In our open fishing season, which is May to October you can expect temperatures from 50 degrees in the early morning to 70 degrees in the rest of the day. Some mornings may be a little cooler, one morning in June it was 37 while I was fishing the Kenai, pretty cold to a guy from Georgia.
Does it rain much?
There is not a lot of rainfall in the south central Alaska region as a general rule,but it does rain and you should be prepared with rain gear suitable for the activities you will engage in during your Alaskan vacation and excursions. In July 2008 of my 14 days there it rained all day several days and rained on parts of 12 days. Pretty wet, we don't see rain like that in Georgia either.
Oh and the summer of 2008 is going down as the coolest summer in 40 years.
Still its Alaska, its awesome, some light ,not necessarily sunlight, 19-20 hours a day, I Love It!!!, if you go the 3rd week of June you will get even more!
What kind of clothes should I pack?
You are coming to the last real frontier in the United States. Alaska, its a very casual and pretty laid back place. You will see people dressed in everything from jeans, flannel shirts, thermals to all the new high tech outdoors activity synthetic fabrics. Layered clothing is best as when you start your long days of activities you will be starting early and as any where the day will warm up as the sun gets higher in the sky. A gore tex two piece rain suit is highly recommended for its light weight and wind breaking properties. Fly fisherman should plan on bringing light neoprenes. If you are going to fish the rivers without a boat plan on buying a good set of chest waders.
***KEY NOTE***
If you fly in to Anchorage the Walmart is on Diamond Rd. I think,
anyway if you are going to buy stuff like waders and other gear you didn't bring because of the airline luggage restrictions go by Walmart, you will have a good selection and save a ton. Rumor has it that Kenai is getting a Walmart by next summer but I don't know so I am telling you now. Also if you don't want to take all the stuff you buy back home please donate it to the Goodwill or Salvation Army Stores.
You are coming to the last real frontier in the United States. Alaska, its a very casual and pretty laid back place. You will see people dressed in everything from jeans, flannel shirts, thermals to all the new high tech outdoors activity synthetic fabrics. Layered clothing is best as when you start your long days of activities you will be starting early and as any where the day will warm up as the sun gets higher in the sky. A gore tex two piece rain suit is highly recommended for its light weight and wind breaking properties. Fly fisherman should plan on bringing light neoprenes. If you are going to fish the rivers without a boat plan on buying a good set of chest waders.
***KEY NOTE***
If you fly in to Anchorage the Walmart is on Diamond Rd. I think,
anyway if you are going to buy stuff like waders and other gear you didn't bring because of the airline luggage restrictions go by Walmart, you will have a good selection and save a ton. Rumor has it that Kenai is getting a Walmart by next summer but I don't know so I am telling you now. Also if you don't want to take all the stuff you buy back home please donate it to the Goodwill or Salvation Army Stores.
How much daylight is there?
In June you can expect an average of about 20 hours of good daylight and a couple of hours of dusky light, still enough light to be outside doing things, if it isn't cloudy.
Note: please remember this is Alaska, these bears and moose are not your neighborhood animals from home, so yes you can be outdoors 24 hours just remember to be careful. I loved it and ran wide open with it, just had to remember to keep a check on what time it was. The people I stayed with have some neighbors so no loud noises after 10 pm even though it was broad daylight.
In July Sunrise is about 3 AM and sunset well after 12 AM. Most people on their first trip to Alaska are amazed at the fantastically long days and give out long before the day runs out. Some people tend to run wide open a few days when they first get there and then crash for a day . If you need real dark to sleep you may consider bringing night blinders.
What about mosquitoes and bugs?
While you are in Alaska fishing or sightseeing you will find the famous Alaska mosquito. It does not populate the Kenai Peninsula to any great degree normally although the 2008 summer with all its rain seemed to really grow lots of big ones, they reminded me of southern Louisiana mosquitoes. Normally while you are enjoying your Alaska vacation and excursions you will not be bothered by bugs or mosquitoes to any great extent. Of course you can get bit if you are fishing or hiking in the back country , but any bug repellent will be more than adequate to keep them OFF.
How much does a fishing license cost?
Alaska non resident fishing licenses cost $55 for a 7 day license.Fishermen under the age of 16 are not required to have a fishing license but they are required to have a free harvest ticket if they fish for king salmon. Adult fisherman must pay $30 for a Cook Inlet king salmon harvest ticket if they intend to fish for king salmon for a week. For more info please see www.admin.adfg.state.ak.us
How big are the Kenai river guide boats? Most Alaska river boats for fishing average 22 feet long by 7 feet wide although other sizes are out there and are equipped to handle 5 anglers.
In July, only 4 people are allowed on the Kenai river boats.
July king trips are normally 6 hours. There are no toilets on the river boats, drift boats or rafts.There are places along the Kenai and Kasilof River where it is possible to stop should you find it necessary. Like after you catch a giant king salmon and you just have to have relief from bladder pressure.Our river fishing is normally done with powerboats on the Kenai River as the size and swiftness can make it difficult for a drift boat to get back up the river to get to a hot spot and we find that in a drift boat you can lose a lot of good fishing spots when you are hooked up and fighting a fish.
How big are the fish and what are the limits?
On the Kenai Peninsula you can expect to catch King Salmon (Chinook)from 20-85 pounds, red salmon (sockeye) from 4-12 pounds, and silver salmon (coho) from 5-20 pounds. You can expect to see halibut from 15-350 pounds but we suggest that you release halibut over 125 pounds unless you have a Homer Halibut derby fish (about 300 pounds+/-) or you are very hungry. I think the 2008 derby was won with a 319 pound fish. Halibut breeding stocks are in the 100-300 pound range. You will find that a 100 pound halibut will have about 70 pounds of meat and with the limit of 5 king salmon per season as well as daily limits of red, silver and pink salmon from 3-6 fish per day (check regs, fish limits can change seasonally or daily sometimes). The average fisherman will quickly get more fish than he can carry home, although its not uncommon to see people with multiple coolers at the airport. Last year I brought back 3 coolers myself.
How do I preserve my fish?
The best way to enjoy your fish for a long time is to have the fish vacuumed packed at one of the sport fish processors in Soldotna or Kenai. Once your fish is commercially sealed, it can be frozen and enjoyed for a long time.
How do I get my fish home?
The best and cheapest way for you to get your fish back home is to take it back as part of your luggage allowance on your airline of choice. most airlines will allow you to check 1 or 2 pieces of luggage. Subject to change based on your airline choice and fuel prices.
FREE TIP : If you can pack all or most of you clothes and stuff in carry on luggage you can ship your coolers empty to Alaska. You can ship stuff in the coolers on the way just make sure you can stuff it in your carry on luggage when you leave. On your return trip you will be ready to check your fish in as luggage.
Special fish boxes are available locally at a very low cost and you can get 70 pounds of processed fish in these boxes. These specially insulated boxes will keep your fish frozen for up to 30 hours. The best stores I have found for supplies and coolers are Safeway and Fred Meyers.
What else do I need to bring?
Good quality rain gear is an asset and if you are a fly fisherman or want to bring a fly rod along make it a least an 8 weight rod. If you want to bring your own rod and reel, a medium rod with a reel capable of handling 20-25 pound test line should be adequate.
What else is there beside fishing and sightseeing?
You name it, golf, canoeing, river rafting, kayaking, hiking, clamming, bear watching, whale watching, glacier tours, bird watching, airplane rides, rodeos, rock collecting, photography, horseback riding...the list is endless!
Well I hope this helps give you an idea of what to expect when you go to Alaska.
Have A Great Trip Gary
p.s coming soon more pics and my packing checklist.
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