Hello guys, I am planning to travel to AK late August/early Sept. 2016 to fish for salmon and halibut. I have been to AK twice but in late June/early July. I would appreciate and information regarding salmon runs during Aug/Sept. and a recommendation of a good halibut fishing outfitter down on the Kenai. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all in advance. MTG

I was there the first week of July, and have stayed in touch with the folks I booked with. Below is my $.02...

I would contact Gary Kernan at Alaska FishOn Charters and talk to him. He can hook you up with guides on the Kenai for salmon, and he can put you up if you so desire. I just got an email from one of the Kenai guides I/we fished with, and he told me the silvers (cohos) are strong and should be for another month. (The kings are done, but the second run of sockeye is still going on as well, from what I understand...) He told me it is only taking half an hour to fill the boat. I believe Bill; he has been on that river for 32 years.

As for halibut, you won't find them "down on the Kenai" as you typed it, but I am sure you meant to type "salmon". Gary can put you in touch with folks out of Deep Creek for halibut, or you can drive to Homer Spit and fish with North Country Charters as I did. Ask for Ben Martin as the captain if you can get him. Only 29, but he has been a captain for ten years, and he put us on fish. We didn't catch anything big because of weather the second day (first day was an ultimate combo: rockfish, lingcod and halibut), but the day before my halibut trip with Ben he put a 65, a 74, and a 90 in the boat the same day. (We did have a 55-1/2 lb. halibut caught off the pinnacles three days earlier while we were fishing lingcod...)

Another North Country boat brought in a 174.8 the same day the weather beat us, but it was a much larger boat. A 28 footer in 40 kt. winds is a no-win situation... and in my mind that is too big a halibut anyway. I would much prefer a 50-60 lb. fish; I think they eat better...

Send a PM to Jerry Huffaker. He just completed a combo trip out of Seward with Silvers, Halibut, and Ling Cod now heading to his freezer. I recommend whoever you fish with make it a six-pack boat and not a party charter.

Jerry might not get back to you right away. He's headed out for Caribou.

Cheers
Jim

quote:

Originally posted by MTGunner:
Hello guys, I am planning to travel to AK late August/early Sept. 2016 to fish for salmon and halibut. I have been to AK twice but in late June/early July. I would appreciate and information regarding salmon runs during Aug/Sept. and a recommendation of a good halibut fishing outfitter down on the Kenai. Any and all information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks to all in advance. MTG

Late Aug Early Sept weather will be an issue, some Silvers around and Halibut are heading back to deeper water. I tell relatives that want to come up to plan on Mid July. Look up AK marine weather forecasts now till mid Sept and you will see what I mean.

Always do very well out of Valdez mid August

Silvers are thick. right in the harbor.

We charter with Alaska Marine guides, for halibut and other cod.
Salmon we rent a boat form Fish Central usually for 5 days. Only rent the covered boats. 550 a day now but worth it. Or we take our own boat.

Watson Lake