Salmon Fishing Guide Cooper Landing, AK

The Kenai River has some of the best fishing in Alaska, but you’ll need a Cooper Landing, AK salmon fishing guide to take you to the best spots on the river. Fortunately, that’s exactly what you get with Jason’s Guide Service. We have over 30 years of guiding and fishing experience, ranging from fly fishing to drift boat fishing in the upper reaches of the river.

When you’re looking for an Alaska fishing charter, it’s important to get to know your team. And it’s important to read up on the fish you’ll be catching! Read on to see what fish are biting, and learn a little more about our guide services.

Types Of Fish In The Kenai River

The Kenai River is 82 miles long, so there’s quite a bit of variety. Jason’s Guide Service mainly operates on the Upper River (starting at Kenai Lake) down to Soldotna on the Middle River. On this long stretch, you’re likely to catch a few of our favorites – but depending on the time of year (and the year itself), you’ll catch more of certain types of fish.

Dolly Varden Char (Salvelinus Malma)

What’s the difference between a char and a trout? Look at the spots: Char have light spots on a dark body, and trout have dark spots on a light body. Dolly Varden char are typically 16-22 inches long, but we’ve seen some amazing examples that were over 30 inches. Try your luck, but remember – these are catch and release only!

Pink Salmon (Oncorhynchus Gorbuscha, AKA Humpy)

The Kenai River only gets a pink salmon run on even-numbered years. They also get a little oily and mushy for anyone fishing on the Kenai River for lunch. So why fish for pink salmon? Simple: They’re a challenge. We’ve seen some serious battles with pink salmon, and finally reeling one in is a rewarding experience for experienced anglers and newcomers alike.

Rainbow Trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss)

Rainbow trout is one of the most famous fish on the Kenai River. These guys range from 20-23 inches on average, and some of them can get up to 16 pounds. Note: Native rainbow trout is catch and release only.

Silver Salmon (Oncorhynchus Kisutch)

You’re looking for a salmon fishing guide in Cooper Landing, so you probably want to hear about the salmon. Silver salmon (also known as Coho salmon in the lower 48) range from 7-11 pounds on average, but we’ve some examples have weighed in at 30 pounds.

Sockeye Salmon (Oncorhynchus Nerka)

Sockeye Salmon runs are in late June and early August. They’re great for eating, canning, and smoking – and of course, they’re great for fishing, too. They typically weigh from 4 to 15 pounds, with most examples weighing in between 5 and 8 pounds.

Our Guide Services

Jason’s Guide Service is one of only 19 Kenai River guide service operations that has a competitive-use permit for the Upper Kenai River Refuge. Our guides have decades of fishing experience, and we’re happy to help our customers make every Alaska fishing trip a success. We provide also equip our customers with quality gear (rods, reels, waders and more) from quality manufacturers (Gloomis, Lamson, and Shimano).

Ready to get started? Contact us today, and start planning your trip with your Cooper Landing salmon fishing guide from Jason’s Guide Service!