Why quality boats and gear really matter

March 1, 2015

A long time ago a mentor of ours talked about the “Wow Factor”.  The “Wow Factor” in his mind was what he wanted his clients to think, say, and feel as they interacted with his business for the first time.  In the guide world having your guest get into your boat and say “wow” is important, equally important is the reaction you receive when handing out rod and reel set ups.  Quality gear certainly helps set the tone for the day, and can help put the odds in your favor during clutch situations.

Boats

The Kenai River has many access points, great fishing, and with that plenty of boat traffic.  Launches are a busy place in the mornings and afternoons as guides and clients meet and bid farewell.  During this high traffic time many guests are actively comparing and contrasting the different types and quality of guide watercraft, and it makes perfect sense.

Guides can’t control the weather or behavior of the fish, but they can control the environment in which they guide out of.  A clean, well cared for boat, is essential for setting the stage for a day on the water.  It’s fair to say that most folks would prefer to hop into the “nice” boat vs. the old beat up one. 

Layout is important as well.  A boat should be designed for the type of species you are targeting.  It should be easy to move around and not restrictive.  This is especially important once that “big one” is hooked and an angler needs to maneuver around the boat and avoid tangling with other anglers.

Presentation is key to catching fish.  Different hull designs allow for different levels of handling ease and efficiencies in drift management.  Once again boats that are designed to target a certain species and drift style will pay off dividends in the long run.

Gear

The expression that a client gives immediately after placing a top end Sage or GLoomis rod in their hand is priceless, once again quality and commitment to your guests experience is reaffirmed with top of the line gear.

Besides name notoriety the performance quality gear gives is important.  Rod systems that are designed for the target species and presentation style put the odds for success in your favor.  The right set up allows for giving the best presentation to hook the fish you are after and stacks the odds in your favor when its time to do battle.

One item that can easily be over looked but is just as important as a quality rod system is a net.   Stepping to the plate with a net that is not designed for the target species can lead to disaster and harm the fish.  If you are catch and releasing a rubber net is a must.  Rubber nets allow for ease when working with the fish, allow the fish to rest, and does no damage to the protecting slime on the fish.  The slime protects the fish from infection,  plastic/nylon nets often remove slime from the fish leaving it prone to infection in the near future.

Having the appropriate size net is huge as well.  For the Kenai River, we go with the theory, bigger is better.

Tying it together

If you are planning your first or next fishing trip consider asking the outfitter about the types of boats/gear they use and the condition of the gear.   This is definitely a sleeper point that can get forgotten about when researching and booking a trip.  

As mentioned above, quality watercraft and gear play an important role in the performance and outcome of your day, and knowing the quality of the gear should be towards the top of your question list when planning a trip with an outfitter. 

June 1 2014
Getting into the Swing of Things
An inspirational essay on the joys of catching Kenai River Rainbow Trout on Streamers


Feeling a Kenai Rainbow Trout crush a streamer mid swing is arguably one of the most exciting ways to hook one of these mythical fish.  There are a couple times during the summer and fall when streamers out perform bead and flesh patterns.  This is a nice switch from the standard dead-drift presentation most commonly used.

Mid June – July

From the Trout opener on June 11 thru July smolt, leech, and sculpin patterns can add a nice change from the standard dead drift. Swinging through deep holding pockets will put your streamer in the zone for battle with super charged chrome Trout. 

A variety of size and color patterns should live in your fly box.  Over the years more and more anglers have been fishing the early season Rainbow bite.  This increased pressure has educated the Trout population.  Olive, brown, and black patterns ranging in size from 2” – 5” are a must to keep up with the constantly changing minds of big Rainbow Trout.

More food for thought……a small quiver of various sink tip lines help get that perfect swing at the desired depth, but,  sometimes “swinging” a streamer under an indicator will out fish a traditional sink tip set up.

A quick note for those that will be fishing  the opener (June 11) into early July.  Don’t target the fish sitting in the shallows!  These guys are working hard to make more Rainbow Trout so we have awesome fishing for years to come.  Not only does it disrupt them from spawing, Trout during this time are  under tremendous stress and are not eating.  There is a great chance that a spawning fish will not live after it is released due to exhaustion.  So please try to fish in deep holing water and main channel.  If you do hook a dark (spawning fish)  bring it in immediately and don’t take it out of the water for a photo try to get it released without consuming too much of its energy.

