Often I am asked what do you catch other than salmon on the Kenai. Usually I respond by saying "dolly varden and rainbow trout." Perhaps this is because on every trip we have a chance to catch either of these species of fish. 
However, once in awhile we will catch an exotic, or maybe I should say unusual, species or two. The photos above are of a starry eyed flounder. When we do catch this fish it's in the tidal area of the river (the first nine miles of the river) and it's always been in July. The flounder seem to be very lure specific and as you can see in the photo it's a sardine wrapped kwikfish. 
This photo is of hooligan and give or take and inch they are all this size. Other names for this fish are eulachon or candlefish. They're called candlefish because if you dry them out you can actually light them like a candle.....honestly, they're that oily. Millions of these smelt like fish migrate through the Kenai River in late May into early June to spawn. They really don't bite a hook but when the school is that large it's hard not to snag one once in awhile.
Well, that's about it. That doesn't mean there aren't other unusual species present in the Kenai. Maybe one day you'll be on the boat and here me say, "Wow, I've never seen that before...."
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