Guide recommendations for the Kenai

[steve2010]

We're planning a trip to the Kenai for mid to late Sept.
Any guide or lodging (cabin is preferred) recommendations would be highly appreciated.
We'd like to target big rainbows and steelhead.

thanks,
steve

[Tfisher]

If you live out of San Jose, go to the San Jose flycasters and talk to Bob Laskodi. He has been going to the Kenai every year since about 2006 and gives a presentation on fishing the area. He is a great resource and got me started.

I've been going every year since 2008. (Will be returning this Sept with a group of first timers.)

FYI you may be a bit late on booking fishing guides. The best/better guides are usually booked long before the season really kicks into gear. (Booked ours in Jan/February)

Provide some more info on: Number of participants (anglers), intinerary, number of guided days desired, float section preference, access to vehicles etc. Can maybe help with additional details once I learn more.

Cannot give you much info on rentals/hotels. We never rent hotels, but rent a RV for the week. Maybe others can chime in here. Also depending upon when you go, a lot of the rentals start to board up late Sept/early Oct as the tourist season has officially ended. That and the weather can turn to #@$% in a heartbeat.

[steve2010]

Here's some details. It's just a couple of anglers. We'll be driving there. Looking to do a couple of days of guiding fishing, then go out on our own. No preference on sections of the river to float. thanks.

[pvsprme]

http://www.mysticfishing.com/index.html

[fishbonz]

Mystic fishing has great guides as does Alaska Troutfitters. I've also hired a guide out of Kenai Cache and had fun and caught a bunch of fish. Know there are lots more Dollies than rainbows up there. During that time of year, they usually guide the "upper" Kenai, though the "lower" Kenai is bigger water with bigger trout.....

I usually stay at Gwin's lodge, which has nice cabins and a historic restaurant and store nearby the Russian River, a good river for wading and fishing for rainbows and dollies. Several of the guides also have cabins for rent. If you want to live it up, you can stay at the Princess Lodge (yes associated with the cruise line), which has outstanding rooms but more pricey.

if you go after Labor day weekend, many of the rates for lodging are better too.

good luck.

[troutosarus]

25 years on the Kenai and now live in reno. I have fished with this guide when I thought I did not need one. This kid knows the Kenai better than most and puts you on fish. Alaska Fly Water Guide (Jake Zirkle). Stay in Coopers Landing. I used to store my drift boat and lodge at the Hutch in Coopers Landing. Their rates have gone up a lot but they are a convenient location for food and river access. You can also run up the hill to the Princess Lodge for an evening brew and view of the upper Kenai. Have fun.

[JohnD]

We went back in '06 and stayed with Alan at Alaska Legacy Fish Camp. Nice little cabins right on the river with plenty of fishing access. Alan and his family were very nice and made for a great trip. However, back at that time Alan focused more on salmon and was sometimes uncertain what to do with 4 avid fly-fishermen looking for big trout.

To his credit he hooked us up with Ed O'Connor from Advantage Angling. Ed is a fantastic guide who was determined to hook us up with some 30" rainbows. He succeeded in hooking us up...we failed in landing them. But we did have many in the 24-28" range.