Alaska Drift Away Fishing has come up with peak dates for rainbow trout fishing based on historical best productive times from on our experience. Weather, water conditions, and timing/quantity of returning salmon will have the final say during your visit. However, if you can book during the times listed below, the odds of success will be much greater.
1st Peak – June 15th to June 25th
Mid-June offers anglers the first glimpse of how amazing the trout fishery truly is. As trout finish up spawning in early June they move off spawn beds to the main channel feeding on old salmon carcasses. Arctic Terns and trout can be seen feasting on the balls of smolt (baby salmon) migrating out of the Kenai to begin their lifecycle in the ocean.
Dead drifting flesh and egg patterns always get bit, but when conditions are right Kenai rainbow trout love crushing streamers in the swing and mid-June is the peak time for bows on the swing. Besides exciting trout action, the warm weather and 20+ hours of daylight offer anglers a truly unique Alaskan fishing experience.
2nd Peak – July 15th to August 5th
We call this the “sneaky peak.” As the 2nd run of Kenai red salmon enters the river, anglers line the shoreline in hopes of filling the freezer. The filleted carcasses and egg skeins are thrown back into the river where hungry rainbow trout anxiously await the plentiful food source. Anglers can easily see some of the best trophy trout fishing of the season.
Peak summer weather with great trout and salmon fishing, what’s not to love? We offer combo salmon/trout trips but suggest focusing on a species a day to maximize opportunity.
3rd Peak – August 25th to September 25th
Fall is the peak of trophy trout fishing on the Kenai River. Salmon are spawning and trout are right behind them gulping up their eggs to fatten up for the fast approaching winter. Having a shot at a rainbow trout over 10lbs is a very reasonable goal as we have close encounters with them almost daily, bringing them to the net is another story.
Besides great fishing, the landscape is switching from the lush green of summer to vibrant fall colors offset by frosty capped mountain peaks, and crisp fall air. A truly unforgettable experience.
