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ltorna1 · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 3240

So I'm doing a month long RV trip from Calgary to Homer Alaska, and will be stopping at various spots along the way for hiking, kayaking and freshwater fishing before we hit Homer for some halibut action. Just wondering if anyone on here has done anything freshwater fishing in this part of the world at all. I don't have the slightest clue what to expect or pack in terms of gear. Should be interesting.
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OneMoreCast88 · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 12:04 am Post subject:

Dang sounds awesome

I'd start with investing in a nice waterproof shell jacket.

deputydawg · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 7:34 am Post subject:

Man talk about a dream trip! Around 3 more years till retirement time then maybe I'll get that lucky. Good luck and post some reports!

ironmanstan · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 11:32 am Post subject:

Do what I would do. Stop at the spots that look good and cast a line. Maybe you will run into a few good fellow fishermen that will pass along some good information. I know I have driven by some places that I wish I would have stopped got out and walked down to bank.
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BayFly · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 8:14 pm Post subject:

I suggest you google the towns, states, territories, areas, and water bodies you are going to frequent, and maybe you will find some fishing clubs, publications, website, etc. You will want to check with the fish and game departments of the respective areas to make sure you are licensed properly, and they should be able to provide you some guidance on fishing methods, places, etc., also. BTW, good luck and have a safe trip!

Chef Lefty · Posted: Fri Jan 02, 2015 9:16 pm Post subject:

Congrats and safe travels Luke. Did you meet a cougar? LOL

I'm invited to an Alaskan salmon trip here in the near. Cheers!
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Bent · Pony Mullet Joined: 26 Feb 2012 Posts: 55

Luke,
We did a trip all along the Kenai River system. It is broken down in to three sections the lower , middle and upper. Each is a different type of fishing and layout. I liked the middle and upper the most. We caught silver salmon, dolly varden and rainbows until our arms fell off. I used a 2000 series spinning reel with a 6' light action rod with 20lb braid and flouro leader. Inline panther martin spinners worked but if you really want to catch fish read up on back bouncing a single plastic egg. Hopefully you are going in the summer. Bring rain gear and bug net face gear. Also take some protection as the bears there are no joke. You will see them closer than you like. A local guide recommended a handgun caliber capable of dispatching yourself with one shot because you don't want to suffer being eaten alive by a bear.

Should be high on every ones bucket list.
Bent

ziacatcher · Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2015 9:47 am Post subject:

sounds like an awesome trip Luke. A few years back my son fish the Kenai and another river joined together. A distinct line was formed in a water one side cloudy one side crystal clear. He just drifted a spinner bait, or fly, right down the color change line and was catching fish one after the other.
Ditto on carrying protection.

landlocked beachbum · Posted: Sat Jan 03, 2015 1:17 pm Post subject:

Careful that you don't wind up as a bear turd!!! Shocked

Really though, sounds awesome, enjoy! Cool

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67 Shellback · Pony Mullet Joined: 10 Mar 2006 Posts: 95

My wife and I did a 3 month trip through the Yukon Territory and down to Homer in our travel trailer in 2013. We did a daily limit of 3 salmon each for 3 days and brought home 54 pounds of fillets. We had them vacuum packed and bought a small chest freezer to put in the trailer. Turned it down very cold so that it didn't thaw when we were traveling. Each section of the river has different fishing regs as to the type of hook size and rigging. In Soldotna, we used 3/0 red hooks and they had to be tied as a Kenai river fly. Used a 3/4 oz weight. Here's a link on how to tie the required fly:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=URVg2dJBesY

It's pretty easy to tie with a little practice. The rocks and current are a challenge and I would make at least 10 per person per day. Most of the people were using heavy duty fly rods and reels. Trustworthy Hardware is more a fishing shop than hardware and has everything that you would need. I took some of my light weight bay equipment and found it was way to light. I ended up buying a 10' open face rod and Penn reel with 30 pound mono. Plan on using it for surf fishing. You only cast up current about 20 ft and let the fly bounce on the rocks going down stream. Its illegal to set the hook so most give a little Kenai twitch at the end of the drift. Lots of people to contend with. We were there in mid July and it was daylight at 3:00 AM. With the strong river current and strength of the fish you need to holler Fish ON to alert your neighbors of a hook up. Its real easy to get tangled up with other lines. You also need a a net for 3' fish and a club to put them to sleep. Cut the gills to bleed them, put them on a stringer and put back in the cold river water till you leave. Lots of places to access the river.