Late Fall

Once the Kenai drops and the fish start to pocket up to eat as much as possible before winter is another great time to swing streamers.  Do to the low water, there are many great gravel bars and wading spots.  Swing during this time of year can lead to an encounter with a giant Keani Bow.

Photogenic Rainbow Trout

We have written many articles about fishing the Kenai River, how to catch Rainbow Trout, and the why’s and where’s. The one thing we haven’t covered, and equally as important as catching fish, is how to properly photo and release the fish.

Getting a great photo of that beautiful Kenai River Rainbow starts with a good net. Most serious Trout anglers use a rubber net, the thick rubber holds it’s shape while the fish is in it, doesn’t rip the slime off the fish, and allows for easy working with the fish. The mesh, or rubber coated mesh nets do a great job of scaring the Trout, and rip the slime off, this is bad, the slime on a fish protects the fish from infections.

Now that you have successfully put a beautiful Rainbow Trout in rubber net, what next? A round of high fives is in order, then its decision making time. Do you want to go to shore with the fish? Do you want to measure the fish? How is the fish doing?

The easiest place to work with a photo fish is from the shore in slow to stagnant water. If you are on the Middle Kenai odds are you caught the fish from a boat in some form of moving water. Getting the fish safely to shore for that photo can be tricky.

1. Once the fish is in the net see how the fish is doing. If it was a long fight the fish is probably tired, let the fish hangout in the net for a bit before you handle it or head for the shore.

2. Figure out a good shore spot to work on the fish. Slower the water the better. If at any time you see the fish is pinned to a side of the net due to water current or moving the fish from main river to shore, stop! This is causing harm to the fish. Find slower water and or move to shore at a slower speed.

3. Plan where you want to go to shore, and take your time getting there. We have seen people net fish, then lift the net out of the water and quickly run to a shore spot – not cool. If the fish is not in the water it cannot breathe if the fish is pinned to the side of the net, it cannot breathe.

Here are a few tips for those that photo from the boat:

1. Always be aware of your surroundings and where your boat is floating. Photoing a fish from a moving boat can be dangerous if someone is not watching where the boat is drifting at all times.

2. Never bring a fish into the boat for photos or measuring ever. We have a rule for our boats that no Rainbow Trout or any fish that is going to be released cannot come across the gunnel.

Ok, now you have the fish in a safe, controlled environment the next move is to get an awesome photo and some measurements for accurate bragging rights. The school of hard knocks taught us that it is better to get a photo than a measurement first. Sometimes fish find their way back into the water sooner than we would like.

When preparing to get a photo orientate yourself so the sun or best light source is on you, not behind you. Now grab a hold of the fish, with the fish still in the water communicate with the cameraperson to make sure they are ready. If all parties are ready do a three count, 1,2,3 lift the fish get a quick photo then put the fish back in the net in the water. While the fish is resting check to see how good the photo is. Repeat this process for every photo.



Remember that you put a lot of time and effort into catching a great fish; make sure you put the same effort into keeping the fish safe and healthy while you get your photos and measurements.

Once you get your photos its time to get a length and a girth. The girth can be done with a soft tape with the fish in the net, in the water. For the length we recommend getting a dun rite fish measuring board or something equivalent. Put the dun rite in the water and carefully slide the fish on the board for the measurement.



Now that the fish is in the water on the board releasing is easy. Hold the fish by the tail and help it to get reoriented. Soon as the fish is ready it should take off.

Catching a “photo” fish is an addictive thrill, there is nothing better than getting a great photo to capture the moment and share the memory. But it is our responsibly to take as much time and care to release the fish and preserve the resource as necessary. Be a role model on the water.

 It’s a Pink Year!

Happy 2014! Weeeeeeeeeeee! Why are we sooooo excited? Well, even number years on the Kenai River = Pink Salmon show up and spawn! You may find yourself thinking that Salmon show up and spawn every year, what’s so special about Pink Salmon?

                        
We love them!

