Kenai Rainbows at a Glance
Best Time: June – October
Open Season: June 11 through April 30
Fish Size: Average 10-25 in.; up to 25 lbs.
Gear: Light rod and reel, 6-12 lb. line
Tackle: Spoons, spinners, plugs, attractors, flies
Techniques: Dead drifting, wet fly swing, back-trolling
Hot Spots: Lower/Upper Kenai River, Russian River
RAINBOW TROUT IN THE KENAI RIVER
Rainbow trout are present all year long in virtually every area of the Kenai River system, from tidewater upstream through the mainstem river to Kenai and Skilak lakes and on into all tributaries and headwater lakes. Being a most prolific species, rainbows are represented by a vast number of separate stocks that thrive in various parts throughout the drainage.
There are several different types of rainbow trout within the system. One is the stream type that resides in the mainstem river or one of its larger tributaries from spring through fall and overwinter in area lakes. The second type are lake fish that only move into streams in spring to spawn and then proceed back to originating lake to feed for the rest of the year. The third, and perhaps most distinct type, are sea-run rainbows. Also known as steelhead, these fish spend most of their lives in the ocean and come back to the Kenai and its tributaries in fall to breed the following spring. This section describes the two more common types – stream and lake fish – with steelhead explained separately here.
Description
Feeding Phase: Numerous black spots present on sides, back, top of head, and both lobes of tail fin. Coloration and spotting may vary greatly depending on watershed. Sides are silvery to copper, light brown, or olive with a light red pr pink stripe of varying width and intensity. Back is black or dark green. Flesh color is orange.
Spawning Phase: Reddish on sides and cheeks. Belly is grayish or brown, back black or dirty dark green. Black spots are enlarged or more pronounced than in feeding fish. Flesh color is white.
Timing: Rainbows are present year-round in the Kenai drainage, including the mainstem river. Starting in spring, the fish migrate to spawning streams and feeding areas. They remain through the summer and fall, migrating back to overwintering lakes and the mainstem river in late fall and early winter.
Size: Mainstem Kenai rainbows average 10 to 22 inches with a good number of fish reaching 25 inches and 5-6 pounds. Trophy trout over 30 inches and 10-12 pounds are quite common. Exceptional catches of 20 to 25 pounds are confirmed every season. Specimens to 40 inches and 28 pounds and more have been reported.
FISHING FOR KENAI RAINBOWS
As with salmon, the Kenai yields a fantastic number of rainbows and is arguably one of the leading trout fisheries in the state. In fact, the mainstem Kenai is a fly angler’s dream, with approximately 43,000 fish landed every season. As strict measures of conservancy are in place by both set regulations as well as angler ethics, some 95% of the rainbows caught are released.
The middle and upper sections of the river are especially noteworthy for their rainbow prowess, anglers often reporting several dozen fish per day. Drift boat and rafts are used to access the more lucrative areas on the river but hike-in opportunities abound as well, particularly on the Upper Kenai. To a great many locals and visitors, the late summer and fall season on the Kenai is the zenith of Alaska fishing.
When & Where
Present year-round in the mainstem Kenai, rainbows are generally targeted from June to November, the better months being July, August, and September. The upper river around Cooper Landing and the middle portion of the Kenai from Skilak Lake downstream to Kenai Keys near Sterling has a reputation of providing exceptional fishing for rainbow trout. The lower section of Kenai, in Soldotna, is not a renowned trout fishery but some of the biggest rainbows in the entire drainage have come from here. Russian River is another great location for rainbows and perfectly suited for anglers wanting to wade and cast to big fish on a clearwater stream.
Timing
| Location (Area) | Rating | Best Time |
| Lower Kenai River (Kenai/Soldotna) | Good | mid-July – early September |
| Middle Kenai River (Sterling) | Excellent | early August – mid-October |
| Upper Kenai River (Cooper Landing) | Excellent | early August – early October |
Structure
Look for areas with plenty of riffles and pools, undercut banks, overhanging vegetation, and deep channels and runs. Fish may be located from near shore in the midst of schools of migrating reds and silvers to mid-current along with kings. Moderate to slow current is preferred but never discount spots with a fairly strong flow, especially when salmon are present.
