Trout Fishing in Cooper Landing AK on the Kenai River - Day #1

tinktink12

tinktink12

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@skydiver386 and I fished the Kenai River for mainly rainbow trout using a plastic simulated salmon egg with a barbless small hook. It was all catch and release. The little salmon egg would bounce on the bottom of the river. We caught rainbow trout and the smaller Dolly Varden trout and pink salmon at the end of their life. The pink salmon spawned but as soon as they hit the freshwater again they start growing bacteria, parasites and worms and are called zombie fish and you can not touch them but they do still put up a good fight.

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Our boat to get up the river to drift down the river with. We are wearing Alaska High Fashion !

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Fishing on the bow.

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Dolly Varden Trout.

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My rainbow trout with the help of the guide to hold for the picture cause the first one slipped out of my hands back in the water.

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Nature coming full circle. The salmon die from the outside in and the carcasses are eaten by the birds or decompose.

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Darrell with his biggest rainbow trout of the day!

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Another good rainbow specimen!

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The one he is most proud of and did not know he even caught! The mini trout.

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Our Adventure by cameraman on the Kenai Fjords Tour - to see the mile wide Aialik Glacier. The calving was amazing when big chunks of ice break off and form icebergs.
 
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Done that drift down the Kenai many times. Really is a fun trip! Lots of variety available from people and bear watching to wade fishing off a gravel bar to covering lots of water boon dogglin :) Catching fish always a bonus. Thanks for sharing.
 
fourfive8 said:
Done that drift down the Kenai many times. Really is a fun trip! Lots of variety available from people and bear watching to wade fishing off a gravel bar to covering lots of water boon dogglin :) Catching fish always a bonus. Thanks for sharing.
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Still have not seen moose or bear yet but we are hoping to see them when we are in Denali in a couple of days, if not on our drive to.
 
Awesome! Love the Kenai
 
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Skilak Lake Road loop in Cooper Landing at dusk we finally spotted a black bear about 50 yards away.
 
Day #2 - Trout Fishing in Cooper Landing AK on the Kenai River.

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My biggest Rainbow trout of the day.

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My biggest Dolly Varden of the day.

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Darrell’s biggest Rainbow trout of the day.
 
Looks like y’all are having a great trip. Hope y’all catch many more.
 
I miss living up there, especially this time of year. Have Darrel get a caribou sausage hot dog in Anchorage at a food truck. They are excellent! Have fun!
 
I’ve had many great days on that river. We’d run the middle river in the dark, put out dekes and hunt ducks until they stopped flying, and then drift back to the ramp fishing rainbows. After pulling the boats it was off to Louie’s for breakfast. I do miss living there!
 
Nice writeup! Thanks for sharing. (y)

tinktink12 said:
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The one he is most proud of and did not know he even caught! The mini trout.
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The last time I went fishing in the jungle heat of south Louisiana, I caught a slightly bigger fish than Darrell's mini trout. But I was equally proud of my catch so this is the only picture I have from that day's fishing. :D

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~Darryl

PS - He spells his name wrong... ;)
 
WAB said:
I’ve had many great days on that river. We’d run the middle river in the dark, put out dekes and hunt ducks until they stopped flying, and then drift back to the ramp fishing rainbows. After pulling the boats it was off to Louie’s for breakfast. I do miss living there!
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We too fished the middle part but did not do duck hunting. We put in @ Bings Road boat launch. Duck hunting is something I would like to try someday. My brother lives in Cooper Landing so we were drifting from all his favorite spots.
 
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