Kenai River in January

[klickman]

A buddy and I decided in our infinate wisdom to go fish the kenai at the end of January.  It had been unseasonably warm earlier in the week, but it wasn't that day.  I don't think it got above 15 degrees plus the wind blew up to 20 mph all day.  To say the least it was cold.  The fishing was ok we got a few silvers that were really dark.  We also got a few rainbows but didn't want to take the fish out of the water because it was so cold so no pics of them.  Here are a few pics of our trip.  On one of the pics you can see the ice fisherman at the ice edge.  Enjoy

KLICKMAN

[saylean]

Thanks for the pics man. Looks gorgeous!

[TeacherMan]

I applied for 26 jobs when I got out of college, 2 where on the peninsula those are the only 2 that I was not offered. I have always wanted to live there, my wife was okay with it 5 years ago but know who knows 2 kids later. Great pics, makes me jealous.

[cohoho]

Beautiful pics for sure, got one from a warmer day that I thought I show from the same angle or close anyhow......  Love that lake, it was favorite stomping grounds, mainly for spring bear and sheep watching....  Decent Lakers also......

[cohoho]

You probably know this portion of it then.....

[klickman]

A little bit more water and a little warmer.  I can't wait for spring

KLICKMAN

[ribka]

Great pics. Do all of the trout winter in the lake?

fished the upper Kenai this past Sept. Beautiful river. Caught many silvers ( black bunny leeches were the ticket) dollies ( egg patterns  check egg pattern crystal meth more effective than beads) big rainbows, pinks. Some great steelhead  fishing in Anchor and Kasilof
Hope to make it up this year.

[klickman]

I read someting about the trout wintering but my numbers are probably a little off.  It was like 10%  winter in the river itself, 20% winter in Kenai Lake and the rest winter in Skilak Lake.  I am probably off but the majority of the fish are in Skilak lake right now.  Here in the next month or so they will start to migrate to the lake outlets for the smolt migration, then they will head off to spawn in May.  After they spawn a lot of them head back to the lakes until the salmon arrive in good numbers. 

Sept. is by far the best time to be on the upper Kenai for rainbows.  I just sucks because that falls into the best moose hunting time also.  Tough decisions. 

Klickman