew is a guide here:
https://www.alaskawildland.com/lodges/kenai-riverside-lodge/?utm_source=google&utm_medium=organic&utm_campaign=google-my-business
I was excited about trying something new and I was not disappointed. We took this trip last week and fished 4 days. The salmon run is over, although there were a million sockeye spawning and they really came in the way of catching the rainbow and dolly we were after. All catch and release.
Our group of 6 stayed in the very nice and spacious Bear Lodge. Food was great, we cooked nothing as that was part of the package. We were picked up in Anchorage and Riverside is 2 hours away in Cooper Landing. They also dropped us off on the day we came home.
We fished 4 to a Willie boat. the idea is the two fishing on the right coordinate their casts so they don't get tangled up, and the two on the left do the same. Not a lot of roll casting. The "bait" was a plastic bead that looks like a salmon egg. We flipped the line a lot (best way I can describe it...) to reset as the boat moved down the river.
We also stopped a few times to fish off the bank in knee to thigh high water. We didn't go too deep into the water as it was really moving (volume was 5100 to 5800 CFS) and rocks were slippery. The waders and boots are part of the package and they are good quality Simms products. I just had to layer to stay warm.
Really fun trip and I'm going to go back in a couple of years with the rest of my family - this time it was my wife and I. She fished with me on one of the days and we all had fun. My boss is going back next year with some of his other friends they travel with.
I'm no pro, I never will be, so the guided trips are the ways to go for someone like me. Now that I've got a taste of it, I'll go back. Problem is, it was a phenomenal setting. I compare it to a new golfer's first course being Pebble Beach. LOL.
Anyway, just thought I'd share my experience in case anyone is looking into a trip like this. I'd be happy to answer any questions if you have any.