As the days grow cooler and the last of the summer swell of tourists leave town, anglers looking for a calmer experience on Kenai Peninsula will still find plenty of opportunity for silver salmon, steelhead and rainbow trout and Arctic char and Dolly Varden.
Freshwater fishing
Traditional run timing shows coho salmon to be moving through inlet streams through October, while resident species of freshwater fish continue to provide opportunity for patient anglers.
Coho fishing is expected to be good in both the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers through September, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game, while fishing conditions on the Kenai River have recently improved for rainbow trout.
Bait and treble hooks can be used while fishing in Skilak Lake and in the mainstem Kenai River from the Upper Killey River down to the mouth of the Kenai at Cook Inlet until the closure of coho salmon season Nov. 30.
On the Kasilof River, early morning fishing for coho salmon is usually the most successful, though anlgers are restricted to single-hook, no bait and artificial lures.
For anglers looking to target steelhead trout on the Kasilof River, chances of a catch are low, but the fishery is open. Steelhead may not be removed from the water before being released.
Marine fishing
Feeder king salmon can be targeted year round in Kachemak Bay, and popular spots include Point Pogibshi, Bluff Point, the islands around Eldred Passage and other spots on the south side of the bay, according to Fish and Game.
Halibut fishing is possible, but slows substantially in the fall season as larger halibut migrate further offshore.
Slack tide fishing for halibut is usually the best bet, according to Fish and Game, and using herring, octopus, squid or salmon heads works well for enticing the fish.
Rashah McChesney can be reached at rashah.mcchesney@peninsulaclarion.com
