Ask the Pros - Solo Bucket List Alaska Fishing Trip

David,

Congratulations on traveling up to AK to fish and camp! Careful though, that's how many of us here ended up calling Alaska home! If you are trying to fish for trout, salmon, arctic grayling and dolly varden on the road system your 2 best options are either north of Anchorage on the Alaska Parks Highway river system or down south of Anchorage on the Kenai Peninsula. A 3rd option would be the interior which is more just grayling and some dolly's. The Kenai is a great fishery with strong runs of Sockeye and great trout and dolly populations. There are camping areas as well. However, with the popularity and fame of the Kenai River making reservations for camping areas in the areas close to the river is a necessity. There are many, many guides on the Kenai. Some mix guests while others will do private trips for solo anglers.

North on the Parks Highway river systems there are lots of different rivers with many options for camping from state land and other public land and parks to privately owned camping areas. The Parks Highway has many rivers to fish and is home to crystal clear water and boasts great trout, grayling, and dolly varden fishing. As well as strong pink runs and chum typically. There are a fair amount of guide services up north to choose from as well. Including mine where all our trips are private whether it's for a solo angler or larger groups. Good luck on your trip and make sure to be current on fishing regulations as they change from season to season, location to location, and emergency orders E.O.'s.

Cheers - Adam

Hi David,

It sounds like you are planning a great trip. Travelling solo is very doable on the Kenai Peninsula with a great number of fishing options and adventures to consider. Most guides will be willing to book you as a single angler just keep in mind you are likely to be added to an existing group. The best options to consider in July will be sockeye salmon fishing on both the Kenai River and the neighboring Kasilof River. Fishing with a guide early in your trip will help a lot in reducing your learning curve and most guides will be willing to give tips on good places to access these fisheries on your own. One benefit to sockeye salmon fishing is that it does not require fishing from a boat and therefore assessing productive areas on foot are definitely possible. There are a number of very good access points on the Kasilof as well as the upper and lower Kenai River. The lower you fish on each system the more concentrated and the more fresh from the ocean the sockeye salmon will be. Other than sockeye you also might consider fishing the many lakes in the area for rainbow trout, dolly varden and grayling. I hope that helps and please do not hesitate to reach out if you wish to book a trip or need additional information.

Best Regards - Mark

Hey David,

That sounds like an awesome adventure—July is prime time for fishing up here! For a solo trip combining fishing and camping, Kenai Drift Anglers (my own operation) is a great option for the fishing part. We specialize in personalized experiences, and we do take solo travelers they're more than welcome. We can get you on the water for world-class salmon fishing, and if you're up for it, we can also help with camping logistics in some incredible spots near the Kenai River or even remote backcountry areas that we would recommend, many parks in Soldotna to camp at.

Let me know if you need help setting something up, or if you’re interested in booking a trip with us at Kenai Drift Angler.

Tight lines
Scott Daletas

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