It’s true! When the Pinks return to the Kenai River they come with an army, 1million is not a huge return! How this relates to Rainbow Trout is a ton of food for them to get fat and happy. With the King Salmon returns being bleak, an additional food source is quite welcomed by Kenai River Trout.

Usually our biggest Rainbows come on Pink years, it seems the big Bo’s are willing to hang out longer in the river due to the extra easy food source. By early fall most Trout are already showing some signs of obesity. This fattening trend contiues through the fall making for exceptional fishing.

If you have been thinking about fishing the Kenai River for Rainbow Trout, this year would be a good one. The window of awesome will start mid/late August and run into October. Plenty of time for greatness! Hope to see you out there!

September Fly Fishing Kenai River, Alaska

The first week of September started off with a bang, our biggest fish of the season came during this time. This can be attributed to the beginning of the Red Salmon spawn and the end of the King Salmon spawn. Water levels were still way above average keeping Rainbows in small pockets, but those pockets were awesome.

           

At this point we were fishing 20 miles of river! Trout were keying in on egg patterns, fresh, old, and sizes 7mm – 12mm were all fair game. Talk about an information overload!

Typically with a “Sockeye year” the majority of productive water consists in the first five miles below Skilak Lake. One advantage of high water during this time was spreading out the food source, resulting in spreading out the fish. Consolidated food equals consolidated fish, naturally making catching Rainbow Trout easier. This is good right? In some cases yes, but on the World Famous Kenai River this means consolidated angling pressure. So long story short the high water made it possible for the creative angler to avoid congested angling pressure to some degree.

For the second half of September our efforts became concentrated in the top few miles below Skilak Lake. Knowing the bite timing and staying on top of which bead at which minute gave us some great fishing. Many mid to high 20” fish were caught. Same as always, being creative and running a little different program than most gave us an edge on netting some Kenai River beauties.

Luckily for us when the afternoon bite turned on most people were not around for it! Spotty bite fluxes kept many anglers moving around to find fish, the fact is the fish were always there, but became ultra sensitive to boat pressure. Once the bite really died it was time to stay persistent and keeping moving around the productive lines because it was bound to turn on. Typically 20 minutes after boats left the Trout mysteriously began to party.

June in Retrospect

From the Beginning

The 1st run Kasilof King Salmon fishing came out swinging in early June.  Most days several Kings were boated, and always a few got away.  The guides of Drift Away Fishing all thought that this was one of the better starts in the past few years, despite low predictions.

As we slid into the second week of June King Salmon were still making a steady push into the Kasilof.  Guides and clients were happy with the results.  One of the highlights of the first run was the lack of boats on the river.  With the Kenai River only allowing catch and release for Kings many folks were wondering how that would affect the Kasilof in terms of additional pressure. 

Mid June Rainbow Trout Opener

June 11 marks the opening of Rainbow Trout fishing on the Kenai River.  Out the gates the Trout fishing was great, probably one of the best Junes in years.  Drift Away Fishing was consistently catching well over 20 Rainbows a day and some days seeing 40+ fish!  On top of that the Kenai Rainbows were exceptionally fat, resembling fall size on many occasions.  Why more people are not taking advantage of an awesome experience and great fishery is a mystery to us.  It seems like the Rainbow Trout fight harder during this time, offering a thrill to the beginner to expert angler.

This is the End

It is typical that as June moves into the 3rd and 4th week the King Salmon fishing becomes spotty, however Drift Away Fishing was still seeing plenty of action.

Fish and Game shut the Kenai down to King Salmon fishing due to one of the lowest returns in years, as a result the Kasilof was limited to single hook artificial lure only. 

Even with a curve ball thrown at us, we were still able to entice the elusive King Salmon into biting.

Kenai River Rainbow Trout

The end of June showed no signs of the Kenai River Trout fishing slowing down.  The Rainbows remained active and fat.  As mentioned above, this was one of the best Junes in years.  As July approaches we are still enjoying great weather, hard charging Rainbows, and sharing experiences that last a lifetime!

Stay posted as Drift Away Fishing will be doing weekly reports for the rest of the 2013 fishing season!

September Trout! Big Game Hunting Time

The Quest

September is the time for fly fishing Trophy Rainbow Trout on the Kenai River.  Ask anyone that knows the Kenai and other famed Alaska rivers, and you will get an unanimous answer “Kenai in September is it for big Bows.”

