FIshing in September on the Kenai River | Pros and Cons

Fishing in September on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers: The Pros and Cons

September brings with it colder weather, longer nights, and a sudden realization that everything on the river is slowing down. That’s not to say it’s time to hang up the tackle box. On the contrary, fishing the Kenai River in September provides some of the best, back-to-basics angling in Alaska. The buzz is gone, the regulations once again favor the angler with a limit of 3 per day, and something magical awaits those who remain.
Anglers fishing the Kenai River down from the Upper Killey River may continue to enjoy the lax regulations of August and use bait on multiple hooks to gobble up silver salmon (coho) as they continue their magnificent run, but up from the Upper Killey it’s back to unbaited, single-hooked lures.
With the red salmon (sockeye) run over, anglers on the river may feel at a loss for what to hunt aside from silvers. The early fall is an excellent time to fish for rainbow trout. Using lures that imitate salmon roe rather than insects, the clever upper river angler may find September to be the best time to catch rainbows. In this regard the Kenai has a distinct advantage. One rainbow per day may be kept on the Kenai from Skilak Lake down to its mouth.
Fishing in September appeals to many anglers for the same reason as fishing in May: low angler density. As people go back to school and work, anglers all but disappear, leaving the Kenai River open and peaceful. The angler who shows up in May in order to catch a king salmon (chinook) may very well return in September to catch some silvers. While he misses out on the social aspects of mid-summer angling, he may find all the excitement he needs watching the leaves turn and listening for the cries of bull moose in rut.
If, however, you find the now slower pace of the freshwater frustrating, don’t despair. There is still plenty of fighting to do just beyond the river mouths. The deep saltwater of the Cook Inlet offers an exciting alternative to freshwater fishing in September. While halibut makes for great fishing (and even better eating) from May through October, these bottom fish are an excellent way to keep your September fishing trip from slowing down.
To recap, there is still plenty of work to be done cleaning up the silvers on the Kenai River and not as many anglers around to do it. Go upriver in September for some of the best rainbow trout fishing of the year.

Jimmie Jack Drath
www.JimmieJackFishing.com