Season Recap Part 1: Kings and Reds

2019 was a challenging season. In a nutshell: reds great, kings not so great, and silvers were some where in the middle.

The early run of Kenai kings (May/June) was disappointing. A low return coupled with warm temperatures made for difficult fishing. The upside was the strong return of Russian River red salmon. It's one of the first times in my career that I pursued red salmon in the lower Kenai River in the month of June and limits were caught. I definitely will be doing more of this in the future.

The late run of Kenai kings (July) mirrored the early run. Low returns and poor water conditions made for difficult fishing. The blessing in July and early August was the strong return of red salmon. Those who chose to pursue these fish had excellent results.

If you’re wondering about the king photo above, that’s Noel Estalilla. In 45 years of fishing the Kenai, Noel set a personal best with the release of this gorgeous 52” king. A thank you goes to his brother Francis for letting me use the photo.

For the 2020 May/July season, I believe flexibility will be the key. If the kings are in, we fish for kings. If the reds are in, we fish for reds. 

See you next week for a recap of the fall silver salmon fishery. 

Beaver Creek Cabins & Guide Service