Seward sits at the head of Resurrection Bay, one of Alaska’s most productive saltwater fishing environments. The bay’s deep fjord structure, proximity to the Gulf of Alaska, and convergence of cold ocean currents create conditions that support exceptional populations of halibut, rockfish, and salmon. After decades of fishing throughout the Kenai Peninsula, I’ve come to …
The west side of Cook Inlet hosts some of Alaska’s most productive silver salmon habitat, and the West Foreland region stands out as the heart of this fishery. After flying guests here for over three decades, I’ve learned that understanding this landscape—how it functions, why the rivers behave as they do—makes the difference between good …
The Chuitna River begins its 25-mile journey in a landscape most Alaska visitors never see—the remote Tordrillo Mountains at the western edge of the Alaska Range. I’ve been flying to the Chuit for nearly three decades, and understanding this watershed’s unique characteristics helps explain why it fishes so differently from our glacial-fed systems. Unlike the …
When you fly into Crescent Lake for a day of fishing, you’re landing in one of Alaska’s most spectacular protected wilderness areas. Lake Clark National Park and Preserve encompasses over 4 million acres of pristine backcountry, and the Crescent Lake drainage sits in one of its most dramatic corners—beneath the towering presence of Mount Redoubt. …
2025: The Year in Review As Alaska enters another winter season, it’s once again time to look back on the highs and lows of another incredible year of fishing on the Kenai Peninsula. 2025 marked our 34th year of guiding in Alaska, which means 2026 will be our 35th season on these waters. It’s hard …
After several years of falling short of minimum escapement objectives, the 2025 late run of Kenai River king salmon narrowly met the recovery threshold of 14,250 large kings (greater than 34 inches). By the final day of counting, the cumulative sonar estimate stood at 15,015 fish. This benchmark was established under the Kenai River Late …
2025 – A Banner Year for Kasilof Sockeye In a year that saw record sockeye returns to the Kenai River, the Kasilof River delivered an equally impressive showing. By August 9, a total of 1,197,471 sockeye had passed the sonar at river mile 8, surpassing the previous record of 971,604 set in 2022. Peak run …
The 2025 silver salmon run on the Kenai River has been noticeably stronger than in 2024. Last year, anglers faced bait closures and reduced limits, but this season brought a robust return that provided excellent fishing opportunities. Key highlights: Bait opened Aug. 16, right as fishing pressure shifted from sockeye to silvers, with fresh coho …
The summer of 2025 produced the largest return of sockeye salmon to the Kenai River since modern sonar counting began in 1987. By August 19, a staggering 4,252,497 sockeye had passed the Alaska Department of Fish & Game sonar station at river mile 19. The surge began on July 16 with a daily count of …
The 2025 Kenai River Sockeye Salmon Return is projected to be 25% higher than the ten year average. ADFG Advisory Announcement For Immediate Release: January 27, 2025 CONTACT: Kyle Gatt, Research Biologist (907) 260-2923 Jack Erickson, Regional Research Coordinator (907) 267-2376 According to an advisory announcement dated January 25, 2025 the projection for the 2025 …
