Kenai River

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The Kenai River is a river in the Kenai Peninsula of south central Alaska. It runs 132 km (82 miles) westward from Kenai Lake in the Kenai Mountains to its outlet into the Cook Inlet of the Pacific Ocean near Kenai, Alaska.

The Kenai River is one of the most popular sport fishing destinations in the world. Each year there are two runs each of king salmon, silver salmon, red salmon, plus a run of pink salmon every other year. The world record king salmon, which weighed about 44 kg (97 lb), was caught in the Kenai River in 1985. The Kenai is also the home of trophy size rainbow trout and Dolly Varden.

The king salmon fishery is not as prolific as in other Alaskan rivers, but the Kenai is known for its large fish. A typical king in the second run, beginning in mid-July, weighs 40–50 pounds (18–23 kg), with considerably larger specimens not uncommon.

The silver salmon runs occur in early August and late September. The September run is favored by local anglers due to the larger size of the silver salmon.

The red salmon runs are in mid-June (bluebacks) and mid-July. Reds are considered the premier salmon for eating, canning, and smoking.

The pink salmon run occurs in even numbered years only. These fish are considered pests by many anglers because they interfere with catching other species and because, by the time they reach inland freshwater, their meat may be soft and oily compared to other species. Nevertheless, using super-light tackle (e.g., 4-pound test), angling for pinks can be a real treat. On a heavy day, even a casual fisher might catch several dozen of the species.