Seeking salmon: Where to begin
When you're fishing for salmon, having your line in the water and the right lure isn't enough. You have to be in the right place at the right time.
Most salmon in Kenai Peninsula waters are migrating toward the streams of their birth, having spent from one to five years at sea. The trick is to "head 'em off at the pass," to be fishing when the run comes through.
Salmon bound for Cook Inlet drainage streams can be caught in both saltwater and fresh water. King (chinook) salmon are the first to enter the saltwater fishery, beginning in early May. Silver (coho) salmon arrive latest in the year, with runs showing up in saltwater catches in late July. Salmon arrive at the lower reaches of their natal streams about two weeks after anglers start catching them in the inlet.
In Resurrection Bay, all of the salmon fishing is done in saltwater. Kings start showing up off the beach in late May. Silvers usually start showing in the outer bay in early July and provide about two months of excellent fishing.
One of the things that makes it "fishing" instead of "catching" is that salmon don't pay much attention to schedules. The peak of a run will vary by as much as two weeks. To take some of the guessing out of run timing, visit the office of the Depart-ment of Fish and Game at 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road in Soldotna. There, you'll find free pamphlets for all the Kenai Peninsula sport fisheries. Among other things, these contain maps, fishing tips and approximate return times for the various salmon runs.
Any time of day or night, a good way to get up-to-date information about salmon fishing is to call Fish and Game Sport Fisheries Infor-mation. For the Soldotna area, including the Kenai and Kasilof rivers, call 262-2737. For the Homer area, including the Deep Creek marine fishery and lower peninsula streams, call 235-6930. For the Seward area, including Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound, call (907) 267-2501.
The Internet is another good source of information about salmon run timing. In your favorite search engine, simply enter "Kenai Penin-sula salmon run timing" or visit this state Web page at www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/html/pdfpubs/kenrun.pdf.
If you're ready to go fishing and need up-to-the-minute information, try the local tackle shops and charter operators.
For an up-to-the-minute report, you'll have to go to the water. In mid-June, when the early-run reds (sockeye salmon) are running, you'll see bent rods and splashing fish when you drive past the confluence of the Russian and Kenai rivers in Cooper Landing. If you see fish splashing, stop wondering where they are. They're here!
When you're fishing for salmon, having your line in the water and the right lure isn't enough. You have to be in the right place at the right time.
Most salmon in Kenai Peninsula waters are migrating toward the streams of their birth, having spent from one to five years at sea. The trick is to "head 'em off at the pass," to be fishing when the run comes through.
Salmon bound for Cook Inlet drainage streams can be caught in both saltwater and fresh water. King (chinook) salmon are the first to enter the saltwater fishery, beginning in early May. Silver (coho) salmon arrive latest in the year, with runs showing up in saltwater catches in late July. Salmon arrive at the lower reaches of their natal streams about two weeks after anglers start catching them in the inlet.
In Resurrection Bay, all of the salmon fishing is done in saltwater. Kings start showing up off the beach in late May. Silvers usually start showing in the outer bay in early July and provide about two months of excellent fishing.
One of the things that makes it "fishing" instead of "catching" is that salmon don't pay much attention to schedules. The peak of a run will vary by as much as two weeks. To take some of the guessing out of run timing, visit the office of the Depart-ment of Fish and Game at 43961 Kalifornsky Beach Road in Soldotna. There, you'll find free pamphlets for all the Kenai Peninsula sport fisheries. Among other things, these contain maps, fishing tips and approximate return times for the various salmon runs.
Any time of day or night, a good way to get up-to-date information about salmon fishing is to call Fish and Game Sport Fisheries Infor-mation. For the Soldotna area, including the Kenai and Kasilof rivers, call 262-2737. For the Homer area, including the Deep Creek marine fishery and lower peninsula streams, call 235-6930. For the Seward area, including Resurrection Bay and Prince William Sound, call (907) 267-2501.
The Internet is another good source of information about salmon run timing. In your favorite search engine, simply enter "Kenai Penin-sula salmon run timing" or visit this state Web page at www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/html/pdfpubs/kenrun.pdf.
If you're ready to go fishing and need up-to-the-minute information, try the local tackle shops and charter operators.
For an up-to-the-minute report, you'll have to go to the water. In mid-June, when the early-run reds (sockeye salmon) are running, you'll see bent rods and splashing fish when you drive past the confluence of the Russian and Kenai rivers in Cooper Landing. If you see fish splashing, stop wondering where they are. They're here!