Kenai Riverside Lodge

The Kenai Riverside Lodge sits along the shores of the Upper Kenai River. It is a wonderful location as this is also home to the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge and the Chugach National Forest.

The area is about two hours from Anchorage, two hours from Homer, and about 1.5 hours from Seward. The Upper Kenai is a perfect location to explore the Alaska Peninsula. Fishing here is either by drifting or by shore casting. This is the area of Alaska where the term "Combat Fishing" likely originate. For that reason, a guide is your best bet.

The Kenai Riverside Lodge has been guiding fishermen on the Kenai River since 1977. Alaska is a huge place to fish and the Kenai River is massive so having someone who knows the river is a huge boon to fishermen. You need special permits to fish in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, and in the National Forest. A good guide service has those permits, so you don't have to bother with them. They also know where the boundaries are so you also do not have to deal with the Alaska Fish and Game for fishing in a closed area.

The Upper Kenai River is home to some of the biggest Rainbow Trout around. A trophy-sized fish is 30-inches and above. This is also prime Sockeye habitat, and a good guide will get you to the places where you can floss successfully for Sockeye all day long. The Sockeye Salmon do not feet or strike in the river, so Flossing is the technique they use here. It comes close to snagging the fish, but you only get to keep the ones you floss, not snag. It is an interesting way to fish and many times they swim right by your feet. Another hot fish here is the Dolly Vardon Char. They are similar to Rainbow Trout, and often you find them in the same places. During the month of August, the big Rainbows and Dolly's are rolling with the King Salmon, which are spawning. While the King Season is closed, you can target the Trophy Rainbow's and Dolly's with a nice egg pattern. By mid-August, the Silver Salmon begin to show up in the Upper Kenai. That's a nice time to be here on the river because the Silver Salmon are a fighting fish.

Overall, you cannot go wrong when fishing on the Kenai River. The key, though is having a good guide and the Kenai River Lodge has good guides. This is also a place that is ideal for families and those who like a road adventure. There is so much to do here that everyone will have a good time.