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LODGING & SPORTFISHING OPTIONS:
We provide professionally guided sportfishing trips for 4 specie of Pacific
salmon, Pacific halibut and trout. Our lodge provides "condo" style lodging
with private bedrooms, a full kitchen, dining, and living room. You can
prepare meals or dine out at over 3 dozen local restaurants. A color TV,
dishwasher, regular and microwave ovens are some of the amenities present
for your use. Bedrooms have a queen bed or a set of twin beds. The sofa in
the living room has a hide-a-bed for extra members of your party. These
units are non-smoking and laundry facilities are available in our lodge.
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SALTWATER
FISHING:
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PACIFIC HALIBUT

We use 28 to 32
foot boats for conducting out saltwater fishing charters. Our boats
fish a maximum of six, and have cabins and restrooms for your
comfort, and they are equipped with full electronics for your safety and
fishing success. We fish the Deep Creek area near Ninichik, Alaska,
about 40 miles south of our headquarters in Soldotna. We avoid
fishing on rough seas so we do lose some fishing days. However, many
times you can reschedule your party to fish a freshwater stream that
very day. Our area of Cook Inlet is much closer to our fishing
grounds than charter boats out of Homer or Seward. Our travel time
by boat is usually 30 to 60 minutes, whereas other areas on the
Kenai Peninsula average 2 to 3 hours travel time before they start
fishing. We provide quality rods and reels and all the bait you will
need; your professional licensed captain will assist even the novice
angler in having a memorable experience. Pacific halibut are a very strange and mysterious bottom fish. They
are the largest members of the flounder family averaging 10 to 100
pounds in Cook Inlet, with numerous fish ranging between 100 and 300
pounds caught each season. They look like a flat fish with a white bottomside and a dark brown topside which carries their eyes. They
have ravenous appetites which make them eager customers for your
bait. It is a typical catch for every angler to take their two fish
limit on our charters. You can release any size fish you desire, and
actually the "chicken halibut" (10-30 lbs.) produce some of the best
dining experiences. In fact, if you don't care to eat fish but enjoy
good chicken, then you are an excellent candidate for these
mouth-watering fillets. A fresh halibut dinner is tough to beat!
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FRESHWATER
FISHING:
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KING SALMON
Our
freshwater king (chinook) salmon fishing occurs from May to the end
of July. Our fishing takes place on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. We
fish powerboats that run 20 to 24 feet in length on the Kenai River.
These boats have 5 to 6 ft. bottoms, comfortable seats, and a lot of
room to allow you space and stability to fight that big
salmon. We
fish driftboats on the Kasilof River because it is too shallow for
our powerboats. These non-powered drift boats range in length from
16 to 20 feet, and are powered by oars which make them a very quiet
way to fish your way down the river.
There are basically two methods of presenting your bait to king salmon in
our area of Alaska. "Backtrolling" is where you place your bait
downstream from your boat and slowly back-down the river allowing
the bait to enter the salmon's strike zone. "Drift fishing" is
usually conducted with a powerboat and has your guide casting your
baits out, and allowing the boat to drift down the river at the
currents' speed. Each of these two methods has times and places that
allow them to be effective and your professional guide is aware of
when, where, and how to employ these fishing methods.
Our freshwater king salmon fishing has basically two types of baits used
for success in our area of Alaska. We use the wing-bobber type lure
and the diving Flatfish type plug that imitates a baitfish. A device
known as a Jet-Planer is used much of the time to aid your bait in
being near the rivers' bottom. Lead weight is employed especially
when drift fishing to keep your bait near bottom. We provide quality
8 to 9 foot graphite rods and reels that will handle your trophy
salmon.
It is important to listen to your guides instructions when you embark on
your fishing trip. Probably the most important thing to remember is
to let your salmon take the bait! Regardless of what method you are
using on our king salmon charters: allow your fishing rod to bend
over and ask your guide if you should set the hook.
