With these regulations in place, not every boat makes an ideal Kenai River boat, and boat builders must consider every step in the boat design and build process to make a vessel that will actually perform well with big loads and low horsepower. Passenger limits allow no more than six people onboard. The motor shall be four-stroke or direct fuel injection with a prop horsepower rating no greater than 50 HP and cannot be a larger, de-tuned motor. Today’s Kenai River boat is required to be 21 feet or less in length and 106 inches or less in width. Keeping up with changing times, scientific data, and technologies, regulations have evolved since the initial enactment of this legislation. Within this legislation are governances on horsepower, boat size/footprint, passenger limits, and four-stroke/fuel-injection requirements. To better manage and safeguard the Kenai River against water pollution and bank erosion, the Alaska State Legislature created the Kenai River Special Management Area in 1984. Much of the lower river and middle river is best accessed and fished by use of a boat.Īlaska Guide Derek Gardner snaps a photo of a fellow guide’s Willie center-console boat on the Kenai. It’s these last 20 or so river miles that are coveted for those chasing the legendary Kenai kings. The Kenai is considered a glacier melt-water river and can be divided into three sections: the “upper river” flows from Kenai Lake to Skilak Lake the “middle river” runs from Skilak Lake to the Sterling Highway Bridge and the tidally influenced “lower river” flows from Soldotna into Cook Inlet. It’s no wonder why it’s such an iconic destination. The Kenai is also ground zero for trophy-sized rainbow trout up to 30 inches or more and big Dolly Varden. ![]() ![]() Noted for its once-abundant, world-class king salmon fishery, the Kenai is also recognized as a top location for sockeye, and produces banner catch rates of thick and meaty coho once fall arrives in August through October. © Troy Buzalskyįlowing westerly like a serpent for 82 miles from its mountainous origin at Kenai Lake, the Kenai River, referred to as Kahtnu in the Dena’ina dialect, is fabled in the fishing arena. Here an angler battles an early morning king. When the net goes up on the Kenai River, the rule of the road is to give the angler some space.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |