Another AK Fishing kind of thread

[Rich M]

Looking at 2024.

Kenai Peninsula.

Salmon halibut etc.

Is it better to use a lodge or schedule your own trips?

I gotta take the Mrs. on the anchorage to Seward/Whittier train ride…. Seen the combo trips are out of Seward and Halibut out of Homer for most lodges. Why drive back & forth to lodge if can stay in either?

Also, whats better sockeye or silver salmon?

 

[kwackkillncrew]

No reason to stay at an lodge in homer or Seward. Get a air bnb and book your own charters.

Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk

 

[ToolMann]

No lodge. Rent a VRBO. I can send you a great one we stayed at in Homer. You can do combo trips out of Homer and silvers on the Kenai.

We had great experiences with Maverick Charters in Homer and Coopers Landing on the river.

 

[Elk botherer]

Looking at 2024.

Kenai Peninsula.

Salmon halibut etc.

Is it better to use a lodge or schedule your own trips?

I gotta take the Mrs. on the anchorage to Seward/Whittier train ride…. Seen the combo trips are out of Seward and Halibut out of Homer for most lodges. Why drive back & forth to lodge if can stay in either?

Also, whats better sockeye or silver salmon?

Sockeye have slightly better meat but silvers are way more fun to catch. Flossing for reds isn’t bad but having a silver slam a lure is more enjoyable to me. The meat difference isn’t huge to me so I’d pick silvers everyday all day long. Or better yet, pick both! Good luck.

 

[Catchfish]

I would also vote for silvers, doing so puts you here for a lot different weather though. You can get silvers on the slat earlier though. We prefer to eat silvers at my house we are not going to put up any more reds.

 

[Rich M]

Thanks guys.

I see the regulations changing up there, seems like down here - we get red snapper on the east FL coast but only get a 2 or 3-day season for them, usually in July. We catch them in good numbers year round but have a 1/person limit for 2 or 3 days. All I'm saying is I can understand some strange fish regulations.

It seems like it is gonna come down to timing.

When is the best time? Would we be able to floss reds and then do a combination charter of halibut and kings or even silvers if the silvers are staging to hit the rivers?

Was also wanting to do fly-in salmon, might give the opportunity for another species? Should we fly out somewhere and stay a few days, then come back?

What are the little salmon I see in some pictures? 16-18 inch fish. Are those pinks or chums? It will be an even year - is there any advantage to scheduling to encounter these fish? Do they eat well?

 

[LongWayAround]

We rented an RV for a week two summers ago and had a great time but spent a lot of time driving. Doing the math, a rental car and Airbnb cost about the same.

I haven't done the lodge deal up there but fished with a guy who guides for Riddles lodge. I would give them a look if I were interested.

We fished sockeye and it was fun but I'm looking for silvers on my next attempt.

 

[wildwilderness]

When is the best time? Would we be able to floss reds and then do a combination charter of halibut and kings or even silvers if the silvers are staging to hit the rivers?

Was also wanting to do fly-in salmon, might give the opportunity for another species? Should we fly out somewhere and stay a few days, then come back?

What are the little salmon I see in some pictures? 16-18 inch fish. Are those pinks or chums? It will be an even year - is there any advantage to scheduling to encounter these fish? Do they eat well?

The small salmon are pinks. Not worth keeping. They are usually everywhere. chums are bigger but usually not in high numbers, also not targeted for eating.

If you fly out I would only do it for a chance at a River King on a fly rod, a 30” rainbow , or a great Silver run. Usually the early season is for Kings. Then Late June reds/sockeye start then they overlap the Silvers in July/Aug.

 

[Rich M]

The small salmon are pinks. Not worth keeping. They are usually everywhere. chums are bigger but usually not in high numbers, also not targeted for eating.

If you fly out I would only do it for a chance at a River King on a fly rod, or a great Silver run. Usually the early season is for Kings. Then Late June reds/sockeye start then they overlap the Silvers in July/Aug.

Thanks.

What I'm seeing so far is no king fishing on flyouts from the kenai peninsula. Guess they are hurting.

 

[Dexter Grayson]

I would rent and RV, can camp anywhere down there.

For reds I would go first week of august. Camp at centennial park and walk 20 yards down to the river and catch your 6 reds every day. With the possibility of some silvers.

For silvers I would go Labor Day. camp and fish at Russian, plenty of silvers and gobs of fire truck reds. Would book a guide on the kenai for silvers. Trout fishing is world class that time of year too.