The presence of food sources is the main point to keep in mind. Unlike trout found in clearwater tributaries that feed heavily on insect life, Kenai rainbows are mainly keyed in on spawning salmon and byproducts such as eggs, flesh, and juvenile fish. Locate salmon on their reds and you will find trout. The downstream side of fish cleaning stations can be hot.
What & How
The vast majority of anglers targeting Kenai’s prolific trout use fly rods. Of course, rainbows may be caught readily on spinning gear as well but the techniques and offerings that are truly effective no doubt work the best on fly gear. Dead drifting beads and flesh patterns is simply unbeatable. The wet fly swing works very well under certain conditions, particularly if sight fishing or using forage patterns. However, it is a known fact that pulling or back-trolling plugs will score big on days when action seems slow.
Fly Gear and Patterns
The perfect rod on the Kenai – if there were such a thing – would be a 7-weight system with floating line and 12-pound tippet geared for dead drifting. This setup is light enough to enjoy some of the smaller-sized rainbows you may encounter and still heavy enough to handle those occasional trophy trout for which the Kenai is famous. Use a 5- or 6-weight for smaller waters.
Fly-Fishing: 6- to 8-weight, 9- to 10 ½-foot medium-fast action rod and medium trout class reel with smooth and reliable drag system and 100 to 150 yards of 20- to 30-pound backing, WF full floating, intermediate, or short sink tip Type III-IV/200-400 grain T-series lines, 7- to 9-foot tapered leader, and 8- to 14-pound tippet. Gear down a weight size with 4- to 8-pound tippet for tributaries.
Best Flies: Kenai rainbows prefer egg and flesh pattern flies, including beads, but will readily hit attractor and forage flies early and late in the season. Battle Creek, Glo Bug, Babine Special, Two Egg Sperm Fly, Carcass Fly, and Bunny Fly are good traditional patterns (hook size 2-6) but most anglers use a simple 6- to 10-mm bead egg (up to 12-mm around kings) fished with or without a strike indicator. Other proven patterns include Egg Sucking Leech, Zonker, Woolly Bugger, Alaska Smolt, Hare’s Ear Nymph, Muddler Minnow, and Leech.
Conventional Gear and Tackle
For those wanting to experience fine trout action on conventional gear, a light or even ultra-light system is favored. The former is recommended citing the large trout in the Kenai, with the option of casting small lures, drifting flies, or back-trolling plugs.
Spin-/Bait-Casting: 7- to 9 ½-foot, medium-fast action trout rod and high performance freshwater spinning/bait-casting reel with 175 to 200 yards of 8- to 14-pound line.
Best Lures: Small- to medium-sized spoons, spinners, plugs, and attractors are all effective. Favorites include spinners in sizes 2-3, such as Vibrax, Panther Martin, and Rooster Tail, and plugs, including Kwikfish, Rapala, Flatfish, and Hot Shot in sizes 6-12. The larger plugs, intended for salmon, are responsible for some huge trophy trout. Plain silver or copper lures with or without a base of metallic blue or green is good to imitate baitfish. Darker lures, like brown or black, make for good insect/forage imitations.
Methods and Presentations
The techniques of presentation are largely the same whether fishing from a boat or off the bank. Simple casting and two types of drift fishing are popular and proven perhaps the best ways of connecting with rainbows. Back-trolling is done from boat or from shore using a side planer. During the busy summer months, plan to be on the water before dawn to engage the morning bite. Cloudy and rainy periods usually produce fish all day long. In fall during the peak of trouting, fish hit all day long.
Cast-and-Strip: An effective way of presenting forage imitations and can be used any time of the season providing proper structure or holding water.
Dead Drifting: This is the number one trout technique on the Kenai and its tributaries and ideally suited for working beads and egg and flesh imitation flies primarily in late summer and fall or whenever there are salmon present.
Wet Fly Swing: A technique usually associated with early- and late-season angling using various attractor and forage patterns. Egg and flesh imitations can produce as well but not at the same level as a dead drift.
Back-Trolling: A boat-based method mostly used in conjunction with plugs fished about 25 to 50 feet behind the boat. Many very large rainbows have been taken pulling plugs, especially when water is cold or if fish seem off the bite.
Rules & Regulations
Lower Kenai River: Open season is June 11 through April 30. The daily bag limit is one (1) fish less than 18 inches.
Upper Kenai River: Open season is June 11 through April 30. The daily bag limit is one (1) fish less than 16 inches.