Fly Fishing Singapore - Alaska’s Midnight Sun, Part 1 : The Rivers

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Feb 9, 2010, 8:12pm

Fly Fishing Singapore :: Catch Reports :: Fresh Water Catch Reports :: Alaska’s Midnight Sun, Part 1 : The Rivers

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Alaska’s Midnight Sun, Part 1 : The Rivers
« Thread Started on Jun 29, 2005, 12:00am »

Alaska’s size and diversity overwhelms my mind and senses. We drove out of the commercial city of anchorage towards the Kenai Peninsula and was greeted by snow peaked mountain ranges in the height of summer. As we drove further away from the city, the size and vastness of the scenery was simply breathtaking! The high way inter-twine between mountain ranges and flowing rivers from the melting snow. I had no doubt that the rivers were salmon and trout infested and it took a lot of discipline and nagging from the wife to keep my eyes on the road.

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The 2.5 hour drive to our lodge at the summer fishing town of Cooper Landing was enjoyable but long by Singapore’s standard. But when I refer to the Alaska State map printed on an A4 size paper, we had barely covered 0.5 cm on the map! As I took in the views of the wide open mountain rangers in front of me and try to comprehend the complete scale of the entire Alaska land mass, I failed miserably. I envy the availability of so much quality fishing areas……….

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Being so close to the Artic circle, the relatively position of the sun in any part of Alaska is a novelty to us tropical folks. In mid summer, the sun sets at about 1am and rises just 3.5 hours later at 4:30 am. That gives you about 20 hours of daylight to enjoy the great outdoors. Temperature ranges from about 5 deg C at dawn to 18 deg C at mid-day in summer, which is as hot as it’ll get in Alaska. Its T-shirt weather for the locals, but a jacket is recommended for tourist from the equator.

It’s the only few places on earth where you can enjoy the view of Summer Snow while getting a tan underneath the Midnight Sun.

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But we were neither here for the scenery nor to appreciate the fabulous Alaskan summer climate.

We came half way around the world to fly fish the mighty Upper Kenai River and Russian River systems for their legendary wild Rainbow Trout (more on monster Kenai Trout in Part 3) and the annual summer Salmon run (more on fly rod Salmon in Part 2).

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The Rivers

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The Upper Kenai River drains the Kenai Lake and feeds into Skilak Lake, which drains into the Bearing Sea via the Lower Kenai River. The source of the Kenai water is essentially melting Glacier (a huge chunk of ice hundreds of miles in size) and melting snow from the surrounding mountain ranges. Because of this, the water temperature is a chilly 3 to 5 deg C. The Kenai also has a perpetual greenish hue due to the mineral content of Glacier ice. Due to the high rate of Glacier and snow melt during summer, the Kenai flows at a torrential 9000 cfs (cubic feet per second). 80% of the Kenai is hence not really safe for wading unless you are a 500lb Alaskan Brown Bear. In fact, some stretches of the Upper Kenai are classified as class 2 to class 3 rapids for white water rafting. Most of the fishing is done from the bank or from a McKenzie style drift boat except for selected shallower areas. It is definitely an advantage to fish with an experienced guide from a drift boat.

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While most of the summer fishing crowd are here for the Salmon, the Upper Kenai is legendary for its monster size Rainbow Trout. 10lb Rainbows are not uncommon while trophy specimen up to 20lb had been taken on the fly rod. The Rainbows are native to the Kenai and are all wild (as opposed to stocked). The fishery management is so successful that stocking is hardly necessary. The entire Upper Kenai is designated as a “Fish & Wildlife Refuge” where powered boats are not allowed, and only recreational sport fishing with a single hook lure or fly is permitted. 90% of the Kenai fisherman uses fly tackle. Bag and size limits are religiously enforced with undercover fishery department agents frequently mixing in with the local crowd walking the river bank to check on things. Hardly anyone wants to risk breaking the rules with such enforcement measures. More info on the Kenai is available at : http://www.flyanglersonline.com/features/greatrivers/kenai

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The Russian River is a tributary to the Upper Kenai. I would class it as one of the most beautiful trout streams that I had ever fished apart from those manicured streams in Austria and Germany. It drains out of the Upper Russian Lake and flows into the middle of the Upper Kenai. While it is called a river, it is actually a smallish gin clear freestone stream that is wadeable almost throughout. Unlike the Kenai, the source of the Russian waters is from underground waters and melting snow. Boat and car access are not possible so all approach are on foot only through breathtakingly beautiful but rugged terrain.

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The Russian is the primary spawning ground fom the Salmon and seeing thousands of big Salmon running against the rapids of skinny waters is indeed a sight to behold. The Russian River Falls is a waterfall about 3.5 miles from the point where the Russian flows into the Kenai where most of the Salmon congregate before they swim further upstream. 600 yards on both sides of the falls are Sanctuary area where any form of fishing is prohibited. But the Alaskan fisher department would give a waiver if you look and behave like an Alaskan Brown Bear.

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The Russian is pristine Rainbow trout waters although as in the case of the Upper kenai, majority of the fisherman that fishes here targets Salmon. The stretch above the Falls up to the Russian Lake is a tough 19 mile uphill hike just one way. A more viable approach is via float plane to the Russian Lake, but weather may be tricky and one may have to wait till the next day for the return trip. A more accessible stretch is to hike 2.5 miles into the foot of the falls and fish the 3.5 miles stretch until the Russian ends at the Kenai.

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{Stay tune for Alaskan wild Salmon on the fly rod in Part 2}