Alaska Fishing Lodge, What to Expect

With Big Kenai Kings... Knowing what to expect is half the battle

Kenai king salmon fishing It happened just like it always does. The side rod creaked for a millisecond and then gets buried in the rod holder. The idle chatter and relaxed atmosphere of bobbing around on the river is poignantly interrupted by a king salmon just minutes from the ocean and well over 70 pounds. As the rod is finally wrestled from the holder it has less than half the spool left and the chase is on. Despite extraordinary efforts to keep the tip up and the line tight, it all seems like a dream. No matter how fast you turn the reel, the fish is too erratic to control and in the first several minutes of the battle the line is only tight for a few seconds. Soon the fish charges the boat and departs from the water into a violent catapult that triggers a collective gasp among all the boats in the immediate area. Then without warning or choice the fish pins the rod to the side of the boat and the hook comes loose. This entire sequence lasted perhaps 3-4 minutes, but it was more adrenaline than most are accustomed to in a lifetime. The first question is always... "what'd I do wrong...?" The answer is probably a lot of things. The truth is a number of factors are beyond our control and to a certain extent it's either meant to be or it's not. This said, a certain degree of preparation will definitely go a long way toward preparing you for what to expect once that moment of chaos is upon you.

What to expect...

When you enter the boat to go king fishing, your guide will greet you and will likely be anxious to cover some basics before you begin fishing. Remember that on the Kenai, guides are restricted to fishing between the hours of 6:00AM to 6:00PM Tuesday through Saturday. This is why we meet at 5:30AM, to make sure there is time to meet, greet, check fishing licenses, fill out our ADF&G log books, give a safety briefing, cover a few basics about the fishing AND be on the water and in position to fish at 6:00AM sharp. Being on time and ready to go is very important, especially if you are not the only party on the boat that day. As you will be driving and meeting your guide at one of many given Kenai River launches, it helps to find your meet place the night prior to your trip. This will make it much easier in the morning. If you do not have time the night before to check out the launch, allowing a few extra minutes that morning is always a good idea. At peak times, there is considerable congestion at many of the main launches and one should allow plenty of time to park the car, pay applicable parking fees, and make their way to the boat. Did you remember your fishing license? Don't be the guy driving back to the cabin while everyone else in your group goes fishing.

As you make your way to the river to meet your guide, keep in mind that all Kenai River guide boats have individual identification numbers. When you check in the night prior to your trip, we will often tell you your guide's boat number so that you can easily find them. Many of our launches will have only a handful of boats present or your guide will know and find you. There are times, especially in July on the lower river, where there will be multiple boats and multiple anglers all trying to meet at the same time and in the same place. It helps to expect and be aware of this. Again, allowing extra time in the morning will go along way toward making sure the whole trip gets off to a great start.

Okay, so you've located your guide and you've boarded the boat. It's important to remember Alaska is a wet place in the summer. Even if it is a nice sunny morning, it may have rained the night prior or the guide may have washed his boat seat and they could still be wet. In any event, be ready for the possibility of a wet seat by wearing waterproof clothes. This can be breathable Gore-Tex or regular poly raingear and it will not only keep your bottom dry, it will shield you from the wind, rain, bait (salmon eggs are messy) and fish slime when you are holding up that 50 pound king for a picture. If you brought a backpack or a cooler, your guide will help you stow it so that it is out of the way. With your raingear on and gear put away, it's time to take a seat. The guide may prefer you sit in certain places for weight distribution, but unless otherwise notified, just find a seat and settle in. After checking fishing licenses and giving a safety briefing, the guide will be ready to roll. Most of the time you will be just a short run to the fishing grounds so zip that jacket and off you go.

Kenai king salmon If you have never fished the Kenai for king salmon before, it is certainly worth doing a little homework to familiarize yourself on what to expect. For those that have fished the Kenai in the past, refreshing yourself on this unique fishery will certainly not hinder your effort. The first thing to expect or remember about Kenai king fishing, especially in July, is competition. Seeing multiple boats fishing the same section of river is fairly common but before you get discouraged by your fellow anglers consider that more baits in the water often encourages more fish to bite. This is especially true in tidal reaches of the Kenai where salmon are more congregated. When a big group of Kenai kings decides to migrate upriver, they do not like things getting in their way and much like sharks, once one starts getting aggressive, it encourages like behavior. On the water you can see when the fish arrive and begin biting as nets will pop up all around until finally your rod is the one pinned down in the holder and it's your turn. Even though you naturally hope to catch a king on the Kenai, remember many do not. You may see fish being caught all around you, but keep the numbers in mind. With dozens of boats, all with multiple lines in the water, it is not uncommon to always look around and see a fish on somewhere, maybe even two or three at once. As only a finite number of fish will bite on any given day or tide cycle, you just need to be there and be ready and from there: fate must take its course.

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One sure way to persuade fate is through a positive attitude and confidence. Even with one minute left before quitting time there is still a chance your line will come alive. Try to simply enjoy the experience of being on a wild Alaska river, take in the scenery and watch the birds. Much like the perpetual pot of water that repels your stare with a resistance to boil, so will your chances of hooking a Kenai king if all hope for the day rests on this happening. So often visitors to Alaska are filled with unrealistic expectations of guaranteed fishing and just like the fishing you are accustomed to back home, even in Alaska, there simply are no guarantees.

