Rise and Fall on the Kenai River

When you open a bottle of fine wine that has been properly matured, you still take that first sip with a bit of caution. It might be good, but patience and resting will allow it to breath and uncover a very special window. When it is just right, swallow it down and don’t wait too long. It’s not going to get any better.

Ales are much the same, only they mature and diminish much faster. I once brewed a batch of IPA that I was incredibly proud of. When it was properly matured it was perfect and satisfying. I held back a couple bottles to share with a friend. I waited too long.

When rivers rise and fall, interesting things happen as they change. There will generally be windows of peak action on both sides of the curve. The initial beginnings of the rise stir up food and get the fish eating hard. As the flows build, fish are forced to constantly move and adjust to the changing conditions. This can create several days of poor fishing. As flows peak and begin to fall, there is increased activity on the downward trend. Decreasing flows make it easier for fish to choose prime feeding zones again, but big water volume keeps the food level high for a while. Eventually as the water settles out to a lower flow, fishing conditions normalize, but action is often not nearly as strong.

On my recent trip to Alaska, both the Upper and Middle Kenai reaches we planned to fish reached or exceeded flood stage. Over the years, I have learned that the upper often acts like an Ale, while the Middle Kenai acts more like wine. We fished a rapid drop on the Upper and got perfect maturity for several days, while we waited a few days for the Middle to begin breathing into excellence.

Day One

Despite the Upper Kenai River being right at the flood stage threshold, the water was still almost clear. The Kenai system is glacial, and the level of silt carried by the river is variable based on a variety of conditions.

Most years, visibility is limited to a couple feet at best and flood stage usually turns it very off color. This past season, the Upper Kenai was running remarkably clear. The high flows only added a small amount of color to the river. A little color that gave an advantage to the angler.

Day Three

Usually, by October, the Upper Kenai is fishing better with flesh flies, sculpins and leechy critters. This year, the spawn was later, and the high-water bounce moved lots of eggs. I’ve never witnessed trout with mouths full of eggs in October. We had several fish spit up eggs on October 7th.

Day Four

The Upper River was falling fast, and the trout were feeding hard on the remaining spawn. We drank it down.

Day Five

The Middle Kenai was still high, but shaping up, so we joined our friend Carl for a day of trophy trout hunting. Stacy hit the jackpot with this big rainbow and two chrome steelhead. Fish were scattered, but when we found them, the bite was hot. Lots of multiple hook ups ensued. The Middle was just starting to fish well on the drop. I sure wish I had another week. The Middle was approaching guzzle time.

Day Six

The Upper was almost half the volume on the final day as it had been on day one. It was like a completely different river. Gravel bars were exposed, and textures and seams were easily defined. We found feeding trout and dollies in a few choice spots, but many of the prime runs were getting too skinny to hold fish without spawning salmon to keep their attention. Many of the bright silvers were back on the move. The Upper had peaked. Most of the rolling eggs had washed through or found their way into safe crevices. The trout were still looking for eggs, but the food supply was falling off.

With rapidly falling water, the Kenai Canyon was shaping back up and becoming fishable again. At high water, the canyon is simply too turbulent. At medium to lower flows, it is perfect. We found some big carcass piles and finally got a few fish to eat flesh flies. As the eggs dwindle, the fish begin to shift attention to the remaining salmon carcasses. While the high water flushed most of the spent and fallen salmon into Skilak Lake, jagged rocks, submerged trees and soft pockets collect carcasses like fallen leaves. These are the zones the fish were beginning to seek.

Down at the lake mouth, there were a few spawning salmon and a few hot rainbows looking for eggs. While still fishing well in a few pockets, it was clear many of the fall fish had already left the river.

On October 10th, you don't expect a warm sunny and mirror calm ride on Skilak Lake. But you enjoy it greatly. October in Alaska can be a gamble, but when conditions are right, it’s a very special time. You fish every day like it might be the last.

Fly Project Gear

Target Species: Trout

Project One 10’ 6-weight with Montucky 79 Reel and Scientific Angler Amplitude MPX WF8

We were using large indicators, 12’ leaders and 3/0 split shot. The 8-weight line made fishing this system incredibly easy and it was very effective. The 10’ 6-weight had plenty of power for the larger fish but was still light enough to be fun with the medium and smaller players.

Project One 11’ 5-weight with Montucky 79 Reel and Scientific Angler Spey Lite Skagit 330 Grain Head with Medium MOW 2.5 Float / 7.5 T-11 and 5’ #15 FC

I did not have much opportunity to swing in the high-water conditions, but I picked a couple spots and managed to swing up two quality rainbows and one silver salmon. I love this rod. It jacks line. It is light enough to be trout spey fun and heavy enough to land a salmon or Alaska sized trout. This is also my go-to rod for larger streamers or windy conditions in Montana. When we fished the Middle Kenai, I switched it over to an SA Titan Long 7-weight line and used it for my boat nymphing rod. It was perfect.

Target Species: Silver Salmon

Prototype Squatch 2 7-weight with Montucky 79 Reel and Scientific Angler Amplitude Smooth Titan Long 7 with 10’ leader finished with #15 FC

Not only did I fall in love with the 7-weight Squatch 2, but so did everyone who touched it. It’s very light and fun to cast. It also handles big fish surprisingly well. We turned it into a serious fish taco for R&D purposes. It held up and broke the spirit of multiple silvers over #10.

Prototype Squatch 2 8-weight with Montucky 79 Reel and Scientific Angler Sonar Titan Intermediate 8 with 7’ leader finished with #15 FC

I set the 8-weight up with the intermediate line to fish the spots where silvers were holding deeper. I did not use it much, but it was the perfect tool for the job when needed and racked up a half dozen fish from one deep channel. Big flies and wind are no match for this thing. Can’t wait to try it in Mexico for Bass and Bonefish.

What’s in the Works?

We are putting the final touches on the new Squatch 2 series I fished in Alaska. I’m excited about them. You know you’ve got a great rod when you pick it up, work out some line and just start smiling. They will be offered in 6 through 10-weight. These are light, fast and powerful fly rods.

In the works, we also have 3, 4 and 5 weight models in another new rod offering. We are still trying to come up with the perfect name for this series. These rods are designed with the trout angler in mind. They are light and smooooth and we will let you know more about them in the coming months.

On the Reel side, we have a third round of Montucky reels back in stores now. The second run sold out very fast, so we upped the quantities, but we expect they will still go quick. Get your first or your next Montucky now and get one for your best fishing buddy or the angler on your gift list.

We also have a new reel offering in the works. The OC will be a classically styled reel featuring a solid non-ported back, a full cage and a louder click. This model will be ideal for spey and for anglers looking for a slightly heavier reel for a more balanced rod feel. I played with one for much of the summer and honestly gave it a brutal beat down. I had to send it back to the factory for evaluation and I really miss it. Can’t wait for the full line up to arrive. We’ll be shouting about it.

On the fly side, our balanced leeches and balanced squirrels tied by Fulling Mill have become the number one selling pattern group at North 40 Fly Shop in Great Falls Montana. They have basically replaced the wooly bugger for universal effectiveness. We’ve got several more colors being tied by Umpqua right now and we should be seeing them soon. North 40 is your source for The Fly Project.

Tight Lines!