FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS (FAQS) |
||||||||||||||
|
Q:How do I get from Anchorage to Soldotna? A: Flights are available many times per day from Anchorage to Kenai. At the Kenai airport you can rent a car. It is only 10 miles to Soldotna. If time permits, we recommend you rent a car in Anchorage and drive the Seward Highway to Soldotna. It is a beautiful 160 mile drive which will allow you to experience Alaska better than just flying in and flying out. During this 3 hour drive you’ll enjoy great Cook Inlet scenery, the Chugach Mountains, and you will pass through the headwaters of the gorgeous Kenai River. Keep your eyes open for moose, eagles, bear, and sheep along the route. Keep a watch on Cook Inlet for whales. If lucky, you might even see the famous tidal bore in Cook Inlet. Q: How much daylight do you have in the summer? A: Summers on the Kenai are great. From mid-May through August the sun rises around 4:00 AM and sets around 11:30 PM. That is about 19 hours of daylight each day. Q: What are the Alaska sports fishing licensing requirements? A: Following are the 2006 calendar year Alaska resident and non-resident fishing license and King Salmon stamp costs.
You can purchase your license online at ADFG (Alaska Department of Fish and Game) on-line licensing webpages. Q: What should I wear? A: Dress is casual in all of Alaska. Bring blue jeans, fleece sweaters, a windbreaker, a hat to protect you from sunburn, and good rain gear. It is wise to dress in layers, as temperatures can change quite a bit during the day. Temperatures on the River are usually several degrees cooler than at your place of lodging, so don't be fooled into dressing too lightly when you are going out onto the river. When we are moving rapidly up or downriver in the boat, it gets even cooler, because of the windchill effect. I advise everyone to bring a warm jacket on the boat, even on the warmest of days. Layer your clothing so you can adjust from chilly pre-dawn mornings to sometimes sunny afternoons. If you have waterproof shoes, they will keep your feet dry if it rains. Don't forget your sunglasses and hat. Q: Do I need to bring rain gear? A: Yes. Absolutely. Even if the weather forecast is for sunny days, we often get showers. Rain is not uncommon. You will also find rain gear useful as a windbreak when we are "flying" downriver at 24 mph in our riverboat in the pre-dawn coolness.
A: Weather in Alaska is best summed up by this photo of a tee shirt seen on the streets of Anchorage. Seriously, the tee shirt is funny, but mostly untrue. It is particularly untrue on the Kenai Peninsula in the summertime. We have a great many wonderful days of sunshine each summer. The past two summers have been so nice one might think they were in the lower 48. Normal summers, however, have periods of rain followed by periods of sunshine. If you are here for a week to 10 days, you can count on both. Temperatures are cool, but by no means cold, usually in the high 60s to low 70s during the days and high 40s to low 50s during the night. Sunny days can be warmer than usual, and rainy days cooler than usual. One good thing about rain is that it cools the River and also improves the fishing success. Big Kings are use to living at considerable depth in saltwater, and they don't like too much sunshine when in the comparatively shallow River. Q: Are there a lot of bugs? A: Surprisingly you won’t experience the famous bird-size mosquitoes on the Kenai River. If you go to back-country lakes, take bug repellant and mosquito netting. On the Kenai River you won't need either. Q: How big are the boats? A: We use specialized comfortable 20 ft. Kenai River boats. Q: How many people in the boats? A: Typically when fishing on the Kenai River the boats carry four fishermen plus the guide. Some river boats have the ability to carry five fishermen plus the guide. Q: How long are the trips? A: Our 1/2 day charters are 5 to 5 1/2 hours, typically beginning around 5:30 AM and again at noon. Our full day charters last approximately 10 hours beginning at 5:30 a.m. Q: Are there bathrooms on the boats? A: No. But not to worry; there are restroom facilities available along the entire river. Just ask your guide to stop at one when you need. Count on it, if you need a break so do the other passengers. Q: Can I go in the boat if I don't fish? A: Conditionally, yes. If we do not have fishermen wanting available spaces on the boat we will accomodate non-fishing passengers at $50 per person. Fishermen always have priority unless you have specifically arranged for and reserved a non-fishing space well in advance. Q: What fishing gear should I bring? A: We provide all the fishing gear--boats, rods, reels, tackle and baits--you will need for guided