July trip to Alaska

[MN_Iceman]

Just looking for any information out there. I am currenly planning a trip to Alaska July 3rd through the 13th. So far I have the following:

Fly into Anchorage. Drive to Gridlewood and spend the night there. Staying at the Alt House.

Next morning heading to Whitter for a day cruise on the Prince of William Sound from here heading to Hope and spending the night.

Next day head down to Steward. Stopping at Exit Glacier. Sled dog ride and some hiking along the way.

Next morning do on the Kenai Fjords boat ride and do some fishing on some local rivers.

Next day head out on the charter trip. Most likly a day long halibut day or a split day of salmon and halibut.

Next head up to Kenai and do on Kayaking.

Next day spend a 1/2 day on the Kenai on a river boat.

Head to Homer and spend the next 2 nights in the Homer area.

Head back and stay in Soldotna.

A few questions for you out there. Is it hard / take to much time to do this much traveling each day.

Is there any areas that I can try and do some fishing on my own on this trip that is worth my time? If so what type of tackle / presentations should I use. I plan on bringing a couple of poles.

Where is it better to go fishing Steward or Homer? I for sure am going to try a river trip on the Kenai and at least 1 charter in Homer or Steward.

Do you have any recommendations for a guide to use in.

Steward?

Keani / Soldotna

Homer

Any other area on this trip?

Any information would be great. My wife and I are looking forward to the adventure.

thanks

[Down Deep]

You have a very aggressive itinerary for 10 days. The first time I went I did the same thing, but quickly realized that I was missing a lot of other attractions that AK had to offer.

As a suggestion, I would skip Girdwood and Whitter and head straight for Seward which is about 3 hours from Anchorage. The ride, in itself, is a beautiful ride that one can easily take 6 to 8 hours to make by stopping at the plentiful pull overs to enjoy the scenery. The Kenia Fjords trip on Resurrection Bay topped the PWS trip and I really couldn't tell much of a difference in the overall scenery . Exit Glacier can be done in two hours or you can spend the day hiking around there. Seward has some excellent lodging, restaurants, watering holes and one of a kind shopping. If you like hiking, and you're in shape, a hike up Marathon Mountain is a challenge and fun. The trailhead is right in downtown Seward. There is not much river fishing around Seward.

I would then head to Soldotna where there is lots of access for some unguided river fishing. If you need information on how and where to fish the rivers the bait shops provide reliable information. A day trip to the Russian is a blast if the Reds (Sockeye) are running and doable from Soldotna. Soldotna is also the headquarters for a large number of Kenia River guides.

I'd then head to Homer and reserve my Halibut fishing trip for a boat out of there. Ninilcheck (sp) also has lots of lodging and some quality Halibut charter boats.

'

There is lots to discover along the way so be sure to allow some time for this discovery.

[weld1]

MN Ice, have you been to alaska before? its a awsome place! i have been there 9 times doing the same type of trip your going to do, i would suggest you check into renting a motorhome as it sounds like your planing to do the hotel/motel- rental car thing? motor home is nice in that you dont have to be anywhere at any particular time, and from what i have found is its about 200.00 a day for the motorhome and last i checked it was about 70-80 a day for a car and approx 200 a night for a decent hotel..you do the math, just ideas... we are going to head that way on jul 26 and ret aug 5th or so, as far as combat fishing for salmon in the river the best time is right about the last week in july.... if i can help anymore please let me know... i see your in new hope? have you been there all your life? i grew up in golden valley..

[SalmonJedi]

I agree with Down Deep and weld1. As far as fishing goes, you'll want to try some sockeye fishing in the Soldotna area on the Kenai. The Russian river area will likely be slow during your timing. During the latter part of your trip the Kenai River sockeye run will be picking up and you should be able to get a few if you spend a few hours on the banks at one of the local parks (Centennial or Swiftwater maybe). Keep an eye on the Peninsula Clarion newspaper while you are up there and you can get a feel for how the sockeye and King runs are going.

As for your halibut charter Seward and Homer are both good. I'd lean towards Seward if you wanted a Silver salmon/Halibut combo. Probably Homer if you are looking at just halibut as you'll see some new scenery you won't be repeating after your Kenai Fjords trip.

Have Fun!

[traveler]

A couple of things to add....not much for river fishing near Seward, and it'll be pretty early there for good salmon on a combo, stick with halibut unless they are having good early luck with silvers. Your whole itenerary is a little early; later in July would be my choice. if you can, save much of your fishing for the end of your trip. The rivers around soldotna will be just getting good toward the end of your trip, for both reds and kenai kings. 8 1/2 ft rods w/20lb test, either casting or spinning will work well. For charters, I'd suggest Crackerjack, Pro-fish-n-sea in Seward; Fenton Bros., Mark Glassmaker for the Kenai, Capt. Scott in Homer. I've done well with all of them. Good luck!

