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Rod N Real Specials - Flyout 2012

Rod N Real Specials - Sportsmens 2012

King Salmon
Silver Salmon
Pink Salmon
Sockeye Salmon
Trout
Halibut
Ling Cod

Kenai River Kings!

The Kenai River, home of the World Record 97lb 4oz King Salmon, caught May 17, 1985, by local Alaskan Les Anderson, continues to deliver “world class” fighting King Salmon. No other river on earth produces the numbers of native King Salmon averaging 30 to 60 pounds, and only the Kenai River gives anglers the opportunity to land a trophy of 70 to 90 pounds every year.

The Kenai River provides 2 distinct runs of King Salmon. The “early run” King Salmon generally begin entering the river around May 10 and continue through the end of June. The “late run” starts July 1 and runs until July 31.

With over 30 years experience fishing the Kenai River, Rod N Real fishing guides can put you on the fish, with the right baits and lures to match the changing water conditions throughout the season.

You will be fishing out of our custom built 20’ Fish Rite and 20’ Willie River Boats, with a maximum of 4 anglers with a guide. Each guest will be equipped with an 8 ½ to 10 ft G Loomis or Lamiglas graphite rod, with the finest level wind reels, filled with fresh state-of-the-art braided line. Rod N Real fishing guides are highly trained in the best fishing techniques available for King Salmon. All tackle, baits, and fishing instruction is provided by your guide.

Our standard 5 ½ hour charter is included in our lodging/fishing packages, or you have the option of upgrading to our popular 9 hour full-day charter.

Kasilof River King Salmon Fishing!
Just 10 miles south of the Kenai River, the Kasilof River, which flows out of Tustemena Lake, offers additional opportunity for red-hot King Salmon action. Kasilof Kings generally enter the river around May 20th and continue in excellent numbers through the 1st week of July.

Unlike the Kenai River, which has only natural native run King Salmon, the Kasilof River has both native run and hatchery produced Kings, allowing for a more generous daily limit of 2 Kings per day. Depending on the day of the week, you will get a mixed bag of native and hatchery King Salmon. Ask us for details.

Fishing out of 20’ McKenzie style drift boats, which accommodate up to 4 anglers with a guide, you will experience some of Alaska’s finest King Salmon fishing. Although these salmon are smaller than their Kenai cousins, they provide you with fast action in the shallow waters of the glacial fed Kasilof River. This is one trip you won’t want to miss!
Cook Inlet Saltwater King Salmon Fishing!
King Salmon by the thousands pour into the Lower Cook Inlet beginning the 1st week of May and continuing through the 1st week of June.

Launching our 30ft hard top fishing vessels off the Deep Creek beach at Ninilchik, we target these King Salmon just minutes south of the launch, in shallow waters just several yards off the beach. We use mooching and slow-trolling techniques with cut-plug herring on light tackle, all included with your charter. King Salmon fishing typically peaks around the high-tide, our signal to put away the King Salmon gear and head out to the deeper waters to finish off the day’s fishing with some hot Halibut action.

For the angler who wants a shot at both Saltwater King Salmon and Halibut on the same day, this is the best time of the season to head to Alaska for your fishing vacation.

Silver Salmon!

Well known for their acrobatic leaps and sizzling runs, Silver Salmon are available on the Kenai Peninsula from July 20 to October every year. Fished with light tackle, Silver Salmon can be caught using a variety of techniques, depending on which body of water you are fishing. Ranging in weight from 8 to 22 lbs, Silver “Coho” Salmon are reputed to be the most aggressive of all Salmon species.

Kenai & Kasilof River Silver Salmon:
Whether you want to fish on the Kenai or Kasilof River, we will typically use a variety of fishing techniques, including back-bouncing fresh cured salmon roe, back-trolling scented lures, bobber fishing, and casting sp0inners in numerous back water sloughs. Your guide supplies all necessary equipment on your charters. Both the Kenai & Kasilof Rivers have an excellent run of Silvers, beginning late July and lasting through the whole month of August. In addition, the Kenai River boasts a second run of Silver Salmon, beginning the last week of August and running through October.

