Upper Kenai Float -- Friday 10/12

I'm going to hunt for some of those big 'bows on the Upper Kenai on Friday, from the bridge at the lake to Jim's Landing. Launching about 9 am. Anybody interested?

Normally I'd be dead drifting big flesh flies, but after the floods I'm thinking more terrestrials and sculpin patterns. Any better ideas?

Nice.  I'm a novice but I'd think with the flood waters washing carcasses down into main river that your big flesh flies would be the ticket. My buddies have been slaying silvers with jigs in the upper river as well.  I'm going to hit it Sunday!  Going with my two attorneys so not only do I get to catch fish, I get $700 worth of legal advice every hour!  Lol. Sad thing is I need it!!!

I'll still keep handy the box of flesh flies, especially those articulated ones that have been so productive over the years. But I was thinking that the floods would have left lots of the carcasses up on the banks with receding waters. Won't know 'til I get there -- but still want to load up on the alternatives.  When all else fails, there's always the olive egg-sucking leech. The forecast looks beautiful, and I'm itching to dip a paddle into flowing waters. Plus, that photo that showed up on my phone has me dreaming of a 30" rainbow.  It'll be interesting to see what the high water has done to my favored holes. 

Dropped Dave at the airport this morning. Getting into my car, he suggested it was time to remove the yak racks.  Heresy.  Won't need the ski racks up there for a couple more weeks at least!

And Dave seems like such an intelligent guy...good to see your common sense has not left you yet!! Lol.

Let me know how it goes. Be safe!!!!!


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OK, OK ... I know the rule: No pictures, it didn't happen.  But listen you guys, you need to get down to the Upper Kenai at least one more time this season if at all possible.  'Cause what didn't happen down there today was an absolutely brilliant day of flyfishing that might or might not have included dozens of rainbows and dollies caught and released.  No silvers. Four of those rainbows I didn't officially catch were in the +20" range, with the best fish on the day estimated at 27".  Hungry hard-fighting fish -- willing to take just about anything I threw: the big articulated flesh flies, but also the palest beads, purple ESLs,  big-eyed olive sculpins and even a mouse pattern that I skittered across the current on the surface...  Only one of the favorite spots failed to produce a hook-up.

It was such a kick out there today that I just might head back down tomorrow morning to do it again...  Don't worry Rudy -- I released 'em all without even taking them out of the water. They'll be ready and waiting for you on Sunday.

Woohoo!!! Gotta love those epic days!  Way to go get'em!!! I can't wait. Picked up a new echo 3, 6wt! Hopefully I can be half as successful as you!!!!!!!


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Nice! Been too long since I fished the kenai. Glad you had a great trip.

Just in from Day 2 -- with only four fish on the entire day. Paddled the short run from Sportsman's to Jim's.  Nothing over 16" -- but a nice (chilly) float. Lots and lots of eagles in the cottonwoods. The scenic highlight: two honey-colored grizzlies on the bank. Their pelts were so lush, they looked like they'd just come from the salon. Didn't spot them until I was about 50 ft upstream on their side, so I pushed out farther into the channel and then back-paddled past nice and slow so I could get a good look. 

Snowed the whole drive home.  Watch the roads in the morning; it's going to be icy.

Sounds like this needs to be a "Bucket List" thing for me. Fished the Smith River (Norhern California) this morning. It's still a wee early for the river to take off for the season. Still, a great day for a paddle. I'll be hitting it after work in the near future, I'm sure.

Fished the middle instead of the upper. We fished 90% of the day for one nice fish. Parked the boat at my friends cabin and decided to kill some time and ended up hammering over a dozen fish in less than an hour directly in front of his place.

Here's the big fish for the day. 27 inches caught by my friend. My largest was 20 inches if you stretched it out a little. But what a blast. For the first time in my trout fly rod fishing days the dollies dominated the rainbows 10 to 1.




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Outstanding! Beautiful fish your friend is holding. CNR I hope ... that one should breed. These are the days that carry me through the winter months. How did the new rod perform? What type of fly / set-up was productive for you? One of these days I'll have to float the middle river -- that's a stretch I've never fished.

Every fish safely released!!!  Rod worked great. Little softer than what I am used to.  Need to test it out on bigger fish! 1 fish for 3 people Inge first 4 hours. Than I bet over 3 dozen in the last hour. Lol. Go figure!  Light orange beads. Not Lear but more creamy colored in 8 mm.  Pink eggs were everywhere!  Did get a few hook ups on big flesh flies but all the ones I saw we're tiny.  Odd.  Great day though! Easily kayak able at this water level. Not sure where the public take out are.  Will post some videos when I get time later his week.

You can take out at bing's landing if u float the middle. Have done the float from skilak to bings in a round boat. Nice fish!