So your doing everything right, enjoying the day and watching arctic terns dive for salmon smolt in the shallows next to shore. Suddenly the boat lurches forward and all attention shifts your direction, specifically toward your fishing rod which is awkwardly contorted in the holder with line singing off the reel. For many this is the beginning of the end. The whole things is just way too much for them and they go into instant panic mode. They lock up at the elbows and the knees and an involuntary shake consumes their bodies. Their erratic motions in untimely concert with a death grip on the reel handle make the tip of the pole look like Zorro practicing for a sword fight. With many fish, it's just meant to be but with a great number of others, reeling a fish in while in full panic mode is a losing battle.

To avoid letting your adrenaline get the best of you, it will help for you familiarize yourself with all the equipment your are likely to be using and if possible handle like equipment prior to your trip. Just becoming familiar with how to hold a bait casting salmon rod correctly without a fifty pound king on the other end is not exactly easy. Many of the newer rod styles are over ten feet long and learning how to support and balance the rod while efficiently operating the reel is worth at least trying a few times before your fish of a lifetime comes a calling.

The equipment

The basic outfit you are likely to encounter while on a Kenai king salmon charter is a casting rod with a baitcasting reel. Almost all salmon rods will have a trigger or finger grip just below the reel seat and this is really your main grip so it's always best to find this first. With your left arm, split your fingers around the rod where the reel sits and put your index finger on that trigger. Let your thumb gently rest on the top of the spool, either on the line, or on the front of the reel frame. Once you have a reasonably comfortable grip on the rod and reel in your left hand, take the butt section of the pole and let it run parallel with your forearm so that it is almost an extension of your arm. The butt section tucked below and against your forearm is further balanced by having your elbow rest against your midsection giving you a comfortable and strong foundation to pursue your trophy. So this should cover what to do with the left side of your body but the other side has equally important duties. Your right side needs to reel and do so in cooperation with the left side and the will of the fish.

Of utmost importance to any fishing battle is direct tension on the line. Keeping a tight line is accomplished in two ways, one by using the boat to keep the line tight and the most common method, operating the reel. Operating the reel is a little more complicated than you might expect. Only after many hours of battling fish does one fully understand and begin to get comfortable with how to reel and when. The first rule to remember is try not to reel when the fish is taking line. To determine the delicate moments where the fish stops and starts its erratic runs for freedom, one must remain calm. You will need to employ the expensive stick of graphite in your grip to assist you in not only keeping the line as tight as possible but also to determine what the fish is actually doing. You will often hear anglers refer to the backbone of a rod. This is essentially it's balance point, a pendulum of sorts, ultimately the breaking point of the rod and also the source of its power. Ideally, the entire battle between you and your king salmon should occur with the line tight enough and the rod under enough pressure or bend to be right against this backbone. From here you can feel the full weight of the fish and from here you have the most lifting power and leverage. Advantage angler. How can you experience and practice finding the "back-bone" of a fishing rod? At home. Take and rod and reel combo you have and run the line through all the guides like you are ready to fish. Have a partner hold the line on the fishes end or if you are alone, tie it off to a door knob. With your rod tip around chest level, hold it with the butt section under your forearm and reel into the "fish" until the line tightens and the tip of the rod bends well over. Continue reeling and lifting in the butt section of the rod until you feel it find it's breaking point. Be careful to not to explode your favorite rod but rather practice lifting into the pressure and finding that pendulum or backbone where you have the most leverage and lifting power. It is here that you want your rod for the entire fight against a Kenai king. Anytime during the course of the fight that the rod is not at its backbone, the line is loose to some degree. Even with new no-stretch braids; the dynamics of the current, movement of the boat and wild nature of the fish all contribute to slack line. Some fish spend the whole fight seeking to relieve the pressure of the line, running to and fro over and over making it next to impossible to keep up even for the most veteran angler. Remember to find that back bone of the rod and until you have that complete pressure of the rod on the fish, keep reeling.

The Kenai Shuffle

Dealing with a big Kenai king while drifting down a large glacial river is a rush. There are a number of issues to deal with one in particular being aware of how to fight a fish from a power boat. The obvious concern is the prop itself and for the most part the guide will do his best to not let the fish get that close to the motor. This said, these fish have a mind of their own and they are very erratic at times. In many instances the captain can maneuver the boat to counter the fishes tactics but there are a number of occasions where there is simply not time to use the motor and the angler must look to anticipate these moments and be proactive about staying one step ahead of the fish. Many, many Kenai kings have been lost because the angler did not follow the fish fast enough and the line touched the gunnel, the prop or the rod exploded. A person's first instinct when battling a fish is to back away from the side of that boat especially with a wild animal pulling you toward the edge. Resist your gut and push right to the edge of the boat. Plant your feet for stability but never let the rod get too far from the gunnel or the fish will make you pay. Without being right next to the side of the boat, you will be helpless in keeping your line from touching the bottom, wrapping around the bow or even worse, the prop! If you stay close to the edge of the boat, hold that rod out (remember: supported under your forearm) and follow the line where ever it (the fish) may go, you'll have 90% of the battle in hand.

The other 10%...............

Continue to part 2.....

Alaska Fishing with Mark Glassmaker • 1-800-622-1177

With Big Kenai Kings... Knowing what to expect is half the battle