HEY ADAM!!!!!!!
Nice fish you got there. I was there when you got that halibut. This is Jason Tompkinsfrom down here in washington. I heard through Joe's newsletter bout some 80+ pound fish other than the one my brother got. I am assumming that is the beast you are holding in you picture. Just saw you and thought i'd say hi. Good luck on the drift only deal. I would have to saw that one drift only day would be plenty but the major issue would in my opinion be the enormous number of guides on the river. At least that was from my experience. By the way did you get a chance to try any of those "special spinners" i gave you . I bet you caught the monster on them huh??!!!! ha ha ha.......well good luck

A big part of what makes DB Mondays so special is that relatively few folks choose to participate. I believe this is because most folks find it much easier to fish from a powerboat the other six days of the week, the way they always have. A little background is helpful in understanding why this is so.

Before the advent of DB Mondays in 1999, the king fishery was almost exclusively a powerboat affair dominated by a large guide fleet operating between the hours of 6am to 6pm except on Sundays and Mondays. Sundays were historically designated an exclusive day for private boats. Mondays were historically designated NO KING FISHING, a "day of rest" to allow returning kings one opportunity per week to pass the lower river gauntlet undisturbed.

When DB Mondays were first conceived, there was little or no resistance from the guide fleet or private powerboat owners. They had absolutely nothing to lose since private boats still had their usual six days of access (Tue-Sun), and guides still had their usual five days of access (Tue-Sat) like they'd always had.

Now we are at a crossroads where another (perhaps several) DB only day(s) is being considered. There is even a movement to make the entire fishery drift only 24-7! I do not believe an abrupt shift to total-DB-only is realistic, but an incremental approach adding another day(s) is quite do-able and very likely to happen in 2005.

The next incremental day is one that will surely raise some controversy, and this time around, it's unlikely to come without a fight. Private powerboat owners will lose access to the fishery, and depending on which day is chosen, guides who can't or won't row will lose access as well.

TO EVERYONE: What are your thoughts on which day should be the next designated DB only day? Please share the rationale for your choice.

Might just as well make wed. super wed. in my opinion. And as far as people not fishing DB days because they don't like to row, I think they are. Those are the diver/anchor crowd piled up in the Eddie and at the top of Falling in etc. That will be the next thing however, regulating the drift boat crowd.

Does that count as a vote for DBO Tue?

I realize this is a little off the topic, but i a, tentaviely planning a trip to the KP may 21-24. I have been hearing good things and bad things about it. Is this trip gonna be worth it. I have been hearing people say that it is overrated and there are better places to go for alot less. I kinda wanna get some feedback from some people that have fished it. No point in getting the wife riled up if its not gonna be one of the more memoriable fishing trips that i will be able to remember. I can be reached at sp4466@hotmail.com if anyone has any suggestions or tips for a good and succesful trip.

Thanks

Depends a lot on what you wish to fish for ...

The biggest draw on the Peninsula of course is the Kenai king ... you often have to put a number of hours in to catch one, but when you do it could be very big!

I think the biggest asset / selling point of the Peninsula is that no where else in AK will you find such a variety of fishing and activities in the same area.

You want the best numbers of kings ... go to the Nush, but don't ever expect anything more than 35 lbs., most are 15-18. It has gotten busy yhough, many call it the little Kenai.

Halibut? Dutch Harbor.
Rainbows? Iliamna area.
Reds, perhaps the same ...
Saltwater-only? Sitka or Craig.

Alaska is a huge place and you must decide a little what you want out of your trip before you can say "this is my spot" or "that is my spot".

The end of May can be a good time on the Peninsula in two guided fisheries: saltwater for kings (more of a bonus, don't expect hot action) and halibut; and Kasilof early-run kings. Not big, but good fighters and essentially the same as a "springer" in body composition. You can often hook pretty good numbers of fish.

On your own, you're gonna be one week too early for the little streams to be open as I recall for any king fishing. You can fish off the bank on the Kasilfo around the hatchery creek (CRooked Creek). 95% of the fish here are lined off the bank, so if that's not your cup of tea, you might consider that.

Unfortunately, too early for reds or river trout fishing, but you can try a number of local lakes for stocked plants. Stop by Soldotna ADF&G for a list. Look for things stocked next spring as I think we'll likely see a pretty good winter kill this year and not many holdovers in many of the lakes with the cold weather so far this winter.

Keep the wife happy and make sure you take her on a Fjords Cruise

Wise words, oh Really Big One!
When mama's happy, everybody's happy.
(Good for for business too.)

fdbfm

TRBO is correct about your timing and your options on the KP. If river salmon is your target, the Kasilof is your best bet. You have the option of a guided driftboat trip or fishing from the bank. I would agree that 95% of the bank harvest is lined, but your timing leaves you with a very good opportunity for chrome bright, aggressive, bonafide "biters". The throngs of liners have yet to arrive "en masse" until about the Memorial weekend. A Spin-N-Glo with yarn +/- scent or cured eggs, fished with conventional drift techniques is VERY effective. Most of the kings you encounter will probably have to be released as the bulk of the hatchery return is still a week or two away. You may well encounter a steelhead as well, but those must be released too.

Your other river salmon option is the famous Kenai River. Here is your chance to experience her at her best. The river will be free of the crowded madness typically seen in July. The king run is considerably smaller, your timing is premature for "peak-of-the-run", and you will have to let all the big ones go (44-55" nonretention slot).... but... you will have piece and quiet, low clear water conditions that make the fish easier to catch, less competition from other anglers, and every fish will be absolutely chrome bright.

Your other salmon option (esp if keeping meat is a major consideration) is trolling for kings in Cook Inlet, which can be linked to a combo trip for halibut. This fishery is a little more dependent on cooperative weather, however.

The KP stocked lakes are the most under-utilized fishery in the area. If trout fishing from a canoe in pristine solitude appeals to you, then this is an ideal choice.

If you are not firm on the KP as a destination, your other roadside option is the Parks Hwy streams north of Anchorage for trout and grayling. This is strictly C&R for rainbows. Here's a link to a thread from another guy with similar timing to yours:

spring trout

Hope this helps!