#1 Best Fishing in Alaska 2024
2024 FISHING Season PREDICTIONS
2024 Alaska Fishing Season Preview & Predictions
The 2024 fishing season in Alaska approaches, we are eager to start our first guided fishing trips of the year! We anticipate a very busy summer as most of our prime dates are either full or are filling up fast!
It looks like 2024 is shaping up to be one of the best years in a while looking at the pre season predictions for salmon runs and for trophy trout fishing on the Kenai Peninsula and in the Cook Inlet.
I can only speak for myself, but there’s something about the anticipation of starting the new year. Every year is different, every day is different and that’s the magic of fishing on or rivers. You never really know what is going to happen! One thing that’s for sure, you can’t go wrong with our incredible guide staff and the decades of experience we put on the water every day!
“David Lisi is by far the best Kenai River guide we have ever spent time with. His knowledge and professionalism made our trip! From learning how to cast, learning how to catch, and learning what you caught! He made the fishing trip equally as fun for my husband who is very experienced and myself who is not. His attention to detail made her whole trip seamless. We love Cooper Landing Fishing Guide, LLC!”
kasilof river king salmon 2024
(may 15 - june 30)
Nothing gets us more fired up than the start of the guiding season that kicks off on the Kasilof River fishing for King Salmon. The bonus with this river is the hatchery run that supplements the first run of wild fish. We only target hatchery fish this time of year, but they are plentiful. The average King Salmon this time of year is usually 10 lbs all the way up to 30 lbs.
Each season, this run seems to get better and better and the 2024 run on the Kasilof River should be no different. Anglers can expect some good action during this early fishing season. We will update our fishing reports daily with updates on how the 2024 season is shaping up.
KENAI RIVER KING SALMON 2024
As with many of the recent fishing seasons for King Salmon on the Kenai River, it’s looking like we will have an early closure for targeting fish. We do not guide the Kenai River for King Salmon as the runs have been very poor over the past decade. We do, however, fish the hatchery run of fish on the Kasilof River during the first run, prior to the start of the Sockeye Salmon season on both the Kenai River and Kasilof River. Let’s hope the mighty kings of the Kenai River come back strong soon!
Kasilof River Sockeye Salmon 2024
(June 18th - August 15th)
Year after year, the Kasilof River seems to keep on producing more and more Sockeye Salmon. The fish seem to be coming in earlier and the runs seem to last longer. Will 2024 be the THIRD year in a row this river sees a record return of Sockeye Salmon?
Red Salmon on the Kasilof provide a great opportunity to catch salmon between the first and second runs of Sockeye on the Kenai River.
2024’s Prediction for Sockeye on the Kasilof River is looking awesome! We’ll keep you updated with our daily fishing reports posted every day after our guided fishing trips.
kENAI rIVER sOCKEYE sALMON 2024
(jUNE 11TH - 30TH & july 15th - aug 10th)
The Kenai River is home to two very distinct runs of Sockeye Salmon. The first run of Sockeye is headed to the Russian River/Russian Lakes for their final spawning destination. This early run brings anglers from all over to a small area here in Cooper Landing. This is usually one of the first opportunities for anglers to have shore access to fish for salmon. This first run is usually about 40,000-50,000 fish. That may sound like a lot, but the second run is massive and rivals salmon runs on most Alaskan rivers.
The second run of Sockeye Salmon on the Kenai River is massive. They say on any given day during this time of year, up to 14,000 anglers could be fishing along the banks, trying to land their limit of Sockeye. It’s something to behold! This run can be anywhere from 1,000,000 all the way up to 2,000,000 fish! Though the river may be busy, the fishing is some of the best in the world.
For 2024, we are expecting another outstanding and long-lasting run that goes deeper and deeper into the first 2 weeks of August. The fish on this second run tend to be bigger and this season looks to keep up with the trends of seasons past. We predict another busy season and a ton of fish!
KASILOF RIVER SILVER (COHO) SALMON 2024
(AUGUST 1 - SEPTEMBER 15)
A Silver Salmon fishery that consistently produces great runs of fish has been keeping up with pre season predictions year after year. The Kasilof River has 18 miles of fishable water for elusive silvers. This time of year, the water is the highest it will be all year and it keeps most folks off of it; however, our guides know this river well and year after year, have excellent results on our silver salmon fishing trips.
