The Essentials Alaska Adventure Package has been put together to provide one of the broadest Alaskan experiences possible. To experience Alaska means more than just fishing. With breath taking marine wildlife, some of the most majestic fjords and glaciers on earth, brown bears and black bears, and of course the most amazing salmon & halibut migrations anywhere in the world.
The Essentials is designed to give you allow you to experience the enormous breadth Alaska has to offer while still giving you plenty of time on the water chasing Alaska’s fish. Additionally, these excursions have been hand-selected based on the best opportunities at particular times of the summer that various wildlife is at it’s optimum and certain fishing is also at it’s peak as well. If you want fishing, fishing, and more fishing, make sure to check out our Ultimate Alaska Fishing Package
How To Use The Schedules Shown Below
In the tables and sections below you’ll find our Essentials Alaska Adventure Packages with adventures that we would recommend at each part of the summer. While they are all quite similar they are slightly adjusted to take advantage of the different species of fish that will offer the best experience at that time of year as well as the rivers we know will be fishing best at those times. A few notes:
- These prices will vary slightly as many of our trips have options
- All prices are “per person.” We have provided pricing for common groups sizes of 2, 4, 8, 12. We can handle much larger groups if needed. We’ll provide pricing to you for your exact group size when we finalize your itinerary.
- Most of our packages are customized for each group
- Substitutions are no problem
- You can choose a package from 1 to 7 days and choose any trips you want. The recommendations we have made are prioritized as to which ones we think are the best at that time of year. For example, if you are only planning on 3 days, the first 3 adventures are the ones we would recommend.
- After determining dates, and trips, you can look at the variety of lodging options that best fits your groups needs and budget
- The actual order of your fishing trips and adventures may change due to a variety of reasons including fishing regulations and more.
Essentials Early Season
May 15 - June 10
May 15th each kicks off our summer with longer days and warming temperatures. The first run of king salmon arrive on the Kenai River and Kasilof Rivers but the sockeye salmon have not arrived yet. The Kasilof River is one of the best chances to catch an Alaska king salmon at this time of year, due to both wild-run king salmon and hatchery king salmon making their way up the river. However, the Kenai River king salmon fishing is an option as well.
The sockeye salmon have not arrived at most of our rivers and bear fly-in trips, at this time of year, do not offer the opportunity to fish along with the bears. Instead our early season bear tours involve landing on remote beaches where the bears are digging clams, eating protein-rich sedge grass, and waiting at nearby rivers for the salmon that will begin arriving in the coming weeks.
All Prices are Per Person
Popular substitution items and customization options would include combo and multispecies halibut trips, Kenai River fishing instead of Kasilof River fishing, gold panning excursions, and a wide variety of hiking and sight seeing options on the unscheduled day.
Essentials Mid Season
June 11 - July 10
When June 11 arrives so do the first sockeye salmon of year, joining the king salmon that have been arriving since mid-May. These first arriving sockeye will be destined for the Kasilof River and the Russian River. The opportunities to do combo fishing trips on the Kasilof River are now possible targeting both king salmon and sockeye salmon on the same trip. Also, the bears have worked their way from the beaches to the nearby lakes following the sockeye migration. We can now go fishing with the bears!
All Prices are Per Person
Popular substitution items and customization options would include combo and multispecies halibut trips, Kenai River fishing instead of Kasilof River fishing, hiking and fishing at the Russian River is a great option for the unscheduled day and can be done without a guide, gold panning excursions, and a wide variety of hiking and sight seeing options on the unscheduled day are available as well.
Essentials Peak Season
July 11 - August 20
July 11 marks the beginning of peak season for fishing in Alaska. We are absolutely in full swing at this point. Lots of fish and lots of people wanting to catch fish. If you are looking book these dates you almost can’t plan early enough. The second run of Kenai River king salmon are arriving and the Kenai River sockeye salmon will usually come in so strong that seeing 50,000+ fish arriving every single day on the Kenai River is common and expected. The sockeye salmon flood every river in the area now including the Kenai River, Russian River, Kasilof River, Anchor River, Ninilchik River, dozens of river in the Anchorage Bowl area, and of course, the west side of Cook Inlet where the bears are waiting as well.
Kenai River combo fishing trips for king salmon and sockeye salmon are available from 7/11 – 7/31 and from 8/10 – 8/20 combo fishing trips for silvers and sockeye are available. King salmon restrictions may not allow for king salmon fishing and when that is the case we only target sockeye salmon. King salmon fishing ends by regulation on 7/31. Silver salmon start entering the Kenai River and Kasilof River on 8/1 and the numbers are sufficient to begin targeting them successfully starting around 8/10. By 8/20 the sockeye run is usually ending and our Kenai River fishing will focus on silver salmon and rainbow trout from 8/20 to 10/1.
Not only do the anglers know it but the wildlife does too, and everything is chasing the salmon. Bald eagles, rainbow trout, bears, seagulls, halibut, and more. Literally every animal in Alaska is in one way or another connected to this massive migration of spawning protein.
All Prices are Per Person
Popular substitution items and customization options would include combo and multispecies halibut trips, Adding a day of Kasilof River fishing, going to Crescent Lake for bear viewing and fishing instead of Big River Lake, hiking and fishing at the Russian River is a great option for the unscheduled day, gold panning excursions, and can be done without a guide, and a wide variety of hiking and sight seeing options on the unscheduled day are available as well.
Essentials Fall Season
Aug 21 - October 1
By August 21st the silver salmon are really arriving in good numbers. The silver salmon will continue to get stronger and stronger through August and September. The peak of the first run of silver salmon is around 8/21 and the peak of the 2nd run of silver salmon is around 9/21. Rainbow trout fishing gets amazing as these voracious predators have been gouging on salmon and eggs for the last few months. They’ve gotten huge and they’ve gotten strong!
Fall colors are starting to show around Alaska and it’s a fantastic time to fish for silver salmon, halibut, and rainbow trout. Additionally, starting approximately August 1st we’ll move the majority of our bear viewing and fishing trips to Crescent Lake.
All Prices are Per Person
Popular substitution items and customization options would include combo and multispecies halibut trips, Adding a day of Kasilof River fishing for trout & steelhead, hiking and fishing at the Russian River is a great option for the unscheduled day and can be done without a guide, gold panning excursions, and a wide variety of hiking and sight seeing options on the unscheduled day are available as well.