Seward Silver Salmon:
August is the month for Resurrection Bay, Seward Silver Salmon. Using the same techniques we use for early-run saltwater King Salmon, we mooch and troll light tackle with plug-cut herring through huge schools of Silvers, where multiple hook-ups will be your normal expectation. It is not unusual at all to have all 6 rods hooked up with aggressive Silver Salmon at the same time.

The Silver Salmon action can be so hot in Seward, there is even an annual Seward Silver Salmon Derby” each year around the second week of August.

On our All-Day Seward Combination Charter, in addition to the hot action experienced on our half-day charters, you will be fishing for Huge Ling Cod, Rock Fish, Yellow-Eye Snapper, Pink Salmon, and Barn-Door Halibut. This is one of our most popular charters of the season…..a trip you won’t want to miss!!!

Kenai River Pink Salmon!

Pink Salmon One of the most numerous of Pacific Salmon, Pinks (also known as Humpy's) pour into the Kenai River by the thousands every even year in August.

One of the most prolific biters of all Salmon, it is hard to keep these smaller salmon off your hook while fishing for the larger Silver Salmon. This is a great fishery for kids, as they can usually catch fish just about every cast.

Averaging 3-8 lbs, with a limit of 6 daily, angling for Pink Salmon is fun for the whole family.

Sockeye Salmon!

Sockeye Salmon, also called “Reds”, are considered by many salmon connoisseurs to be the finest eating of all Salmon species. With their high content of amega-3 oils, and their firm texture, there is nothing like taking a freshly caught Sockeye Salmon out of the Kenai River in front of our Kenai Riverfront Cabins, and laying a fresh fillet on your kettle barbeque grill for your evening meal.

Kenai, Kasilof, & Russian River Sockeye:
Kenai River boasts 2 Sockeye Salmon runs. The early run enters the Kenai River the last week of May and shows up at the confluence of the Russian River around June 12 each year, and lasts until about July 4th.
The most popular second run, enters the Kenai River July 1 and starts to peak around July 10-14. Red-hot action on the Kenai lasts until August 10-14. By then, several hundred thousand Sockeye Salmon have arrived at their spawning grounds upriver of Soldotna.
The Kasilof River Sockeye Run starts the middle of June and winds down mid-July.
The best gear for fishing Sockeye is a medium action rod with 15 lb test monofilament, rigged with a coho fly or Gamakatsu hook with your favorite color yarn, and just enough weight to float your hook through the mouth of the Sockeye.
We highly recommend novice fishers take at least one Sockeye Salmon Charter with one of our experienced guides, who will teach you the “art” of “lining” these Sockeye Salmon that rarely bite a hook. You will be absolutely amazed at the numbers of Sockeye in the Rivers at the peak of the run.

Kenai River Rainbow Trout!

World renowned for Native Rainbow Trout in the 22 to 34 inch class, the Kenai River is home to some of the best Rainbow Trout fishing in the world. Many Rod N Real Charter guests return from a day fishing Rainbows with reports of 20, 30, and even 40 fish per rod. Fishing with light tackle, you will experience either the Upper, Middle, or Lower Kenai River waters on one of our 20’ Drift Boats or Powerboats.

With literally millions of salmon spawning in the Kenai River each year, the Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden have an unending supply of feed throughout the year. Your experienced guide will furnish all rods, reels, tackle, flies, beads, and lures on your charter. Of course, we encourage you to bring your favorite fly-rod and your own hand tied flies, if you prefer.

Season opener is June 11 and extends well into the winter months. Although Rainbow Trout fishing is excellent all season long, the best time is typically June 11 to July1, and then again late August, September, and October. The Rainbow Trout fishery on the Kenai River is strictly catch & release, with time for a quick photo opportunity, before releasing your trophy for another days battle.

Halibut

Barn Door Halibut Just offshore the Kenai Peninsula in the pristine waters of Cook Inlet, you will discover the finest Halibut fishing in the world.

You can test your fishing skills against these “barn doors” aboard one of our 30’ saltwater fishing vessels, custom built specifically for Alaskan waters. We fish a maximum of 6 guests per boat, with a highly experienced skipper and deckhand, ensuring you of a safe and highest quality adventure.