It looks like 2024 will be right on track with similar predictions of year’s past. We anticipate an excellent return mixed with a tremendous number of pink salmon coming back as well.
KENAI RIVER SILVER (COHO) SALMON 2024
(AUGUST 1ST - OCTOBER 31ST)
It’s hard to beat a day fishing for Silvers on the Kenai River! These fish attack flies & lures and are super acrobatic. The main first run of Silvers generally comes in around August 1st and ends near the end of August. This is a smaller run of fish and some days they can be there and the next they are gone, so it’s best to spend a full day chasing these awesome fish during the early run.
The second run of fish generally starts coming in September 1st or so and can be fished all the way to the season closure of October 31st.
The prediction for this coming silver salmon season should be right on par with other Silver seasons in the past. 2024 looks to be a great year for silvers and we would suggest the 2nd week of September all the way through October for the best time to fish.
2024 rainbow trout & dolly varden season
predictions & preview
Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden can just about be fished for year-round (with some seasonal closures from May 1st until the river opens back up on June 11th annually). As a local custom, we always release Rainbow Trout and Dolly Varden with no exceptions.
For 2024, an even-numbered year, we are expecting millions of pink salmon to pour into the Kenai River. These “pink years” bring in a massive amount of food for trout to feed on. During the pink salmon spawn, anglers can expect to catch lots of trout and have a shot at some of the absolute biggest trout in the entire Kenai River!
2024 Is predicted to be a banner year for both size and numbers of catches of trout for most of the Kenai River drainage.
BEST FISHING CITY IN ALASKA 2024
Hands down, our favorite city in Alaska has to be Cooper Landing! Not only is it our home town and the base of our guide operations, it is also home to some of the most diverse and incredible fishing in all of Alaska.
Cooper Landing is located right in the heart of the Kenai Peninsula which is known as Alaska’s back yard and Alaska’s playground. From Cooper Landing, guests can access world-class fishing, hiking, wildlife viewing, ocean excursions and many more fun outdoor activities.
MOST POPULAR SPECIES OF FISH IN ALASKA 2024
Salmon has to be the most popular type of fish to target in Alaska with Halibut coming in at a distant second. Guests will find many salmon fishing opportunities from about May 15th through the end of October. Be sure to contact us today for any questions about salmon run timing and the best times to catch your favorite salmon on the Kenai River.
The Kenai is home to salmon species such as: King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon and Coho Salmon. There is a large run of Pink Salmon in even numbered years; however, most folks choose to fish for Sockeye and Coho Salmon for harvesting.
BEST RIVER FOR FISHING IN ALASKA 2024
Alaska’s #1 fishing destination has always been the Kenai River. The Kenai River is simply the best river in all of Alaska. Not only is is very easy to get to from the road system, it is also known as the most productive river in the entire state. Home to world-class Pacific Salmon, Rainbow Trout & Dolly Varden fishing, the Kenai is unmatched.
One of the more popular fishing spots in Alaska is the confluence of the Russian River with the Kenai River right here in Cooper Landing. Take a ride across the Russian River Ferry to try your hand at Sockeye Salmon fishing on the first run of Salmon (Usually June 11th - June 30th annually)
The Kenai is easy to access on the road system and there are several places to launch boats as well as fish from the shore. Coupled with how productive the river is, you can see why the Kenai is such a draw to locals and visitors alike!
BEST MONTH TO FISH IN ALASKA 2024
Some of the most productive months to fish in Alaska are May, June, July, August, September & October. These months are some of the best to fish in Alaska as this is when migratory salmon begin to make their way back to the rivers.
Our personal favorite months have to be July and September. In July, the Sockeye salmon fishing is incredible. By mid to late September, the Rainbow Trout/Dolly Varden fishing is non-stop and the Silver/Coho Salmon fishing is the best it will be all year.
Your 2024 Fishing Forecast: Stay up to date with our fishing reports
We try to regularly update our fishing reports to help you plan for the best day to go fishing on the Kenai River. Our reports highlight the Russian River, Upper Kenai River, Middle Kenai River, Lower Kenai River as well as the Kasilof River.
Our forecasts and angling reports come from our fishing guides as well as our fellow guides and private angler friends. These fishing condition updates will help make your 2024 fishing adventure in Alaska hard to beat!