With winter slowly creeping up water levels are dropping, daylight begins to noticeably fade, and Kenai Trout go on a feeding rampage.   Several species of Salmon are now spawning creating an enormous amount of easily accessible food.  This equation creates high populations of Bows in site-specific areas.   Among the general populous live the fish that we all dream about.

 

Extracting the Fatty

The standard egg pattern set up is the means for most of September.  However, with an abundance of food, and fishing pressure, Trout can afford to be picky.  Having the right size and pattern per zone is crucial for success, and this may change by the day or hour.  With proper selection also comes timing.  We know the big ones are down there, but may not be feeding, or a flurry of anglers may have just gone through that zone causing the Trout to take a break.  The key is being patient and watchful. 

Paying attention to areas that hold big fish and hitting them when no one is there or after a while of that hole being untouched is one of the best ways to hook up with a beast.

We have been in plenty of situations where the big fish bite was on, and then 3 boats enter the drift, game over for big fish bite.  We have even been in an area where the bite turns on, we hit a big fish, next pass we don’t touch anything.  September is the best time for Trophy fish, but with the above mentioned it can be tricky.

All in All

The Kenai River in September is absolutelygorgeous; fall is decorating the landscape in an array of color making a gorgeous backdrop for some truly exceptional fishing.  There is no wonder why our September peak dates fill up months in advance.  If you are an experienced angler or novice and want to take part in something special, stop thinking about it and book a trip now!  We can guarantee it is well worth the price of admission.

August – Fast and Furious Rainbow Trout Action!

Early August

Early August on the Kenai River in Alaska is almost identical to late July.  Trout are still feeding heavily on Red Salmon eggs and flesh, and still hanging out in the same zones.  High numbers of fired up Rainbows can still be expected as well as sharing the company of some Trophy Kenai Beasts.

One big difference between July and August Bows is the lack of diversity. Huh? August marks the beginning of bead warfare. Kenai Trout are fat, happy, and have the luxury to be selective about which food source they want.  Dead drifting egg patterns via fly stick or float rod is where it’s at. 

Kenai River Rainbows absolutely love salmon eggs; it’s their favorite!  These little round morsels pack a readily accessible amount of fat and protein.  It is possible to only fish egg patterns year round and have success.

Middle August

Mid August is the time of the month when things get a touch tricky.  Rainbows are in transition; the Red Salmon run is a slow trickle while Kings are starting to move on spawning beds.  That being said much of the Red food source is scattered and diminishing while the next major food source, King eggs, are sparse and inconsistent.

Rainbows are moving between King beds and Red Salmon food catchment areas.  Here one day, or one hour, and gone the next becomes par for the course.  The key for success is staying focused, persistent, cover different water, and don’t get caught in the change up. (Getting caught in the change up = switching up patterns too often)

Don’t worry typically this transition phase doesn’t last long and soon the King Salmon will be spawning.

End of August

Once the King Salmon move onto their beds and consistently begin spawning the Kenai River turns into a heavy metal Disney Land.  Rainbow Trout are hanging below Kings and having an egg eating party.   You can actually see these fish getting fatter by the day!  High numbers of fat, super charged Rainbow Trout are ready to put your skills to the challenge.  Much like early August this time of year will boost 100+ fish days!

 We find Trout hanging out in extremely fast water, middle of the river, anywhere there are active King beds.  It is unbelievable how fast of water you can find Bows hanging out in, but if the food source is there they don’t mind working a bit harder to put on the pounds.

August is an amazing time to experience Rainbow Trout on the Kenai River.  The days are still long and warm, fishing is great, and the tourist crowds are beginning to dwindle. 

Kenai in July = Secret time for Trophy Rainbow Trout!

When most anglers think of July on the Kenai River visions of huge Kings, thick runs of Red Salmon, and a crowded river come to mind.   The above mentioned is true to some degree, however, certain times during July can produce days that will rival the legendary fall Rainbow Trout fishery!

