INSANITY! Not from Kayak but a Kenai River report for planning!

So this weekend the insanity began on the Kenai River.  To make it more stressful, I had my (ex) father in law in town from Japan.  So no kayaking per se, but I did get a good look and secure a potential private launch/retrieval area on the river for the kayak.  But this weekend is critical for my kayak fishing plans.  Got to get these things out of the way and now my summer is FREE to KAYAK!!!!! 

First I am on a King Charter with Hi Lo charters.  Fished with Guide Albert Kutzkey who also fishes Norther California when not in Alaska.  He just did a super job.  We go four for four on Kings.  A 40, 30, 30, 20 in a half days fishing.  When you consider it can be 20 man hours per fish on the Kenai, that's Just awesome!  I think I can fish this hole with my Hobie either on non powerboat Mondays or late in the evening when traffic is down.







One task done...pre pay for live in nanny...long story... 

Now to fill the freezer with sockeye salmon with dipnets. This fishery is for Alaska residents only.  Its amazingly fun.  My buddies had landed over 200 the day before so they were out helping me with my tag for the most part. I got the 55 I needed in about 3 hours though we got 90% the fish in a 55 minute flurry. On that day, over 230,000 red salmon made it past the counters.  The off shore indexes indicate even a bigger slug of fish moving through the Inlet about to hit the River!!!!!  How could there be more than what we saw!?!?!  INSANE!!!!

 Here's a video of that flurry sped up 10X. 


 

OMG!!

That's really getting my juices going for some fall chrome!! Man, I want a 40 pounder!

Good luck drifting the Kenai in your Outback. That river has strong flow as I have been on it also. Don't know how you could hold while backbouncing or using a diver with a
Kwickfish w/herring strip. If you find a way, let me know. The only technique I can think of is Boondogging(let the current carry you,use enough weight and drag a
Sin 'n Glow with a clump of cured roe behind the boat. Best of luck.

Good luck drifting the Kenai in your Outback. That river has strong flow as I have been on it also. Don't know how you could hold while backbouncing or using a diver with a
Kwickfish w/herring strip. If you find a way, let me know. The only technique I can think of is Boondogging(let the current carry you,use enough weight and drag a
Sin 'n Glow with a clump of cured roe behind the boat. Best of luck.

I agree it's a fast river.  If you know the river, my plan is to either launch from Eagle rock or Beaver Hole.  Try to catch the incoming tide as I am at Beaver Hole and then move back up with the tide and then drop back down and take out at Beaver Creek where I know a few folks with docks. I should be able to peddle/paddle back up the hole at Beaver creek in the frog water. 

Boondogging isn't high on my list as I think its mayhem if you snag up.  I think my plan is to use bottom bounce a k-16 kwikfish with scent (not a wrap).  easy, always fishing, and take downs are unmistakable. 

Another thought.  I never really thought about it from a power boat, but I did notice this weekend that about 99% of the time there is wind, it comes from down river (ocean) blowing upriver.  I think I am going to get a wind paddle sail or a hobie sale in the future.  Between the sail rudder and the mirage drive acting as a daggerboard, i think I may be able to get upriver.  Hmmm.....never know till ya try it I suppose! 

Love the sockeye vid!  Buddy sent me a cell phone pick of his boat yesterday, they were knee deep in fish!

Love the sockeye vid!  Buddy sent me a cell phone pick of his boat yesterday, they were knee deep in fish!

I hope my title isn't too misleading.  But if you were on the water, the situation was just crazy.  We think fishing is typically good for sockeyes when the counters are registering 30,000 or more fish a day.  For the counter to hit 230,000 in a single day is a record!  For all of the global warming, overfishing, the earth is dying rhetoric we hear (many of them based on very solid evidence and fact) it's awesome to experience the "wall o'reds" that surpassed anything I have ever seen in my 40 years of fishing the river.

The number of people fishing was only surpassed by the number of fish in the river.  it was truly a sight to behold.

I am VERY excited about the good sockeye returns.  While dismayed by the poor king returns around the state, I feel a bit better that ocean conditions and survival rates seem to be benefiting at least the sockeye population.  Maybe its just an ocean condition regime change instead of people just simply wiping them out.

rudy,
that was just plain crazy!! still, looks like somethign i'd add to my"bucket list" if i'd ever write one....

That looks like way to much fun.