Posts Tagged ‘salmon’

Fishing The Kenai River

Sunday, October 4th, 2009

Do you adore fishing?  Have you heard of the Kenai River in Alaska?  Kenai River fishing is an angler’s dream come true, actually the ma lode of salmon fishing.  The Kenai runs an impressive 82 miles, from Kenai Lake in southern Alaska to the Pacific ocean, at Cook’s Inlet.  

Beginning in May, continuing thru mid-October, the Kenai Peninsula, just 3 hours south of harbor, offers a smorgasbord of fishing adventures you won’t soon forget.  

Among the salmon varieties found are King, Sockeye, Silver and Red, with two runs each year.  As well as record-sized salmon, Kenai River fishing offers Steelhead, Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.  

If you like fishing, the Kenai River promontory is heaven on earth.  The biggest salmon ever caught in the world was a 97-pound King Salmon, in 1985.  Keen fishermen flock to the Kenai headland, hoping to best this record.  A standard catch is forty pounds!  It isn’t getting much better.  

Here is a rundown of the Kenai River fishing season, to help plan your vacation!  

around the middle of June, there’s one run of the Red Blueback salmon, followed by another in the middle of July.  If you like smoked salmon, you will want to be fishing now, as the Red variety is the king of smoked salmon.  Reds are also highly valued for the griddle, as well as canning.  

Also running in mid-June and mid-July are the Chinook salmon.  While other streams in Alaska yield more fish, the Kings of the Kenai stream are known for their great size.  A typical catch in the second run is 40-50 pounds.  Do not be surprised to net a King of a larger size!  

Kenai River fishing offers 2 runs of Silver salmon, one in early August and another in late Sep.  The bigger catches are generally found in the September run.  

If all of this isn’t enough to whet your appetite, the Kenai River yields trophy sized rainbow trout and dolly varden.  

Your vacation plans should include a trip to Cook’s Inlet for a saltwater fishing excursion of Kachemak and Resurrection Bays, where the huge bottom-dwelling halibut live.  An Alaskan record-sized halibut which weighed in at 466 pounds was caught in Kachemak Bay!  

Drive just thirty miles from Kenai to Clam Gulch, a well-liked destination for clamming.  Razor clams are abounding here.  As the name implies, their shells are sharp, so be careful!  Best digging times are when the tide is at minus two feet or lower.  Check with the dep. of Fish and Game for local limits.  

You will not be surprised to hear that accommodations are bounteous throughout the area of the Kenai River.  You’ll find extensively furnished cabins all along the river, with excellent guided fishing tours.  Anglers come from all over the world to experience a Kenai River fishing vacation.  Be certain to make a reservation!  It is an experience you will not forget.  Bon Appetit!

This article was penned by Richard Codd, a lifelong angler who has visited some of the finest fishing spots in the world. He has a well known fishing blog (www.bass-fishing.com) devoted to the subject of Largemouth Bass Fishing.


Alaska Salmon Stories About Fishing

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Many folks have no idea this, but

Alaska has salmon galore! Sure, everybody hears of the salmon runs each

year. They most likely imagine large, two-foot long

salmon weighing up to fifteen pounds as they surge out of white-capped falls

on their way upstream. They suspect of the grizzly bears waiting patiently

on rocks or in the midst of the water with their gaping mouths open, just waiting

for one of those lucky fish to jump right in. But did you

aware that Alaska salmon fishing provides anglers with the chance to

catch many types of this spectacular fish?

Silvers, or cohos, as they are more typically known by sports

fishermen and ladies, are native to the Pacific Northwest,

particularly UK Columbia and Alaska. This salmon species grows up to

2 feet long and can weigh in at a huge 15-20 pounds. Just as an aside, the

male is not able to shut his mouth whilst mating, and keep a look out for those teeth, because they are sharp! Adult cohos

swim in the Pacific and coastal tributaries, and then head upstream around July, August and

September to spawn.

Spawning for silvers, or cohos, takes place at any time between

September and December, based on location. Female cohos will lay approximately

2,500 eggs and guard them closely until she dies many days later. Cohos are

thought to be aggressive and anglers are put to their mettle to catch

these strong fish and more than one comes away from Alaska with a

“The fish that got away” tale!

