THE KASILOF RIVER
Looking for a trip on the Kasilof River? Learn more about the Kasilof and the fishing techniques we use to catch salmon on our charters:
The Kasilof River is a world-class fishery in Alaska on the Kenai Peninsula. This is a great pacific salmon fishery known as the "little brother of the Kenai.” The Kasilof is a large, glacially fed river that runs for approximately 18 miles. The main river starts at Tustumena Lake and runs towards the western side of the Cook Inlet. The best time to fish the Kasilof River is from mid-May through the middle of September for King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon and Silver Salmon. This is the window when most anglers have success on our guided excursions.
We fish a lot on the Kasilof River during our busy guiding season. We love fishing this body of water for King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon and Silver Salmon. The Kasilof is a less crowded river than a Kenai. It requires technical rowing skills and consistently produces fish for our guests. Our guides know where to fish on the Kasilof River and where to find fish on every square inch of this river! Looking for a premier Kasilof River Fishing Charter? Give us a shout today!
“We got the pleasure to have Dave guide us on the Kasilof River! Very professional, great equipment, very knowledgeable. He knew the river and would adjust our positions in the river so we had the best chance of catching fish. He is very personable and we had a great time on the river with Dave!”
the Kasilof River offers great fishing all season for King Salmon, Sockeye Salmon or Silver Salmon.
If you’re familiar with the green color of the Kenai River, you’ll notice a heavier (more silty) tone to the glacial flows of the Kasilof. This is largely due to the fact that there aren’t many buffers between the lake and outlet at the ocean. It is pretty much a straight shot, so all of the glacial water is concentrated.
Most fishing on the Kasilof is done with the aid of a drift boat from one of only a few boat launches like the Kasilof River State Recreation Site. Where to fish on the Kaislof River: Bank angling for salmon is common, especially near the confluence with Crooked Creek state recreation site. There isn’t much bank access though compared to the Kenai. Salmon Fishing is much easier with the aid of a drift boat.
This river has a tremendous run of Sockeye Salmon and is known for the size of late-run Chinooks. The early run Chinooks are largely hatchery fish, but are often quite plentiful. Anglers fishing the Kasilof during the months of August, September and October will find great Silver Salmon fishing. Some of our favorite Kasilof Angling Adventures are the very first trips we do in May. We look forward to this time of year fishing for King Salmon all winter!
“We went out for a full day of fishing on the Kasilof River. Our guide was Brian and I can’t say enough about this guy. He was patient, an awesome teacher, a wealth of knowledge and hilarious! We were the only couple with him which was a highlight in its self but there was plenty of other guides out fishing were we were. But we were the only people to max out for the day, so that tells you he really knows how to read the waters and how the fish move. Unfortunately, due to current regulations and laws, we couldn’t keep the King’s we caught but we got the experience or reeling them in and how to properly release them back into the waters. We highly recommend not only going with this company but request Brian!”
Guided Alaska fishing trips here are definitely an adventure. Guides can float the Upper Kasilof for Sockeye Salmon and end at the bridge. The can also fish from the Sterling Highway Bridge (State Recreation Site) for Kings and end at the ramp owned by the Kasilof Cabins. Fishing the lower end of the river on a King or Silver trip is a memorable experience. King Salmon guided fishing trips are very popular here as well as late season fishing trips for Coho Salmon.
Our Kasilof fishing guides know where to fish on the Kasilof River and have tons of experience. They fish this river hard from mid-May through the end of September for Salmon. The main river is drift-only, so it forces anglers and guides to work a lot harder in order to produce results. This requires patience, the best fishing equipment, boats and a guide that knows how to get the job done. We’ve proven to be one of the top Kasilof Fishing Tours for a reason!
Though, smaller than the Kenai, the Kasilof is moderately shallow and very fast. The river rises quickly with the passing summer days as the glacial melt fills Tustumena Lake and dumps into the main flows. This makes fishing and back trolling for salmon difficult as it is tough to row against the current. Every day you show up to the boat ramp, the river could be higher than the day before. This means guides need to be out there every day to make sure they are prepared for the next.
Luckily, the Kasilof River doesn't get the attention the Kenai River does; however, it is one of the premier fisheries in Alaska. A guided Alaska fishing trip on this river will prove to be an excellent departure from the norm!
GUIDED FISHING TRIP MEETING LOCATION ON THE KASILOF RIVER:
KASILOF RIVER STATE RECREATION SITE
One of the most underrated rivers on the Kenai Peninsula is the Kasilof River. The Kasilof River Boat Launch is located just off Spetz Drive in Kasilof, Alaska and provides ample parking for guests and a boat launch to access the lower Kasilof River or for a takeout coming off of the upper Kasilof River. This is a popular destination for our Alaska fishing trip packages and lodge fishing packages.
Click on the map below for quick driving directions to the Kasilof River Recreation Area Boat Launch.