King Salmon fishing in Alaska

Time
The King Salmon season starts on 1. May and ends on 31. Juli, 23:59. The image below shows the early and the late run of King Salmon on the Kenai in 2002. The early run of Kenai Kings was very poor in 2002 and the season was closed by emergency issue.

Technique
On the Kenai River and the Kasilof River guided anglers in drift and power boats enjoy success by back trolling a Jet-planer with Kwikfish, Flatfish, Magnum Wiggle Worts, Tadpollys, Spin-n-Glos, and salmon egg clusters. Back bouncing with an appropriate lead weight instead of a jet planer is also extremely effective for guided anglers.

It must be said that the Alaska fishing guides knowledge of boat handling and the water is of utmost importance. Bank fisherman on the Kasilof, Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchick river as well as the Kenai are successful using a weight and casting a Kenai Special with a single hook or casting and bouncing large spoons such as the Pixie Spoon off the bottom rocks is a successful tactic as is casting #6 Vibrax upstream and reeling in as the lure bounces off the rocks. Fly fishermen using attractor flies like the coho or Alaskabou have had their share of hook ups.

Bank fisherman beware, no matter what Kenai water you are fishing, be prepared to run when you hook that king salmon!

I once wached a guy fighting a medium King Salmon from the river bank. It took him one hour of fighting to get 20 feet of line in, before his gear broke.

Never lose a King that way. Always Hire a professional guide for Kings on the Kenai.