[MN_Iceman]

Thanks for all the information. This is my first trip to Alaska and want to get a good run at the entire area. I thought about the RV thing and for this trip I dont think that it will happen. I have been looking alot a room and board and can usually find something for 110-150 bucks a night and then the 70 or so for a car during the day. I figure it is about a wash as far as a RV or taking a car and staying in hotels. Thus the better half elected the hotels. Sounds like it could be a halibut trip in Seward and Homer. (Why not fish for halibut twice ) Then maybe some river fishing in Soldtna. I think that we will be stopping and hiking a lot on the way to Seward so we are going to stay in Hope for a night. Then we can take our time from Hope to Seward. The better half can then do some shopping in Seward.

Grew up in Coon Rapids. I have been living in New Hope for 3 years now.

Thanks everyone for the information if you have any more information post away, We are going to start booking things this week. I know it is a little late but what can you do.

[traveler]

Ice; the area from Cooper landing/russian river to Seward is by far the best hiking...as you head the other way from the russian towards Soldotna, it flattens out and stays that way mostly till Homer. So you're right on to plan on hiking nearer Seward. Hope is only so-so in my opinion, the river there mostly holds pinks, better every other year and I don't know if this is an up or down year. I love Seward, very cool area. Therea a 4 hour-ish hike from the glacier tourist area to the top where you can walk on the glacier that you have to do. I'd do a butt trip in Seward early on, then 1 in Homer when you get down there, and concentrate your shore fishing around Soldotna. There MIGHT be reds in the russian then, but not many/likely. Don't overlook the Kasilof river, 20 miles towards Homer from Soldotna, it's a cool river and although the June king season is better, they get some decent kings in there as July wears on. It's mostly a driftboat fishery, so if that appeals to you, go for it. I personally dig the lower Kenai zoo, bumper boats and all, partly cause it's still your best shot at a truly BIG king. Just make it as late in the trip as possible. You're right about the RV/hotel being pretty much a wash, the only thing that swings it for me is the flexibility in the RV. When fishing is the priority, having reservations in Homer when the reds are thick in the Russian is not a good thing! It's nice to be able to go with the flow, and the RV allows that a little better. Sounds like you're doing kind of a hiking/fishing combo, and there are lots of cool little cabins that my wife really loved the first couple times we went up in the 90's. I'm not surprised your wife would lean that way. Understand it won't be easy to find lodgeing without reservations, there are limited motels, and most of the B&B/cabins are all booked in advance.

[DocEsox]

Iceman....much of the information you have here is pretty darn accurate but perhaps I can offer some alternatives. I currently live in Alaska for many years. There is little river fishing around Seward. Depends on what kind of fishing you want to do. That time in July is usual the start of peak rainbow trout fishing in the Matanuska Valley.....that is north of Anchorage....fishing streams from 60 to 100 miles north with much less traffic than the Kenai peninsula. There are many streams you can fish on your own....there are some excellent guides I could recommend but the trout fishing is fabulous then and you will probably catch some big redded up kings and some fresh chum salmon. The trout range from 14 to 23 inches...with a crack at some in the high 20's.

Also the upper Kenai River is darn good fishing in July and the float through the Kenai Canyon is absolutely beautiful and great rainbow and dolly varden fishing. This is an area with limited guide trips and is generally far less travelled than others....good chance to get up close and personal with a brownie too (gizzly)/ Would be happy to hook you up with a great guide for this area. If you like to hike there are many lakes on the Kenai peninsula which don't receive much pressure but can be great for rainbows and grayling. As far as halibut fishing.....love them so I tolerate the trips....too much like work. If you would like an interesting combo trip look at Silver Fox charters in Homer for a combo halibut/lingcod trip. Actually you can get a combo for halibut/king salmon from the Ninilchik area then as the second run of kings is staging offshore then.

Let me know if you want or need any help.

Brian

Not sure if this slide show will work...click on the pic...these are pics from the MatSu Valley fishing:

[traveler]

Good stuff Doc; I've always been a little intimidated by the upper Kenai floats as my flycasting skills are well below par. One thing I tell myself each trip is I have to find a little grayling lake to hike into so I can at least say i've caught one (OK, some) of the little buggers. Any lakes you would recommend on the KP?

[Down Deep]

Ditto on the grayling recommendation. I will be in the area in mid-august. I took a float on the middle Kenia in early August 07. Reds were thick. After the red fishing we went down river and had some excellent rainbow and dolly fishing. I'm like Traveler as I've never caught a grayling. I don't mind a good hike either.

[fivebucks]

If I remember right one of the lakes out of Moose Pass have grayling. I think you can hike there but it would be a long one. Most people take a float plane. Do a search in that area. Also there is a lake down by Seward called Grayling lake that has some. There is a trail going there that is not too bad. It is a full day up and back if you want to leave a good chunck of time for fishing. The fish are not too numorous though the last time I was there.