Fishing the Kenai

[indyhntr]

A friend and I just bought a couple tickets to Anchorage and reserved a motor home for the week of July 4th with the intention of driving down the Kenai and fishing for the week. My question is how heavy does my tackle have to be? I've got a 9' graphite steelhead rod now, if I spool it with 20 lb line will that be adequate? Any other suggestions for the trip would be appreciated. Indyhntr

[multibeard]

I would post this in the Ak hunting forum. It is likely to be noticed by the guys in AK over there before they would see it in here.

[Wahnie]

^Tis true. Took me 15 days to notice it.

Are you going for kings? If so, I'd personally bump up to some Spiderwire in the 35+lb class. Kings down there can get pretty big. I always use heavyweight braided line these days. I got tired of lightweight mono always breaking and stretching. You also don't get the sensitivity out of mono that you do with a braided.

Are you just fishing down on the Kenai or are you going to do a tour of the whole state? Its so beautiful here this time of year. Driving up the Parks highway (Anchorage to Fairbanks) is absolutely breathtaking and you can get a great view of Denali. The Richardson highway (Fairbanks-Valdez) is the most gorgeous part of Alaska. You drive alongside the Tanana river for the longest time, several glaciers and countless waterfalls and the mountains surrounding Valdez are spectacular.

My bias $0.02

[BILLY D.]

i used heavy braided nylon line when i went fishing up there and felt underlined. when you latch onto a big king you are along for the ride, and boy will they give you one.

alaska is beautiful. i wanted to stay longer but my daughter packed up all my stuff and made me go back home. sniff. sniff. ;)

have fun. it's a whole different place. go with the flow and mind your p's and q's.