Another common Alaskan salmon is regarded as the king salmon.

If you think the silvers can grow, wait until you see some of these.

Some weigh in at over 90 pounds, though most average between 30 and

eighty pounds. Still, that’s a lot of fish. Alaska

salmon fishing, especially for kings, provides fishermen with enough

adventures and stories to last a lifetime. Alaska offers

thousands of lakes, brooks, streams and other waterways where fish are

plentiful, and that suggests more than salmon. There’s trout

and halibut as well as other varieties which will keep fishermen well occupied during

any fishing vacation.

Fishing for king salmon is best from around May to July in most sections of the state. Your

technique for nabbing those red beauties is as sundry

as the styles and apparatus of the men and women

who head to Alaska every year to catch them. Anglers from around

the world can also fish in sea waters for salmon, or in tributaries or

brooks, both along the coast and inland.

For one of the greatest fishing adventures ever, consider taking a fishing

trip to Alaska to try your rod and reel against Alaska’s famous salmon. The weather is mild

almost all of the year, and if you do not mind a little water or snow, you

can even choose to go ice fishing in the wintertime and Alaska provides

opportunities for year round fishing as well as other outdoor activities that will keep you and your folks entertained

for weeks.

To get

more recipes and cooking ideas, visit cooking101.org and while you are at it, you might also

want to have a look at recipe for

blackened salmon.


When Is The Best Time To Catch Alaska Wild Salmon

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Alaska is famous for its wild salmon. The flavour of Alaskan salmon depends on fat content and the environment in which it matured. Alaska’s pure waters and the wealth of natural food give Alaska salmon unique flavor.

Although salmon are caught in Alaska’s pristine waters all year, fishing season in harbor and southcentral Alaska truly heats up in late May, when the prized king salmon returns home to spawn in the area’s glacier-fed, freshwater streams.

The remaining 4 sorts of Pacific salmon-sockeye, coho, bud and pink-are also found in the general area.

Many anglers are now making an attempt to catch what’s known as a “grand slam”-all five species of salmon. Some say a straightforward way to recollect which kind is which is to match them up with the fingers on your hand.

&8226 ; Thumb-Chum salmon ( Dog ). The best fishing for this fish is mid-July to late August. Chum salmon have a firm texture, enticing orange-pink color and fragile flavour that makes it an ideal fish for smoking. The average weight is 8 pounds and they can grow to be twenty-five to 27 inches long.

• Pointer finger-Sockeye salmon (Red). Most available late May to early June or mid-July, sockeye salmon are the second most abundant Alaskan salmon species. This species turns from a silvery color to a bright red body and green head as they begin the journey upriver to spawn. Their average weight is six pounds and they can grow to almost three feet in length.

• Middle finger-King salmon ( Chinook ). The best fishing for king salmon is mid-June to mid- July. The biggest species of salmon in Alaska, they are cherished for their color, high oil content, firm texture and tender taste. Average weight is approximately 20 pounds and length goes from 30 to forty inches.

&8226 ; Ring finger-Silver salmon (Coho). With its orange-red flesh, firm texture and fragile flavor, cohos are really preferred among locals. The best fishing for them is present in early August to mid-September. Cohos are the second biggest of the species, with average weights of 12 pounds, and range from 25 to 35 inches in length.

• Pinky finger-Pink salmon ( Humpy ). At the height of their run, millions of pinks swim up the freshwater brooks and streams to spawning grounds. Pinks are the littlest and most common of the species and average about two to 3 pounds. The best fishing for pinks happens in mid-July to late August.

Do you like to cook? If so, visit cooking101.org and get easy recipes you can use everyday to make delicious meals for the entire family and you might also want to take a look at how to make salmon dip.


How To Catch Huge King Salmon

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

The Alaska King Salmon is the official state fish and ultimate prize for any fisherman trying to find the excitement of landing a big one. King Salmon worldwide famous Kenai Stream are bounteous and huge. Sport fishermen in the Kenai have caught prize salmon weighing nearly 100-pounds, and it isn’t weird for anglers to haul in 40 and 50 pounders. Thousands of people travel to the Kenai River and, with an approved stream guide, pursue its most cherished bounty– the King.