Proper Flys and Patterns

The Kenai River is kind of like a smorgasbord of possible options to attract Rainbows.  Streamers/Leech patterns, flesh flys, and egg patterns will all work, the key is knowing what to use where.  In an average day we will fish all three, each pattern having great success depending if you go up or down river.  Choose the wrong pattern on a given section of river, and you will see tumble weeds blowing around your indicator.

Early July (July 1 – 7)

Our last post talked about the June fishery, so lets pick up where we left off.  Early July will still fish much like June, by this time almost all Bows are done spawning and searching for whatever food they can find.  Typically the water levels are still rising offering more places for Trout to hide and really displacing the amount of food available.  Finding holes with numbers of Rainbows in them is still happening, but the more we slide into July the less food is available, covering lots of water is now a priority to finding quality fish.

Mid July (July 9- 15)

Now we have our work cut out.  The Rainbows are spread out over 40+ miles of river, food sources are at a low making the Trout a touch grumpy, but they are still there and need to eat.  This is when an angler can take a tough situation and turn it into a great day!  Not much food + hungry Trout = desperate Bows with their guard down!  Throughout the course of a day you will find that fresh and old patterns will work about the same.  One section of river will be more productive with fresh, while another will be better with old.  The trick is to have both out and be patient.  Don’t switch up because your buddy is doing better in one section, wait, your time will come.

Late July (July 16 – 31)

This is probably the sweet spot for big Rainbow Trout.  Red Salmon are now entering the river in numbers, and the banks are littered with folks trying to fill the freezer with this delicious salmon.  This is why the fishing gets awesome, lots of food for very hungry Trout.  It is custom practice to fillet your fish at the riverbank and throw the carcass and scraps into the river.  The reason for this is to keep bears at bay and the carcasses are consumed by most of the Kenai River resident life forms. 

Dead drifting large flesh flys along the riverbank will produce amazing results!  The Kenai turns into a never ending buffet of fresh flesh and eggs and the Trout are packing on the pounds.   There is no doubt when a bow hits your fly, these fish are so ramped up they almost rip the fly rod out of your hand.  Hold on the fight is just beginning, once they realized they’re hooked an amazing display of power and ninja moves follow.  Packed full of protein, Kenai Rainbows demonstrate why they are some of the baddest Trout in the world!

June Rainbow Trout on the Kenai River

June on the Kenai Peninsula in Alaska marks the beginning of most folk’s trips and vacations.  Many people from all over the world converge to one of the biggest outdoor playgrounds.  Summer is now replacing spring, the weather is warm and the days are long, making great opportunities for fishing!

For most fishing enthusiasts King Salmon and Halibut are top quarry for the first two weeks, but once mid June rolls around one of the most prized fish on the Kenai River opens to angling, Rainbow Trout! June 11th marks the season opener on the Kenai River for Rainbow Trout fishing.

The average fish are 16” – 22” chrome bright firecrackers. High flying and hard charging Kenai Bows will show you why they are some of the toughest Rainbows in the world!

We typically look for the deeper buckets with current as these areas are holding nice populations of hungry chromers.  Staying out of shallow water where late and post-spawn fish are holding is good practice to maintain a strong resource.  Rainbows like most spawning fish undergo quit a bit of stress, so intentionally targeting these guys leads to a higher mortality rate.

Planning a day or two chasing Rainbow Trout on the Kenai is a great way to throw an exciting mix into your Alaskan fishing trip or sightseeing vacation.  Fast action fishing and beautiful scenery will make this one of your favorite Alaskan memories!

Rainbow Trout have been busy spawning since late April, by now most Rainbows have moved off beds and begin feeding heavily on migrating smolt and salmon carcass from the past winter and fall.  It is not uncommon to watch several Trout attacking smolt balls on the water surface.

The Kenai is also going through a change; water flow is on a steady increase as our days are warmer and longer.  Highs in the 60-70’s and over 18+ hours of light help melt the past winters snow out of the mountains.

Migratory birds are reappearing from their winter journey, flowers decorate the riverbanks, the air is fresh, and the Trout fishing is exciting!

Flesh flys, egg patterns, and streamers will all get the job done, but our favorite is swinging streamers.  Ramped up Rainbows hit theses flys so hard it almost rips the fly rod out of your hand!  Fly fishing is the most common presentation, but float fishing offers the same productivity allowing anglers of all types to have a successful experience.