Kenai Pen, Lakes updates

[alaskachuck]

Just hoping some of you nice folks down on the Kenai peninsula will keep us in the loop on the lakes. Im itching to get to Kelly/peterson, Watson, engineer etc etc. So as the ice rots and water opens can you post some info please. Watson is my fist choice as i love to fish it and afonsi along with it. Thanks folks

[sayak]

Hey Chuck-

It's gonna be a few more weeks. We were still fishing the ice on Hidden this time last year if I remember correctly, but Watson does go out early due to the current. Patience grasshopper.

[rimfirematt]

when does Kenai lake go out?

[alaskachuck]

It's gonna be a few more weeks. We were still fishing the ice on Hidden this time last year if I remember correctly, but Watson does go out early due to the current. Patience grasshopper.

I got no patience left Actually Im doing pretty good. Floating the Kenai this winter took a bit of the edge off. Just wanting to get the camper out and spend a weekend with the wife catching some bows on the lakes. I figured it would be around Mid may

[justin262]

watson

Watson is one of my favorites too. We camp at the back of Afonsi next to the creek/river at the back. Great little spot. I havn't caught anything real large out of there but its a lot of fun and i always do catch something. The lakes around the peninsula are still iced over, some of the smaller ponds are breaking up pretty good and some are 90% open. I'm interested, what are some of the biggest fish you've caught out of watson/afonsi?

[alaskachuck]

Watson is one of my favorites too. We camp at the back of Afonsi next to the creek/river at the back. Great little spot. I havn't caught anything real large out of there but its a lot of fun and i always do catch something. The lakes around the peninsula are still iced over, some of the smaller ponds are breaking up pretty good and some are 90% open. I'm interested, what are some of the biggest fish you've caught out of watson/afonsi?

I have been Afonsi since 79. my dad had a flat back canoe with a little 4 horse and we always went back there. I love the camping spots back there too. Afonsi has been alot of 12-16 inchers on average. There are days the Nemos are hitting the heck out of my stuff too. About 5 years ago when I bought my cat I camped at watson. I put it in for the heck of it and rowed to the back by the water trail. There was a slight breeze pushing me very slow back towards the lauch. I worked down the left side (looking at the lake) drifting back. We lite it up and have been every year since. We have caught many pushing the 20-22 inch range. Nice fat and just stunning colors. Lots and lots of fat 16 inchers and plenty of 12's. It is just a great time when the ice goes out and before the lilly pads choke it out. I am always carefull to stay away from the fork of the moose. It is closed like 300 feet each way around the lake. We use Bead head nymphs and wooly buggers. If those are not working the ultra light spinning rods and 0 and 1 mepps. I love to start my spring/summer fishing off there. Last year I had to camp and Kelly/peterson and take the cat over as all the sites are usually full. Thje sad part is most of the time the people camping there are not even fishing. Hoping to get a post for 1 weekend this year

[Paul H]

Shhh, don't tell folks about those lakes Some of our fondest memories are long weekend or week long camping/fishing trips on afonasi. You often have the place to yourself, and while the rainbows aren't huge, there are plenty to be caught and they are just plane fun to catch.

I'll take a quiet day on a Kenai lake all by myself with foot long rainbows to be elbows to you know what with 1/2 of southcentral on the Kenai river.

My favorite has been u/l spinning gear with 1/4" spoons or cast masters in silver, silver/red, silver/green, silver/blue and bronze.

[alaskachuck]

Shhh, don't tell folks about those lakes Some of our fondest memories are long weekend or week long camping/fishing trips on afonasi. You often have the place to yourself, and while the rainbows aren't huge, there are plenty to be caught and they are just plane fun to catch.

I'll take a quiet day on a Kenai lake all by myself with foot long rainbows to be elbows to you know what with 1/2 of southcentral on the Kenai river.

My favorite has been u/l spinning gear with 1/4" spoons or cast masters in silver, silver/red, silver/green, silver/blue and bronze.

If you go back to Afonsi you have earned it. I have done it with a motor, Oars and with a moter that died at the back of afonsi and no oars. got to shore and found a couple of downed small trees. rowed and sticked our way back out. 4 hours. Sure took the beer and fish catching buzz right off.

I agree with you on the lake. Just drifting around out there with my wife and I in the cat, catching a few fish, sharing time and making some memories. Especially the evening hours when it lays down. Oh and my god, if it is a blue bird evening well you just cant put that into words.

[Paul H]

We've always taken canoes, it's only about a 1 1/2 hour paddle to Afonasi. With only one portage, and an easy beaver dam at that, it isn't that hard to get back there. The Canoe lake trails are the ones that you have to put some serious effort into getting back there.

[sayak]

Never....

We've always taken canoes, it's only about a 1 1/2 hour paddle to Afonasi. With only one portage, and an easy beaver dam at that, it isn't that hard to get back there. The Canoe lake trails are the ones that you have to put some serious effort into getting back there.

... had to portage my canoe to get to Afonasi. Just push with paddles and a nudge over the beaver dam is all.

[michigan_mike]

How about from the shore?

I'm probably hitting the peninsula this weekend for a night or two. I am very sadly without any boat. Any ideas about stream fishing? I'll was thinking the Russian or Trail River Campgrounds.

Or should I just give up and buy a canoe?

[rimfirematt]

no more posting on this till the lakes are ice-free!

Every time this thread gets reposted my hopes get up!

[alaskachuck]

I'm probably hitting the peninsula this weekend for a night or two. I am very sadly without any boat. Any ideas about stream fishing? I'll was thinking the Russian or Trail River Campgrounds.

Or should I just give up and buy a canoe?

Im guessing no on the russian. First they still have the gate locked just past the entrance shack. 2nd we floated the kenai 10 days ago. we put in at sportsmans and the russian looked locked up tight. Froze at the mouth and Im sure it is upstream as it does not get alot of sun right now. Im not familer with Trail but I would say no on the Russian. Sorry

[alaskachuck]

... had to portage my canoe to get to Afonasi. Just push with paddles and a nudge over the beaver dam is all.

That Beaver dam has been there since I came back to alaska in 1989. I pushed my Zodiac over it and have pushed a canoe over it. Id take my cat back there but it is just a tad wide for the water trail. so has anyone ever caught a fish in the 2nd lake (name????)

[sayak]

"2nd lake"...

That Beaver dam has been there since I came back to alaska in 1989. I pushed my Zodiac over it and have pushed a canoe over it. Id take my cat back there but it is just a tad wide for the water trail. so has anyone ever caught a fish in the 2nd lake (name????)

... is Imeri Lake. I have caught fish only in Watson and Afonasi, but there are fish in Imeri. The best action is Afonasi in late summer when the reds are thick in the weeds and the rainbows wait for eggs to drop.

I don't think these lakes will last much longer with the way they are vegging up. Many lakes on the pen are becoming swampland.