fishing. This is premium quality tackle--not Wal-Mart discount stuff. We suggest that you not bring your favorite rod and reel, because most of these are woefully inadequate for the big fish we encounter. (Gear that is fully adequate for catching hatchery Kings up to 25 pounds is simply inadequate for handling wild Kings in the 45- to 85-pound range.) If you insist, you may, of course, use your own fishing gear, but don't blame us when it costs you the loss of your fish of a lifetime. We don't say this lightly. Too many of my past clients have later regreted their insistence to use their own equipment. We simply hate it when a great fish is lost because of inadequate equipment. Q: What are the bag limits? A: You may only catch and keep one King Salmon per day from the Kenai River. If you catch a small one, you can release it, and continue fishing. But once you harvest a King, you are through fishing from a boat for the rest of the day. (You can, of course, fish from the riverbank for "Reds" (Sockeye) on the same day.) The seasonal limit of Kenai River King Salmon is two. This is a trophy fishery. If you want to catch and keep more than two Kings, you can continue to catch smaller Kings from the Kasiloff River, Deep Creek, Ninilchik River, or Anchor River; or you can book a guided trip to saltwater. Q: Can I "catch and release" fish? A: If our guide determines that a fish is injured, we will not allow catch and release. If the fish is in good condition, we are very happy to see you practice catch and release. We strongly encourage catch and release of selected native species--most notably Rainbow Trout--to conserve Alaska’s natural sportfishing resources. Stocks of Sockeye and Humpies are so incredibly abundant and healthy, you should harvest some of these wonderful fish. We'd love to see you release a giant King if you want to. We encourage harvest of Jack Kings, and sub-size mature Kings--to enhance the fishery. But ultimately the choice is yours unless the fish is injured. If it is injured, we will harvest it rather than commiting the unsportsmanlike act of letting it die so you can catch another. Q: Where can I get my fish cleaned, processed, frozen, and shipped? A: I will clean your fish for you, and prepare it for the fish processors. Many guides charge extra for this service, or don't even offer it. I provide it as part of your package. We can help arrange fish processing at one of the excellent fish processors in the area. I recommend two fish processors equally well: Q: How much does it cost to fillet, vacuum seal a box of fish? A: Expect to spend about $1.25 per finished pound of fish fillets. Airline approved waxed boxes are an additional $12. Q:How do I get my fish home? A: All the fish processors will package and ship your fish for you, or you can save money by transporting your catch with you on your flight home, as checked luggage in freezer box or ice chest. Your fish will be frozen solid, and will keep frozen for the duration of any flight back to the lower 48. If you plan to lay over in Seattle and explore the area there for a few days, not to worry; the airport has a freezer that will keep your fish for you while you enjoy Seattle. Q: My wife does not fish. What interesting things can she find to do in the area while I fish? A: Visit the "The Area" tab on this website, and check out the "Things to See & Do" button. Besides the things I have listed there, Soldotna and Kenai both have good shopping, and there are several museums and an absolutely wonderful public library. Soldotna boasts two golf courses: Birch Ridge Golf Course (mile 92 of Sterling Highway) and Bird Homestead Golf Course (Funny River Road). Bird watching on the Kenai Flats is good, and a Caribou herd generally stays on the same flats. Take binoculars and you will probably see them resting in the tall grass. Q: What about tipping? A: Tipping is considered customary in most service industries including charter fishing. Gratuities are never expected though. Rather, they are a way to complement your fishing guide for exemplary service. If you feel your guide has provided extraordinary service, you may wish to provide a token of your appreciation. A 10-percent tip is normal for extraordinary service. Q:Are there places to buy groceries, beverages, clothing, and other necessities? A: The cities of Kenai and Soldotna have all the shopping amenities of any typical medium size city. Restaurants are numerous, and a large Safeway is open 24 hours each day. If your question was not answered here, don't hesitate to call (or email us) and ask us. We'll get back to you with the best answer possible. |
||||||||||||||
Q: What weather should I expect?
Ty's Guide Service 907-398-9827 PO Box 1164, Sterling, AK 99672 tystheguide@hotmail.com