Check the gun regs for Canada. Pistols are not allowed. When we fished the upper Kenai, we did have a momma brown bear and 2 cubs clear the bank while they were looking for a fish stringer to steal. The finally found 1 up river from where we were and took the fish into the woods and the guy lost his stringer. One guy did have a 9 mm in a shoulder holster. No one in Soldotna carried.

We also fished halibut 1 day in Homer and with a 2 fish limit per person came home with 35 pounds of fillets. The rigs supplied on the charter boat were rigged with a 4 pound weight large circle hook all attached to 1/4" nylon line that was attached to 80 to 90 pound braid. Fished in about 200 ft of water and the current runs strong. The tidal range is about 25' from low to high tide. Incoming tide was most productive.

We had a great trip and went from Homer to Fairbanks. We were on the Top of the World Highway from Dawson City Yukon Terr. to Chicken Ak on July 4th. Not much of a highway - more like a gravel road.

Hope this is helpful.

ziacatcher · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 6:23 am Post subject:

Awesome info, Shellback. My son was amazed at the size of the weight used for halibut. He said that even with that weight the current would take it several hundred yards down river. Long way to bring in a big halibut.

ltorna1 · Full Grown Flour Bluffian Joined: 17 Apr 2009 Posts: 3240

Awesome stuff guys. Thanks Zia, Shellback, Bent and all the others. I knew you fishing addicts would have something for me.

Chef, I didn't meet a cougar, although, if you happen to know any... Laughing

This was actually a gift from an old professor from New York. He said 10 years ago if I ever finished my doctorate he would take me fishing in Alaska. He showed up in Corpus at my graduation commencement on Dec 13 with some books about the Yukon territory, a road map and a calendar. Trip is planned for next July.

The Kenai sounds like the place to be. Will plan on shortening the number of day trips in British Colombia, where the fishing is hit or miss depending on the time of year, and spending a few extra days in Homer to make sure I get my moneys worth.

I have heard over and over that the bears are hungry and fearless, and the mosquitos are even worse.

So I'm planning on bringing spinning tackle in two sizes (2000-3000 class reels, light 6') and medium (4000-6000, medium 6'). As far as fly rods, I will probably be limited to a single rod. 6 wt?
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Jetty Bandit · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 8:54 am Post subject:

crhfish · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:05 pm Post subject:

I just returned from a trip up to Alaska and spent some time out on the Kenai peninsula. I have a buddy who lives up there. The salmon fishing was great, just make sure you are there when they are running. Don't expect clear water fishing either, the water has a white/blue tint to it from the glacial runoff.

If there is any way you can, try to go up to Denali National Park. They will not let you drive in the park very far, but they do have guided bus trips run by the park service that are worth it. These take all day, you basically go from the entrance into the park and back out. If you are there like the second week of September, the leaves are turning, the Moose are in rut, the Caribou are on the move and the bears are all out feeding for the winter. You will never see anything else like it anywhere on this planet.

nofish2day · Posted: Sun Jan 04, 2015 7:34 pm Post subject:

as stated before, you have to hit the salmon streams when the fish are running. The different types of salmon have their runs at different times. Usually, kings are first, followed by reds and then silvers.
Ninilchik River is a good one right off the highway to Homer that you can fish off the bank. You can do the Kenai at the Russian River when the reds are running and get in some combat fishing. Smile

Kasilof River has some good bank fishing for kings, too.
You can fish for kings in downtown Anchorage, too.