We have some of the largest king salmon in the world! The Kenai River
produced the world record of 97 lbs. 4 ozs. on May 17, 1985. You can
expect your king salmon to average 25-60 lbs. on the Kenai River,
and 15-40 lbs. on the Kasilof River. We take many salmon over 60
pounds each season and do expect a new world record any year.
These giant salmon are more difficult to catch than other salmon species
because of their lower numbers and their size. But the challenge is
well worth your efforts when you feel the power of that giant silver
torpedo that wants to tear up your tackle on its way upriver to its
spawning grounds. The "big ones" (over 50 lbs.) sometimes require 20
minutes to a couple hours of battle before you can land them.
Whether you catch a 20 pound or an 80 pound king salmon, you will
find this salmon a great fishing challenge and excellent eating too!
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COHO SALMON
The coho salmon is also known as the silver salmon, they range in size
from 8 to 16 pounds in Alaska. We have two runs of them in our area:
one in August and one in September. The coho is known for its
acrobatic nature and sizzling runs. Pound for pound it is the
hardest fighting salmon on sport tackle. They are very aggressive
even in freshwater rivers after they have ceased actively feeding.
We use basically two methods for catching this game fish in freshwater:
one method is to anchor our boat in the river and wait for the
schools to come to us and we employ our other method by simply casting
spoons and spinners to them. When we are anchored we may use
wing-bobbers, corkies, salmon eggs and diving plugs for bait behind
our boat. Again, you need to be patient when you get taps on your
line. These salmon bite like little trout and you will miss them if
you don't let them take the bait. When we use spoons and spinners
you set the hook when you feel the fish. The coho salmon can keep
you real busy when a school moves into your area. Besides being a
great fighting salmon they are great smoked, canned, grilled, and
deep fried, for a dining experience you soon won't forget. |
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SOCKEYE SALMON
Our
freshwater sockeye (also known as "reds") salmon fishing takes place
during the latter halves of June and July. The sockeye averages 6 to
10 pounds and has the brightest red-colored flesh of any of the
Pacific salmon. They are my favorite canned salmon. They are great
fighters on sport tackle and one of the more abundant salmon species
in Alaska. Escapements of over one million sockeyes into the Kenai
River are not unusual occurrences. Sockeyes tend not to feed in
freshwater but the shear numbers of concentrated fish can make
taking your limit an easy task. |
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PINK
SALMON
The pink (humpback) salmon is the smallest of the
Pacific salmon and the most abundant salmon. They range in size from
4 to 10 lbs. in the Kenai River and return every two years. They are
the easiest salmon to catch and just love to attack your lure all
day long. We usually use 6 1/2 ft. spinning rods with 14 to 17 lb.
test line. They are very aggressive towards spoons and spinners;
taking your six fish limit can be a very easy task during the first
3 weeks of August. We fish for the fresh fish that recently came in
on our high tides for those who wish to eat them. They are a very
good salmon for eating if they are in saltwater or have just arrived
into freshwater from the ocean. Action can be so furious that having
everyone on your boat hooked-up is commonplace. Fishermen who are
not accustomed to practically hooking a salmon on every cast find
this fishing action an exciting experience. |
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RAINBOW &
DOLLY VARDEN TROUT
We offer remote trophy fishing for rainbow and Dolly Varden
trout on the upper Kenai River from June 11th into October. You will
find the upper Kenai River to be abundant with beautiful scenery and
large trout. We use whitewater driftboats and powerboats for this
fishery. Trout that range from 2 to 8 pounds are quite common, and
most of our water is considered a catch-and-release fishery. It is
not uncommon to catch a trout that ranges between 8 to 20 pounds on
this great river. If you are looking for a peaceful day of great
trout fishing on the beautiful turquoise waters of the Kenai River,
then put this trip into your fishing itinerary.
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Call Today
With Any Questions or To Make Reservations
Kenai
Jim's Lodge
Box 3675 - Soldotna, AK
99669
Toll - Free: (888) 813-9081
or 907-262-1324

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