What do you use for bait? There are a few types of rigs that are best for enticing Alaska King Salmon. Spin-N-Glows, Vibrex Spinners, and plugs are three effective lures that typically provide optimum results. 2 common fishing methodologies used on guide boats on the Kenai are back trolling and drifting ; while a third and relatively new method called back bouncing is also turning out to be effective.

Back trolling usually incorporates Spin-N-Glows and salmon eggs or plugs. Some other effective lures for back trolling are Magnum Shake Worts, Flashtrap Spinners, Tadpollys, Kwikfish and Flatfish. In addition to the lure, you can also, depending upon the present, depth of the water, and location on the river, utilize divers, trolling weights, and diving lures. Baits that move erratically and revolve, especially those that create the illusion of a water creature in distress, will help attract salmon.

When back trolling, the guide has the boat work against the present, running the motor at the same speed or a bit slower than the stream. This helps hold the ship in the same position on or to move slowly down the brook. The boat should be moving downstream slower than the lures are downstream before the ship. Often the bait moves near to the bait moves close to the bottom of the river with a diver or weight attached 18 inches away from it to make allowance for proper depth. You can know you’ve a a King Salmon on your line when the rod goes down and stays down.

Drifting is comparable to back trolling less the bait is allowed to gently bounce off the bottom of the river while the ship drifts with the present. Weights are used to keep the line at the proper depth. This method is hard to master since it isn’t always east to distinguish between a fish taking the bait and your line hitting off the bottom. A pause in the movement of the line frequently indicates a hit.

With back rebounding, the bait is rebounded off the bottom as the boat is slowly backed over a hole. Sink-N-Glows, a Vibrex spinner or similar lures when correctly weighted often yield good results. When fishing, if you feel a tug set the hook possibilities are there’s a salmon there.

If employing a plug, you will want to use K-15’s or K-16’s – you want something enormous. Divers work fine to get the plug to the right depth and colorful, gaudy colours are advocated due to their ability to attract attention.

If you are planning on fishing the Kenai River and can’t locate the right kind of lure at home, don’t worry. A few of these items might not be accessible in your area of the country but bait and tackle shops across the Kenai have no shortage of Spin-N-Glows, Vibrex spinners, Tadpollys, Kwikfish and more.

If you elect to book your fishing trip through a licensed guide, you will find that their knowledge, skill, and supplies will result in a less stressful and a more productive trip. When you go fishing for the Alaska King Salmon you want to exploit every opportunity you have to make your limit, enjoying some of the finest fishing on this earth.

For more easy to make recipes, visit cooking101.org and also read about fried salmon patties.


Banjo Minnows Can Help You Have A Bountiful Catch On a Lake

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

 

One of the most important things that any fishermen won’t have to forget is to bring along his tons of lures so that he can enjoy catching all the fishes in the lake all throughout the day but according to some Banjo Minnow reviews, why try to bring a whole lot of fish lures when you can only bring just a few of them in order to catch all the fishes in the lake? You may not be aware but a lot of fishermen like you are now moving towards the idea of buying artificial lures that look like a fish and there are some that even smell like fish and can even move like a fish to simulate a small fish to lure the big fishes. If you really like to enjoy fishing, you better bring your own artificial “larger-then-life” fish lures along with you.

Actually, there are lots of companies who are dealing with Banjo Minnows because of the hype and the popularity of this fish lure. Sad to say, the Banjo Minnow fishing lure that they are promoting on the Net are not what they seem to be. Some companies don’t conform with the standard regulations and you might think that what you have procured is a trusted and best Banjo Minnow fish lure but it’s not. So, how will you ever prove to yourself that what you have seen and would like to buy is the best and most reliable Banjo Minnow?

The only way to find out if what you are investing in is the real thing is to go to the Internet and read some customer or product reviews that will give out testimonies from people who have tried to buy a Banjo Minnow 006, for instance, and how they have enjoyed their fishing trips because they have caught a lot with the help of this fish lure. Once you have read a review or two, that’s the time that you can decide what kind of Banjo Minnow would you like and where to get them.