July 07 information needed

[CharlieM]

Hello,
My wife and I will be making a trip to Alaska the third week of July in 2007 and plan on spending the full week fishing in the Kenai. We spent a week in the Kenai in 2005 and fell in love with the area. I am researching places that we can fish unguided. Our budget will only allow enough guide money for a halibut trip out of Homer. We are experienced fishermen but know very little about salmon fishing. I have gotten a couple of the books, advertised on this forum, and they help a great deal. We don’t care to keep any fish (other than the halibut) and are not particular about which species of salmon we catch. Just want something to pull on our string. We plan to start in Hope and target pink’s. I know that being an odd year the numbers will be down but this is the year we can come, so we are going to make the best of it. Any recommendations as to how to fish the creek at Hope? We are also hoping to get some input on other areas we can fish as well. There is so much water between Anchorage and Homer we just don’t know where to start. If anyone would be so kind as to offer suggestions we would be most grateful.

Thanks in advance for taking time to reply.

 

[Nerka]

third week is the Kenai

third week is the Kenai

The third week of July is prime time on the Kenai River for sockeye salmon. You can fish at a number of public landings and from the bank. Also, there is rainbow fishing in the upper Kenai river, some people fish the lower streams like the Anchor for Dolly Varden, or you can rent a canoe and fish some of the local lakes for rainbows. Seward has silver salmon and shore fishing so you can check that out.

However, if it is salmon you want then sockeye in the Kenai is the way to go. It is crowded and not the wild Alaska experience but it is fun. Not sure the Hope pink run is going to help you much but it is only a couple hour drive on down to the Kenai or Seward from Hope so if that fails just keep driving south.