My brother and I will be taking my 79 year old father to AK in early Sept. to fish the Kenai for some rainbows. We will be fishing out of Sterling. My brother and I will be fly fishing, can anyone recommend some bead patterns that have proven effective during this time frame? Or any other patterns?

Also, my father wants nothing more to pull on a halibut, can anyone recommend a good guide in Homer?

Thanks for your help,

Rick

If he's not booked, you might want to try Capt. Andy of Crackerjack in Seward. Shorter drive, and he's one of the best in the business.

I'll have to check with a buddy on recomended patterns for Kenai Rainbows, my understanding is they aren't too picky, and you might want to bring some flesh patterns along as well as the beads.

I have fished with Ninilchik Charters up the road from Homer and will fish with them again. They fish out of Ninilchik and Seward for Halibut and Salmon.

Bulldog, it's been a long time since I fished the Kenai for rainbows, 10 years, but I still remember it very fondly. We fished out of Cooper's Landing, from a driftboat. In one day, we caught and released well over 100 rainbows, with an average size of 18-20", those were some nice and very beautiful rainbows. We fished them over Labor Day weekend.

We caught all our fish on bead patterns. I don't remember exactly what, other than the bead was hard, and on the leader a few inches up from the hook. That way, when the fish would take the bead, he would get hooked on the outside of his mouth, making it easier to release him with a minimum of handling. They were small beads, hard with no yarn at all. We also caught some very nice dolly varden up to around 26".

You guys are going to have a blast!

Kenai 'bows are a total blast, we always use the setup DLS described, single bright red hard bead 2-3" up from the hook....simple, but brilliant...Here are a few of the beauties my dad caught last year, unfortunately I was a bit too broke to go with him.
~15lbs bow

~11 lbs Dolly Varden

~8lbs bow

quote:

Originally posted by justanotherhunter:
Kenai 'bows are a total blast, we always use the setup DLS described, single bright red hard bead 2-3" up from the hook....simple, but brilliant...Here are a few of the beauties my dad caught last year, unfortunately I was a bit too broke to go with him.
~15lbs bow

~11 lbs Dolly Varden

~8lbs bow

& if the Fish cops catch you taking a fish to be released out of the water for a picture it is $110.00 bucko's each!!
The silvers will be in the river in sept. also have fun.

DLS, you are speaking my language now, 100 bows in a day! I like what I am hearing! For the most part my brother and I are catch and release and so is my father but I'm sure if he can put some Halibuts in the boat they wont being going back.

JAH, nice fish, hopefully we can get into them like that!

Tsturm, mind sharing with me that rule? If you pick up a release fish for a pic you get nailed? Almost like the FL Tarpon rule?

Thanks for everyones help, it means alot.

quote:

Originally posted by Bulldog05:
DLS, you are speaking my language now, 100 bows in a day! I like what I am hearing! For the most part my brother and I are catch and release and so is my father but I'm sure if he can put some Halibuts in the boat they wont being going back.

JAH, nice fish, hopefully we can get into them like that!

Tsturm, mind sharing with me that rule? If you pick up a release fish for a pic you get nailed? Almost like the FL Tarpon rule?

Thanks for everyones help, it means alot.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/ind...ishregulations.sport

Here is a link to the Regs. Aparently Rainbows you can remove from the water before releasing?
Kings & Silvers you can not?? Go Figure.
Any way you will have a blast!!!