Can catch halibut out of homer or Seward anytime. I prefer Seward, bigger fish. Millers landing is one of my favorite campgrounds on the planet. Like camping in the shire.

Homer is worth the visit though!

When you book your trip we can discuss food!

 

[WalterH]

Mark Wackler owns and operates the guide service Fishology and the Orca lodge & cabins on the Kenai Peninsula. Mark and his guides are top notch and they run trips on the Kenai and Kasilof for trout and salmon all year as well as halibut and bottom fish on the salt. I think they might offer one day fly out options for fishing and bear viewing as well?

If you are looking to base out of one area with awesome accommodations, great people, and excellent fishing I would highly recommend Mark.

Kenai River Fishing Guide - Fishology Alaska

#1 rated Kenai River Fishing Guides on the river! Customer service, local knowledge, friendly & professional guides, and customization. That's our secret.

akfishology.com

 

[Catchfish]

If you want a fly out fish service I would look at Alaska West Air they do fly outs to the west side of the inlet and can put you on silvers, trout, reds, pike.
Riddles is about .25 miles from my house, known them for a number of years, daughter went to school with me great people, can’t comment on their guide service but they have a great spot.
All Alaska Outdoor lodge, looks like they do some amazing trips. I’ve seen a few trips they do and they interest me. Bob helps with the local little league a lot. August he does fly out ptarmigan hunts at some high elevation lakes over pointers and flushers.
Late July early Aug you could get reds in the Kenai, possible silvers “unlikely”. Silvers would be present in Seward in the salt.
Even year the Kenai will be full of pinks that’s a pink in the last photo for the Kenai just upriver from Riddles Aug 20 on a strong silver year. We weeded that silver out of about 50 pinks, and another silver from another drainage Aug 28th.
Sept is suppose to be the best for Silvers in the Kenai but I’ve never fished them then because I’m moose hunting.

 

[grossklw]

I only go to Homer, I've got a couple Airbnb's there, seems like this topic has come up every couple days over the last few weeks. Definitely stay in an Airbnb/VRBO and book your own charters. Dexter's timing above is gold in my opinion if salmon is your target. Silver's should be in by late July for ocean fishing as well FYI, but river fishing is a blast. Peak season for July/August charter's book up months in advance, so look on that end well ahead of time when you figure out where you want to be and where.

If you want to look at the 2 Airbnb's I own and end up wanting to stay a couple nights in Homer shoot me a DM directly and I can help you out with a deal. My partner up there owns a couple boats and charter's as well through Big Butt Charter's. Couple days of halibut fishing and river fishing a few days and you'll have more fish than you know what to do with coming back to the lower 48.

Newly Built 3-BR Cabin/Bay/Spit Views/Large Deck - Cabins for Rent in Homer, Alaska, United States

Entire cabin in Homer, United States. Welcome to Halibut Hideaway at Kachemak Bay Kabins! A spacious 3 bedroom newly completed ranch style cabin with a large wrap around deck on the Ea...

airbnb.com

New 2-BR Cabin/Kachemak Bay/Spit Views/ Huge Deck! - Houses for Rent in Homer, Alaska, United States

Entire home in Homer, United States. Welcome to Rockfish Retreat at Kachemak Bay Kabins! A spacious 2 bedroom newly completed cabin with a large wrap around deck on the East end of Ho...

airbnb.com

 

[ToolMann]

Some pics from last August to keep you excited. My wife outfished me as usual.

 

[diamond10x]

I would rent and RV, can camp anywhere down there.

For reds I would go first week of august. Camp at centennial park and walk 20 yards down to the river and catch your 6 reds every day. With the possibility of some silvers.

For silvers I would go Labor Day. camp and fish at Russian, plenty of silvers and gobs of fire truck reds. Would book a guide on the kenai for silvers. Trout fishing is world class that time of year too.

Can catch halibut out of homer or Seward anytime. I prefer Seward, bigger fish. Millers landing is one of my favorite campgrounds on the planet. Like camping in the shire.

Homer is worth the visit though!

When you book your trip we can discuss food!

This here.

Only thing I’ll add is I wouldn’t even consider fishing for kings even if the season is open while you’re here.

If you plan on fishing with a guide, don’t book one who is affiliated with a lodge. Use a guide who owns their own boat and guide business.