CategoriesDolly Varden, Fly Fishing, Rainbow Trout, Salmon by

2020 Recap and 2021 Forecast

2020 Recap

2020 was a year that had a lack of anglers on the river, the least ever in the last 10 years. That made for some of the most phenomenal rainbow trout and Dolly Varden fishing in as long as I can remember. I anticipate this will carry over into 2021 resulting in a lot of un pressured fish. We should make 2021 the year that we educate them with tactics and techniques they have yet to experience.

2021 forecast

If Nostradamus was a guide on the Kenai River here’s what he would predict for 2021 ye shall see, according to the Alaska Fish and Game there will be strong first and second run of sockeye salmon. The lack of pressure on the rainbow trout and Dolly Varden char in 2020 will make for some phenomenal fishing in 2021. The first and second run of silver salmon is predicted to be big runs this year as well, so the fishing on the Kenai River should be great from June 11 through October this year for all the species.

Capitalizing on a Salmon run

When there is a great salmon run anybody can catch a fish, but not everyone will get a limit. When it is a smaller salmon run everyone won’t catch fish, it takes experience and knowledge to put fish in the boat. To truly capitalize on a salmon run good timing and a good guide are a must, but timing is only as good as the guide you choose. So choose wisely.

Experience is your catalyst for success

There are two ways you gain advanced knowledge on the Kenai River. Someone like myself who has spent a lifetime fishing and spent decades guiding on the Kenai River learned through my own experiences. Those that guide for me under my banner have both the benefit of their own experiences plus the added knowledge of my experience. There is no substitute for time on the water and trial and error, yet training with someone with my degree of experience can defiantly shorten their learning curve. Always choose guides that you know are strong in their knowledge and passionate about the never ending quest for perfection.

Being flexible on a guided trip

Control the controllable’s and be prepared for the unpredictable. When you book a trip no matter how much homework you do Mother Nature has a way of being unpredictable. The angler’s that are willing be flexible are the ones that usually have the most success. Because, the salmon run could be off, the river could be blown out, the water temperatures on a glacier river can fluctuate greatly, water levels could be high or low. These variables, and others mean adapting to achieve your goals. Make sure to choose a guide that is capable of adapting under any circumstance in using the gear weather it be fly rods, spinning rods, conventional tackle, or hand tied flies to ensure you get the fish to bite.

CategoriesDolly Varden, Ice Fishing, Jasons Guide Service, Rainbow Trout, Salmon by

We Launched Our New Website

Jason Lesmeister, owner of Jason’s Guide Service, has 20 years of experience as an Alaskan fishing guide, ten of them on the Kenai River, so he is well qualified to help visiting anglers shorten the necessary learning curve for a successful trip.

He has just launched his new website, www.JasonsGuideService.com.The website was redesigned from the ground up and now contains helpful information about the fish to be found in the Kenai River, the best season for each, and the services and equipment Lesmeister offers.

When asked about the upgraded website, Lesmeister said, “I love everything about our new web presence. It’s going to allow me to provide more detailed information about the gear we use and what we are catching day in and day out. I will also be updating my blog on the website on a regular basis so you can read up on our guests’ adventures.”

Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden appeal to fishermen because they bite readily, put up an aggressive fight, and are plentiful all year. Red (sockeye) salmon, silver (coho) and other salmon species migrate up the Kenai River at certain times. Sockeye salmon peak from mid-July through the first week in August. Silver salmon fishing is best from the third week of August through the end of October.

Lesmeister’s Kenai River guiding service provides all the equipment you might need, including custom built 20 foot drift boats, G. Loomis, Sage, Lamson and Shimano rods and reels, and all tackle and baits. They will also clean fish and offer other expertise necessary for a quality trip.

Ice fishing the Kenai and surrounding lakes is also outstanding and Jason’s Guide Service is one of the few serious organizations serving this type of fishing and implement the latest technology to locate the fish and keep you warm on the ice.

Jason is headquartered in Cooper Landing, Alaska, and covers the entire Kenai River resource – Kenai, Soldotna, Sterling, Skilak Lake, Kenai Lake, and the Cooper Landing Area. Fishermen are encouraged to bring their cameras so they can post photos of their catch with the others on the website’s “Braggin’ Board”. It is a good idea to make reservations for prime seasons as far in advance as possible.

For more information, visit the website and send questions via the contact form or push the handy “Push to Call” button to initiate a direct call.

Contact:

Jason’s Guide Service
Mile Marker 48
Cooper Landing, AK 99572
(907) 351-3036

www.JasonsGuideService.com

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CategoriesDolly Varden, Jasons Guide Service, Rainbow Trout by

Dolly Varden Char the Second Best Fish in the Kenai?

Ah it’s another Dolly my buddy said as he tried to get it off his hook as fast as possible so he could try and catch a rainbow trout.  I was looking at the Dolly and he was a Toad.  I love to catch the hard hitting and fighting Dolly’s.  Dolly’s are absolutely beautiful in the fall, and can get huge just like the trout.  Here’s a picture of a nice Dolly caught on a guided trip on the Kenai River, He enjoyed the battle from start to finish and gave him a proper release.

CategoriesDolly Varden, Rainbow Trout, Salmon by

Chrome Fury on the Kenai

Sockeye Salmon, everybody want’s one…maybe 25 or 35.  Sockeye Salmon sport fish or subsistence fish?  Sockeye Salmon mean dollar bills to many, and means food to others.  Sockeye Salmon mean entertainment to those who catch them with rod n reel or net.  Sockeye Salmon are the life blood of the Kenai Rivers rainbow trout and Dolly Varden Char.
Who decided that the Kenai River is the place for Alaskans to come and catch as many Sockeye Salmon as they can over a three weekend period.  How many people are throwing away salmon to go kill 25 more?  How many people are stopping at Portage Alaska’s animal farm and dropping all there left over dip netted Sockeye Salmon so they can dip net more?
July is the season were all of Alaska comes to the Kenai Peninsula to to slay Salmon, drive like lunatics and litter everywhere and anywhere.
Thank you very little to the people that come down to the Kenai and take more fish than they want or need and litter there way across the state.