Kenai Peninsula | Alaska
Alaska Steelhead Company
Overview
There’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to fishing in Alaska — whatever species you’re chasing, there's far more of them in Alaska than almost anywhere else on the planet. Steelhead in the 49th state are no exception, and that’s a good thing, especially given the mounting challenges steelhead populations in the lower 48 and British Columbia have been facing in recent years.
Though many don’t think of Alaska first (or sometimes, even at all) when dreaming of steelhead, in truth, the state’s healthy, bountiful runs of wild steelhead offer anglers some of the best steelhead fishing on the planet.
The Fishing
Each day, Alaska Steelhead Co. anglers board helicopters, float planes and drift boats, or hike into one of a diverse menu of steelhead-laden rivers, streams, and creeks — all of which flow into Alaska’s Cook Inlet. From large, glacier-fed rivers that will satisfy two-hand anglers who like to swing a long line to classic mountain freestoners and lazy, winding creeks that offer more intimate steelhead shots, you’ll be hard pressed to find more varied and dynamic steelhead fishing.
NEW FOR 2024
Want to name a steelhead run? Alaska Steelhead Co. has discovered multiple remote, unrecorded steelhead rivers — discoveries which are virtually unheard of in this day and age. Imagine landing on a remote river that can only be accessed via helicopter or float plane, surrounded by wildlife, the wild Alaskan landscape, and fish that have never encountered another angler. To make the experience even more magical — Alaska Steelhead Co. is offering 2024 anglers that catch the first steelhead from a given run the chance to name it.
Accomodations
LODGING: Perched high on a 200 foot bluff, the Alaska Steelhead Co. lodge is comprised of a main lodge with 5 single occupancy rooms and 4 double occupancy log cabins, all overlooking Cook Inlet and affording guests breathtaking vistas of the Redoubt, Iliamna, Spur and Augustine volcanoes in Lake Clark National Park — and, if the clouds cooperate, quite possibly the most beautiful sunset views of your life.
FOOD/DRINK: Meals are an event, not an afterthought, at Alaska Steelhead Co. Chef Felix Barron starts each morning with an expansive, hearty breakfast buffet. Gourmet boxed lunches, typically featuring soups and sandwiches, are packed for streamside consumption along with enough snacks to open a modest convenience store, just in case any late afternoon hunger pangs should strike. After returning to the lodge, guests are greeted with an appetizer spread that seems designed to spoil your next meal. But, don’t worry, when Felix’s 5-course nightly dinner kicks off, you’ll find room.
CONNECTIVITY/WI-FI: Alaska Steelhead Co. offers high speed WiFi through the lodge complex. Most guests with cellular service from major carriers will find they have a stable signal at the lodge, as well.
Sample Itinerary
Arrive at the lodge, take in the expansive vista across Cook Inlet, and settle into your room. Anglers who prefer to sleep single will enjoy the main lodge and its single occupancy rooms, while anglers who like a bit more space and a private deck may opt for one of the cabins. Head out to the lawn to practice your casting or just relax on the deck with a drink. Tomorrow your steelhead adventure begins.
You might think small rivers mean small fish, but you’d be wrong. Some of the biggest fish landed each year at the Alaska Steelhead Co. come from the myriad small streams and creeks which flow across the peninsula. These creeks also typically see daily runs of fresh fish. Additionally, their shallow runs and riffles offer anglers excellent opportunities to cast dry flies to aggressive fish. Despite their sometimes diminutive size, many of these smaller creeks and rivers also offer excellent swing water.
Home to one of the largest steelhead runs on the entire peninsula — it’s fair to call this relatively shallow, turquoise-blue river, whose waters originate in the glaciers of Kenai Fjords National Park, the crown jewel of the Alaska Steelhead Co. program. Though the river is glacial in origin, it is also lake-fed, coursing only around 20 miles before dumping into Cook Inlet. The combination of the buffer provided by its lake source and the lack of tributaries makes the river virtually impervious to blowing out, even during the harshest weather conditions.
If you’re up for a little adventure, spring for an extra heli day and embark on a steelhead kayak float. You’ll be dropped miles upstream on a steelhead river unlike any you’ve ever fished before. This wildly meandering river flows placidly through a wetland plain, welcoming fresh-from-the-salt steelhead with its deep runs and countless sheltering lies. Slowly work your way back to civilization as you paddle, trying your luck in riffles and runs along the way.
It’s rare, to say the absolute least, to fish a steelhead river where the guides expect you to catch a steelhead every day and aren’t satisfied until you’ve landed multiple. With a river like that in your quiver, you make sure to fish it as often as you can, so back to the big river you go.
It's your last day at Alaska Steelhead Co., so make the most of it. Do you want to head off on an exploratory day, with hopes of naming your own steelhead run? Or maybe you've caught enough steelhead — provided such a thing is possible — and want to spend the day chasing silver salmon or boating halibut or Tanner crab to pack and take home. Maybe a flight across the inlet for bear and other wildlife viewing in the national park? The options abound.
Included
- Lodging Single or double occupancy lodging at ASC Lodge
- 1 Helicopter or Float Plane Fly Out One day of guided heli or float plane fly fishing
- Guided fishing Daily guided float and walk-and-wade fly fishing
- Ground Transportation To and from Kenai Airport
- Meals Three chef-prepared meals daily plus snacks
- Beverages Non-alcoholic beverages, beer, and wine paired with dinner
- Equipment Fly rods, reels, lines, and terminal tackle
Getting There
Anglers heading to the Alaska Steelhead Co. first fly to Anchorage (ANC), Alaska before connecting to Kenai Municipal Airport (ENA). Guests will be greeted at the airport by ASC staff, who will transport anglers and their gear via van or truck to the lodge.