Aboard Rod N Real Charters boats, 2-speed Avet Reels, stand-up tuna rods, braided line, and fighting belts, are standard equipment when battling these heavy weight fish. Circle hooks loaded with a variety of different baits, are lowered to the inlet floor, into schools that often seem endless in numbers. Although the average Halibut is 15 to 75 lbs, it is not unusual to land fish from 100 to over 300 lbs. every year. In addition, you may hook into a variety of Salmon, huge Pacific Rays, Alaska Cod, spiny sharks, and the mammoth Salmon Sharks.

And don’t be surprised to see a variety of sea life on one of our daily Halibut Charters. Several species of whales have been spotted, as well as an abundance of sea birds. All this, while fishing in the shadows of the towering Alaska Mountain Range.

Ling Cod Fishing, Seward , Alaska

Just outside Resurrection Bay , Seward, is some of the best Ling Cod fishing in Alaska .

Most Ling Cod are found around rocky reefs and under water pinnacles, where we typically fish jigs and small baits on light tackle. It’s not unusual to have several Ling Cod hooked up at the same time. Most Ling’s caught are in the 20-40 pound range, with several tipping the scales at over 55 lbs each year. While fishing for Ling Cod, we will typically hook into numerous varieties of Rock Fish, Halibut, and Salmon.

August is the peak month for fishing out of Seward, where we offer all-day combination fishing charters for several species of fish, including Ling Cod, Rock Fish, Halibut, and Silver Salmon. You will be fishing amongst beautiful scenery and glaciers, with a great chance of viewing mountain goats, whales, sea lions, and a variety of sea birds.

From The Captain's Helm.....

As the weather gets colder and the frost drives deeper into the ground here in Alaska, it helps turn our thoughts to the soon approaching summer days that will bring warmth, long days of sunlight, and a new generation of returning Salmon to our famous Kenai Peninsula Rivers.

But it is with sincere thanks that we can take the time to celebrate Christmas in our own traditional family ways, and pause for a few minutes this time of year to review the many blessings we have inherited throughout the years. As Americans, we enjoy the great freedoms we still have, and hope that our future generations can continue to protect those values for years to come.

During the Christmas celebrations and New Year holidays, we hope that you find the time to celebrate your own holidays with your family and friends, and continue your own family traditions

At Rod N Real Charters, we look back over the many successful years we have enjoyed here in Alaska, sharing this beautiful country with our friends and family. It is thanks to you, our valued fishing friends and guests, that we are able to continue our “Tradition of Fishing”, and we thank you for your continued support throughout so many years. We look forward to seeing you again in the very near future as we begin to prepare for the 2012 Fishing Season.

Halibut! 2 per day in 2012.

As of this writing, the 2012 Halibut Sport Fishing Limit is 2 per day per person!

There is quite a bit of confusion in the media when it comes to the Daily Limit of Halibut for sports fishers aboard our two 32 ft. Offshore Fishing Vessels, the FV Four Aces, and the FV Capture.. Rod N Real Charters fishes in Area 3A (southcentral Alaska), where we continue to enjoy a 2 Halibut per day per person limit; the same as we have had for the past 35-plus years.

For clarity purposes, Area 3A includes the entire Cook Inlet out of Ninilchik, and also the Gulf of Alaska out of Seward (these are the two areas we predominantly fish Halibut, Ling Cod, Rock Fish, Yellow Eye, and several species of Salmon).

Area 2C (southeast Alaska) will continue in 2012 with 1 Halibut per day limits. The Area 2C waters include fishing out of Sitka, Ketchikan, Petersburg, and waters south of Cape Spencer, just west of Juneau, Alaska.

If you have questions or concerns about the Halibut fishing, please don’t hesitate in contacting us. For now, plan on catching 2 Halibut Per Day Per Person when fishing with Rod N Real Charters in 2012.

Fly-Out Fishing!

