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

tinktink12

AH enthusiast
Joined
Dec 11, 2025
Messages
440
Reaction score
3,359
Media
7
Hunted
USA: Ohio, Florida, Wyoming, South Africa, Romania
@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.

IMG_9212.jpeg


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

IMG_6246.jpeg


Fishing on the bow.

IMG_3630.jpeg


Dolly Varden Trout.

IMG_6261.jpeg


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.

IMG_3631.jpeg


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

IMG_6242.jpeg


Darrell with his biggest rainbow trout of the day!

IMG_6257.jpeg


Another good rainbow specimen!

IMG_6264.jpeg


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

IMG_9329.jpeg


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.
 
Last edited:
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.
 
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.

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
 
IMG_9374.jpeg


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.

IMG_6279.jpeg

My biggest Rainbow trout of the day.

IMG_6283.jpeg

My biggest Dolly Varden of the day.

IMG_9383.jpeg

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!
 
Looks like y’all are having a great trip. Hope y’all catch many more.
Only planned on two fishing days. Off to Alaska wildlife Conservation Center & Talkeetna tomorrow and Denali the next day then, and home. The week went fast.
 
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)

View attachment 791021

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

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

ah_hotshirt1-jpg.771390


~Darryl

PS - He spells his name wrong... ;)
 
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!
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.
 
Last edited:

Forum statistics

Threads
70,538
Messages
1,579,117
Members
171,535
Latest member
DelilahO03
 

 

 

Latest posts

Latest profile posts

Soon to be chasing dove and quail in AZ.
Hornedfrogbbq wrote on Rhoyland4's profile.
Do you mind me asking what auction you are referencing? I'm not in the market for any of those rifles...just curious.

Frosty in Fort Worth
Getting some culling done!

K_P wrote on Buckleyguy12's profile.
Good morning from Montana.

I'm looking at a post from 2018 where you were looking for a lefty Winchester in .375 H&H Magnum. I'm selling mine. My email is [redacted] in the event that you're still searching for a unicorn.

Best,

Kelly Palmer
Gents, if you book and pay your deposit before the end of this year , you can have the bigger cull package for the 2026 price! https://www.africahunting.com/threa...griffiths-safaris-starting-at-us-2-560.96285/
 
Top