Lower Kenai River in new Ultimate 12

    Some of you have been watching kardinal-84 and I bantering about halibut fishing from a kayak in Cook Inlet.Today,kardinal-84 is going for it off of Deep Creek. He really wants to catch a halibut from a kayak.When I tried that last Wednesday,even on an in-coming tide the out going current of Cook Inlet does push you further "down stream"
    So after looking at the Lower Kenai River the last few days (it is running low and slow and the ice shelves just melted off the shoreline) I will be taking my Native Watercraft Ultimate 12 out in the lower Kenai River.I plan to put in at river mile 12.8,Pillars State Park,which is about a mile above the tidal influence,just before low tide.I'll be floating jigs under a bobber so I can maintain control of the boat.Besides that ,jigs work great for steelies so I'm sure i can hook a  king as well.Might stop on a few banks and try other methods at times depending on how the water or the hole looks.My plan is to drift down river to the Kenai city ramp (@RM 2) an probably take out about 8:00 pm tonite.
    I have put out an open invitation on Alaska Outdoor Directory forums but as of 6:00am no takers.That's ok,I have over 20 years in a kayak,so I feel confident in my own abilities.Some company would be cool but any day on the river,solo or with a freind,is a good day.I'll be at Pillars around noon gearing up,if anyone on this forum wants to tag along and join-----come on down.Should be an Epic day..........
                                                                                                                         Mark

Here is my report on my float down the Kenai River May 7th,2011.
Sorry I haven't gotten this done sooner.
I got down to Pillars State Park at noon.Put new Native Watercraft Ultimate 12 in the water and let the wife try it out a little near shore (got to buy her a new one yesterday).We took a few pictures while waiting to see if any other folks would show up and to coincide with the low tide.She wanted to fish off the bank also.So,I waited til 1:30 and no one else came and I was getting antsy so it was time to shove off.
  Found the deepest channel I could find (water level very low and slow here)put on a nightmare jig 4 ft below a bobber and start drifting down river.I've fished this section a lot from my power boat so have a prertty good idea of the holes.Ultimate is handling the water nicely so far.Make it down to Eagle Rock (start of tidal influence) with no hits so I put on a pink/orange jig.A half mile below Eagle Rock and my jig goes down----Snagged on a tree.Paddled up above snag,got unstuck,bobber goes floating by after coming off,retrieve boober,and get back to fishing.
 Fishing the crossover into Chicago the wind starts picking up so it takes a little more concentration to get the drft I want.Keep an eye out for submurged trees.Float on down to Beaver Creek.This is one of the deepest holes in the lower Kenai so I lengthen my jig depth.Drift on through --no hits.Paddle back up and drift through again.Still nothing.Move on.......
  I had not fished lower than Beaver Creek before so now I'm in "virgin water" for me.Gotta pay more attention where I'm going--read the water--find the holes.Took the right channel around Mud Island and bobber goes down again--another submurged tree.Damn it.....Get unstuck pretty easy and continue down.Tide is stating to come in pretty good by now so the drift is mellow but still getting pushed down by current.I get to the "Bluffs" area,everything is looking good and bobber starts jiggling a little,just acting funny.Zero all attention on bobber---then whooosh.....a seal pops up 10 ft off my port side.Scared the living sh*t outa me.
  Okay,get recomposed. figure that if seals are in the area they are there for a reason----dinner!So I'm a little pissed but optomistic as well.Continue around the next bend and see 3 more seals out fishing.Okay,this sucks,paddle past them and surprisingly they went upriver from me.This could be good........
  By now the water clarity has dropped to about 6 inches visibility.Not great for jig fishing.If bait was legal at this time I'd be ok but that isn't legal til July.Wind and incoming current are starting to make going downstream take more effort.Around the next corner I see the railing at Cunnngham Park and decide to go ahead and pull out here.It would have been another 4 miles to Kenai city ramp and I thought that wouldn't be real productive given the conditions present.So I got off the river.
  For a 1st trip on the Kenai in a kayak it was a great day.I learned some new (to me)water,did not flip the boat,and didn't lose any gear.The new Ultimate was great with it's twin-keel design,never a even a hint of tippyness,and lots of room for gear.It would have been some nice icing on the cake to have hooked up with a big king salmon but that will be comng soon.Right now the run is just getting started.
  So.stay tuned, there will be more coming.And again,I apologise for not being more timely with this report.
                                    Mark

Have you taken that Native on any ocean waters yet? As for the fishing i am up for any fishing anytime so just let me know. Good Report!!!

Ak Yak Atak,
The day after I bought the Ultimate I went to Deep Creek and got blown off the water (3 ft seas--15-20mph wind)not comfortable fshing in that,So went to Homer and fished behind the Spit.Caught a couple of cod and irish lords.Posted a report Deep Creek vs Homer on AOD.
Plan is for many more trips out.......

Thats awesome! Yeah i heard those native ultimates didnt like the wind lol. I am in the process of grabbing up a ocean kayak from REI. I will tell you this i have sat in one of the ulimates and it was one of the most comfortable kayaks i have ever sat in.

I have to agree ----the comfort level is outstanding.
Are you going to try to make it down this weekend ?If the weather cooperates it couls/should be pretty lucrative......

I just booked a night at the Anchor River Inn for $ 70.00 (still winter rates) They have twin bed rooms for $ 50.
I talked to the President of the Ancor River Sportsmans Assoc. and he said you cannot register by phone,but you can pay for registration Sat morning at the Deep Creek tractor launch.All boat bets have to be done Fri nite at the Inn.
He also mentioned that no one had ever fished this derby out of a kayak in the 17 years its been going.We are going to raise the bar boys...............

I am in the middle of negotiations with the wife for a weekend trip but im not sure where i am going yet. Derby from a YAK lol if you win it you will be a god among men lol