Salmon Fishing Guide Cooper Landing, AK

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.