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The Alaska Department of Fish and Game has published a one page fact sheet on run timing for most sport fish of the Kenai Peninsula. You can read it by linking here.
King Salmon Runs--The early run of King Salmon gets started about the middle of May, and gradually builds up to a peak near the second week of June. Fishing thereafter remains pretty good right up to the end of June. (July 1 is defined as the start of the late run.) You can see last year's data and the 18-year average at Alaska Outdoor Journal. The daily counts for the early run seldom equal the daily counts of the second run, but some of the biggest trophy Kings come from the early run.
The late run of King Salmon melds with the end of the early run, so the "official" date at which the late run is said to start is July 1. It starts out stronger, generally, than the peak of the early run. This run builds to its peak during the second or third weeks of July. Fishing remains very good right up to the season closure on July 31. You can see last year's data and the 18-year average at Alaska Outdoor Journal.
Red Salmon Runs--"Reds" (Sockeye Salmon) runs in the Kenai River usually start about the first of July, but most guides do not consider them to be in catchable numbers until the run strength gets to 10,000 fish per day. Lots of locals won't try for them until their numbers reach about 22,000 per day, but this is just a measure of how spoiled we can get. You can definitely limit out on Sockeye when the run strength is 10,000 per day or better--provided your fishing technique is up to par. (We tell you how under "The Fish/Methods" tab.) It is pretty reliable that the runs are up to 10,000 per day by the middle of July. In 2005 the run strength was up to this level a week earlier, but this is not the average. The runs reliably maintain this strength through mid-August. In 2005 they remained this high through the third week of August, but it was an unusually extended run. So, mid-July to mid-August is the time to schedule your Sockeye fishing trips. You might get lucky earlier or later--but don't count on it. You can see last year's data and the 15-year average at Alaska Outdoor Journal. (At the bottom of this Alaska Outdoor Journal webpage you can find the links to run data for both Sockeye runs in the Russian River if that interests you.)
If you visit the Alaska Outdoor Journal website, note the strange peaks and valleys in the Sockeye data during the strongest part of the run. The valleys are caused by commercial fishermen's nets. In 2005, the commercials could net fish off the mouth of the Kenai River on Tuesdays and Thursdays. They can almost shut the in-river sonar counts down when all the nets are out. If you can only fish for a day or two, be sure to use this information to plan your trips--preferrably on Saturday, Sunday, or Monday. Few fish escape the nets on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and the runs are still "recovering" on Wednesdays and Fridays. If the nets come out of the water at midnight, it can take the fish that subsequently enter the River until after noon to get up to the Soldotna bridge.
Coho Salmon Runs--Silver Salmon (Coho) runs in the Kenai River usually start about the first of August, but most guides don't normally expect to catch many until the middle of August, except in years where the run comes earlier--which is seldom. Sockeye fishermen will occassionally pick up Silvers in the last week of July, but it is unusual. There is often about 2 weeks difference between "Yes, they are moving into the river now." and "Yes, they are in the river in reliable numbers now." In most years you can reliably catch Silvers from mid-August to mid-September. This run is followed by a smaller run that provides fair fishing to the seasons closure, which is October 31.
Humpy Salmon Runs--Humpback Salmon ("Pinks") occassionally are caught on odd numbered years (2005), but it is quite unusual. The big runs occur in even years (2004, 2006). The runs coincide with the Sockeye runs, peaking in August. Most local Sockeye fishermen regard the Pinks as a nuisance, but many tourists and kids welcome their willingness to strike lures and flies with abandon. On light tackle, these are fine sporting fish. They are not the fine table fare that the other salmon are, but many people still harvest them.
Other Sports Fish--Resident Rainbow Trout are present year around in the river. (There are not Steelhead Trout--sea-run Rainbows--in the Kenai River.) In season you can catch Rainbows throughout the length of the river. The fishing emphasis seems to be on the Upper River, and on the upper reaches of the lower River, mostly because these are the parts of the river where fly fishermen prefer to fish--for the better solitude and the nice gravel bars to fish from. It is not because there are more trout per mile in these upper reaches. The Lower River has loads of Trout, and they tend to be bigger, but riverbank access is much more limited.
Resident Dolly Varden are present year around in the river. Sea-run Dollies return to the river to spawn, and are present in July, August, and September. The sea-run Dollies tend to be the larger fish.
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