Kenai River: An Overview

Located on the scenic Kenai Peninsula only a couple hours drive from Anchorage, the Kenai River is easily Alaska's most famous river. This fast moving, shallow but wide glacial river is a sight to behold. The combination of its sparkling emerald colored water, easy road access and numerous small towns on or near its banks make it quite unique by Alaska standards.

Originating from the mighty Harding Ice Fields and flowing approximately 81 total miles, the Kenai River takes on multiple faces and thus is commonly broken into three major sections. The upper river, a classic swift and rocky section, runs from Kenai to Skilak Lake. The beautiful middle river, made up of many switchbacks, islands and gravel bars, is the section from the outlet of Skilak Lake to the Soldotna Bridge. The final segment of the Kenai, commonly referred to as the lower river, consists of the last 21 miles from the Soldotna Bridge to Cook Inlet. This section is most easily accessed and navigated, hence it receives the bulk of the summer's boating pressure. The lower river sees considerable pressure during peak time frame, however it still offers a quality time, with clean water, unmolested banks, and the occasional moose and bald eagle. And don't forget the lower river's fishing; it remains the most popular section due to the fact that aggressive, newly arriving salmon enter the mouth with the daily tides for their annual push up-river to their spawning beds.

The turquoise green glacial water, mellow rafting, great wildlife viewing, and breathtaking vistas of the Kenai Mountains may be enough to satisfy some, but it's the quality fishing that tickles locals as well as visitors from across the globe! Arguably the greatest salmon fishing river in the world, the Kenai is like no other. The term world-class fishing is an often abused term, but the Kenai easily lives up to this moniker with its myriad of world records, including the largest king salmon ever landed with hook and line, a 97 pound, 4 ounce beast corralled on May 17th, 1985. Testament to the Kenai kings unique genetics and proving that Les Anderson's record was no fluke, it is interesting to note that 8 of the 10 largest Chinook (king) ever officially documented to be caught on sport gear came from the Kenai River! And monster salmon of 50, 60, and 70 lbs. (and bigger!) are still landed by lucky anglers each season.

But this special river is not limited to giant kings alone-it offers strong returns of four out of five Pacific salmon with multiple runs of each species. The fish are wild and the choices nearly endless: trophy native rainbows and fat Dolly Varden, acrobatic silvers and berserk sockeye. Upper river holding water, middle river staging areas, or lower river tidal zones-it's up to you. Whether you are a seasoned Alaskan or visiting tourist, bank or boat fisherman, do-it-yourselfer or guided angler, fly-fisherman or gear aficionado, meat hunter or catch and release advocate, the options are endless. And perhaps that's what makes the Kenai so very special; it remains a healthy and productive river that offers opportunity galore for everyone!