Alaska Fly Fishing Report 2004

Kenai River Guides having fun! Lower Kenai River Sunrise Hook-Up

Fly Fishing Alaska in 2004 with Mystic Waters

The 2004 season was a memorable one. For Starters, the weather was not quite Alaskan. In fact, it was so warm, hot even some days, that it did not seem like Alaska at all. What rain we had never lasted long. When we finally had some real rain and typical Alaska late fall weather, the fishing was so good that it was well received.

Kenai River Outlet into Skilak Lake. Prime fly fishing waters.

The fishing in 2004 was consistent and often fantastic. We had a strong early run of Sockeye bound for the Russian River. We spent mornings hooking salmon and chased trout for the balance of the days. It seemed to me that trout fishing was better than ever in June and early July this year. Maybe it was just our flies, but we saw good numbers and some sizeable fish.

Steve with a bonus sockeye hooked while trout fishing.

Well over a million Sockeye rushed up the Kenai in mid July. They continued to push in from the ocean deep into August. Catching sockeye was a given most days and many anglers wore out after intense mornings of wrestling hot salmon.

Keeli Telleen with a limit of Chrome Sockeye Salmon.

Ample numbers of huge Kenai Kings made it to Upper and Middle River spawning areas. As the Kings began to spawn heavily in early August, the trout and dolly bite got hot. More than one angler was also startled as these huge fish took their intended trout offerings. The result was typically an extremely bent rod, followed by a parted leader.

Carrie with a bright Kenai River Silver Salmon.

The silvers seemed to be a little behind schedule, but once they arrived, they kept on coming. They slashed our streamers on many mystical fall mornings. Casting and striping flies for active salmon, often exceeding ten pounds, is hard to beat in combination with great days of trout fishing.

Dead sockeye mean the spawn was strong and the ecosystem is pumping. Fertilizer and natural chum for hungry rainbows and dollies.

The resulting bounty of the record sockeye run created an endless food supply for the trout and dollies. We were forced to move around to find concentrations of active fish during the peak of the spawn. But find them we did and the fish themselves were fat and powerful. As the egg supply wound down and the flesh piled up, the fishing remained excellent. In fact, it never quit. We fished up to the middle of October and finally gave out before the trout fishing did.

This Kenai Rainbow knows how to eat!

Rainbows are our main game at Mystic Waters. We chased and our guests landed some spectacular fish in 2004. There were many days where several fish near to and exceeding the magic thirty-inch mark were landed. Some huge fish also tore us up, leaving that empty void that fuels an insatiable desire to tangle with them again. Trout do not have to be huge to be fun. Many of our guests had a blast with consistent catches throughout the days with solid rainbows and dollies of all sizes. We again had the pleasure of introducing our methods of fly fishing to anglers from new (never held a fly rod) to experienced and well traveled. Everyone seems to find something special on the Kenai.

A 32" Kenai Rainbow Another dream realized.

Thank you to all our guests who chose to join us in 2004 and made for a season to remember. We hope to see you on the Mystic Waters again.

Dolly Varden Double for the Carter Family The Whiting boys keep the net busy.

Fly Fishing Report 2003