Remember that we offer daily fly-out fishing adventures to the West Side of Cook Inlet starting around June 10, for King Salmon and Sockeye Salmon. Fly-outs are available throughout the season, winding down the end of August. Many of our returning guests make sure they spend one day of their vacation on an exciting, fun-filled day on a fly-out fishing excursion across the Cook Inlet. Experience the thrill of taking off and landing on lakes and rivers with a famous Alaskan bush pilot aboard float-equipped planes.

Silver Salmon, August 2012!

The month of August is one of our most popular time frames for guests traveling to Alaska for a great variety of fish species and fishing locations. Although the King Salmon season ends July 31, and the Sockeye Salmon are about finished by August 10, we have an abundance of fishing opportunities throughout the Kenai Peninsula.

Silver Salmon will be arriving on the Kenai and Kasilof rivers by August 1, and the Seward Silver Salmon season will be at the peak by the first week of August. Halibut fishing will be well underway in the Cook Inlet on our 30 ft offshore boat, the FV Capture, and Halibut, Ling Cod, & Rock Fish will be red-hot on our 30 ft offshore boat, the FV four Aces out of Seward.

The Seward experience continues to be one of the most popular fisheries in Alaska due to the abundance of marine life seldom found anywhere else in the world. Having chartered out of Seward the past 15 years on a limited basis, in 2011 we put “FV FOUR ACES” there full time because of the demand for that fishery. Not only will you enjoy the exceptional fishing and fantastic scenery, you will have the opportunity to see whales, sea lions, seals, otters and sea birds in their natural, unspoiled environment, while viewing ancient glaciers in the background.

If you enjoy catch & release fishing, August is a great time for Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden fishing, and if you want the complete package of fishing, be sure to ask about a fly-out fishing charter availability for the week you are here.

We still have some available openings for August 2012 as of this day, but we recommend early booking as we are beginning to fill up our Kenai Riverfront Cabins most of the weeks in August.

2011 Sockeye Salmon Runs Exceed Expectations!

The Cook Inlet Sockeye Salmon run enjoyed a top-five all-time return in 2011! Despite gloomy pre-season forecasts from Fish & Game biologists the past 2 years, the Sockeye Salmon runs have enjoyed a tremendous surge in total numbers returning to Kenai Peninsula Rivers. And it really showed on the Kenai River, where anglers who put in the time fishing, ended up with limit catches beginning the second week of July. Fish & Game forecasts for 2012 are way up from previous prediction, so plan accordingly if you want to get in on the second run Kenai River Sockeye Salmon excitement. The run traditionally swarms into the Kenai River between July 10 and July 14, and continues through August 5 to August 10. This is also the best time for our second run of Big Trophy Kings (July 1 – July 31), and for the beginning of the Kenai River Silver Salmon Runs (August 1).

If your plans are taking you to Alaska in May and June, you will be able to enjoy the first run of Sockeye beginning the first week of June each year. Although not as big of a run in numbers and size as our July run, many of our guests enjoy spending the evenings fishing from shore at our Riverfront Cabins, and catching their fair share of these dime-bright, excellent eating Sockeye Salmon that are migrating up to the Russian River, where they will complete their life-cycle journey and leave plenty of spawn for the continuance of these genetically unique salmon.

Be sure to ask about Sockeye Salmon guided fishing trips when you are reserving your 2012 Fishing Trip with Rod N Real Charters.

Huge Ling Cod…Opens July 1^st.

Looking for Huge Ling Cod is easier than one would expect when fishing with Rod N Real Charters out of Seward, Alaska, aboard the custom built 30 foot offshore cruiser, FV Four Aces. Jigging and fishing small & large baits in the rock outcroppings and shallow rock pinnacles in the Gulf of Alaska, produces some of the nicest and largest Ling Cod in the fishing world.

July 1 is the season opener for the Big Tasty Ling Cod. So, if Ling’s are on your menu for fishing in 2012, be sure to schedule your trip accordingly in July & August. If your plans bring you to Alaska in May or June, the Rock Fish, Yellow-Eye, and Halibut provide red-hot fishing, in addition to the great King Salmon & Sockeye fishing available this time of our fishing season.

For “in-season” phone calls you can contact our Kenai Riverfront Cabins Office at 907-262-2533.