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Yellow autumn birch and dark spruce on steep slopes above the blue-green Kenai River under a bright sky

Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai

Soldotna is the Kenai Peninsula town where the Sterling Highway crosses the lower Kenai River.

  • Alaska · West
  • 6 waters
  • 61 guides nearby
  • 3 shops nearby
  • ENA airport · 9 mi
Plan this tripBudget it
Photo credit

Autumn along the Kenai River in the Kenai National Wildlife Refuge, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Photo: Lisa Hupp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

More about Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai

Soldotna is the Kenai Peninsula town where the Sterling Highway crosses the lower Kenai River; the Kasilof River reaches Cook Inlet to the south, and upstream the Kenai runs out of Skilak Lake and, above it, past Cooper Landing, where the Russian River joins it.

Waters around Soldotna

About this

Tap a water for its live flow, access map, regulations and hatches.

All Alaska waters
  • The glacial-turquoise Kenai River curving through spruce forest below snowy peaks near Cooper LandingFly-fishing only
    Photo credit

    The Kenai River near Cooper Landing, Alaska. Photo: Frank K., CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Kenai River

    Alaska · 1 mi from Soldotna

    Rainbow trout, chinook salmon & coho salmon

  • The shallow Russian River braiding over a wide gravel bar below a green mountainSteelhead / salmon water
    Photo credit

    The Russian River, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska. Photo: Ken Curtis, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Russian River

    Alaska · 36 mi from Soldotna

    Coho salmon & sockeye salmon

  • Silhouetted dip-netters standing in the mouth of the Kasilof River under a pink evening skySteelhead / salmon water
    Photo credit

    Dip-netters at the mouth of the Kasilof River, Alaska, summer 2011 (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). Photo: USFWSAlaska, public domain, cropped, via Wikimedia Commons

    Kasilof River

    Alaska · 11 mi from Soldotna

    Rainbow trout, steelhead & chinook salmon

  • The clear Ninilchik River running over rocks past a leaning willow and dry grassSteelhead / salmon water
    Photo credit

    The Ninilchik River at Ninilchik, Alaska, in June 2011. Photo: Brian, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

    Ninilchik River

    Alaska · 22 mi from Soldotna

    Rainbow trout & steelhead

  • Anglers in the shallow braided channels of Ship Creek beside industrial buildings, with the Chugach Mountains beyondFly-fishing onlyRepresentative photo · not Moose River
    Photo credit

    Fishing on Ship Creek near downtown Anchorage, Alaska, looking upstream toward the old power plant. Photo: Haydn Blackey, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Moose River.

    Moose River

    Alaska · 11 mi from Soldotna

  • The calm Eagle River bending between golden autumn grass and spruce below forested slopesCatch and releaseRepresentative photo · not Deep Creek
    Photo credit

    The Eagle River at the Eagle River Nature Center, Chugach State Park, Municipality of Anchorage, Alaska. Photo: Diego Delso, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons Not Deep Creek.

    Deep Creek

    Alaska · 37 mi from Soldotna

    Rainbow trout & steelhead

Distances and official pages

The rivers, lakes or flats this hub is organised around, each with its straight-line distance from Soldotna. Within 40 miles a water's own page names this hub as near; a farther one shows its distance instead. Where a nearby guide names a water on its own website, we say how many do. Access, seasons and special regulations differ by reach: check the agency pages under license and rules.

  • Kenai River1 mi from Soldotna in a straight line · named on 37 guide websites nearby
  • Russian River36 mi from Soldotna in a straight line · named on 16 guide websites nearby
  • Kasilof River11 mi from Soldotna in a straight line
  • Moose River11 mi from Soldotna in a straight line
  • Ninilchik River22 mi from Soldotna in a straight line
  • Deep Creek37 mi from Soldotna in a straight line
All gauge readings

The first USGS gauge on each water: the latest reading, how it compares with that gauge's record for today's date, the 24-hour trend and the NWS flood stage. Open a water for what the level means.

Reading the gauges around Soldotna…

Check any river's flow Dated report publishers

All Alaska waters

Meet local guides

About this

61 guide listings within 60 miles (16 fly-focused), fly-focused first. Unclaimed listings say so on their page: confirm licensing, rates and dates with the outfitter.

All Alaska guides

All Alaska guides

Fly shops nearby

About this

3 shop listings in the towns around Soldotna, fly shops first. Confirm hours with the shop before you go.

All Alaska shops

  • Kenai Cache

    Cooper Landing, AK

    Fly shop · Guided trips · Rod & gear rentals

    • Unclaimed

  • Lakeview Outfitters

    Cooper Landing, AK

    Fly shop · Guided trips · Rod & gear rentals

    • Unclaimed

  • AK Salmon Bear LLC

    Soldotna, AK

    Fishing shop

    • Unclaimed

All Alaska shops

Fish around Soldotna

About this

Species the state agency lists on the waters here. A species listed for one water is not a promise for every water.

  • Illustration of a rainbow trout in side view: olive back with small black spots and a pink band along the side

    Rainbow trout

    Listed on 4 waters here

    Photo credit

    Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss), illustration by Duane Raver for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Duane Raver, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Two anglers in rain gear standing in a boat on a grey river, one holding a long rod

    Steelhead

    Listed on 3 waters here

    Photo credit

    Winter steelhead fishing on the Skagit River, Washington (Doug Wilson, U.S. National Archives and Records Administration). Photo: Doug Wilson, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Several red-backed Chinook salmon splashing upstream through shallow, fast water

    Chinook salmon

    Listed on 2 waters here

    Photo credit

    Chinook salmon moving upstream in the lower Tuolumne River, California (Dan Cook, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service). Photo: Dan Cook (USFWS), public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Illustration of a silver coho salmon with a blue-green back and small dark spots on the back and upper tail

    Coho salmon

    Listed on 2 waters here

    Photo credit

    Coho salmon (Oncorhynchus kisutch), illustration by Timothy Knepp for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Timothy Knepp, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Illustration of a sockeye salmon in spawning colours: bright red body and green head

    Sockeye salmon

    Listed on 2 waters here

    Photo credit

    Sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka), illustration by Timothy Knepp for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Timothy Knepp of the Fish and Wildlife Service., public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

  • Illustration of a male pink salmon with a humped back and large oval spots on the tail

    Pink salmon

    Listed on 1 water here

    Photo credit

    Pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), illustration by Timothy Knepp for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. Photo: Timothy Knepp, public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Agency species and seasons (6 waters)

Taken from the state agency pages of 6 waters around Soldotna, each on its own water page with the agency link. Seasons are quoted word for word and apply to the water named.

  • Rainbow/steelhead trout3 waters
  • Coho salmon2 waters
  • King1 water
  • King salmon1 water
  • Pink salmon1 water
  • Rainbow trout1 water
  • Sockeye1 water
  • Sockeye salmon1 water
Species guides mention (54)

Counted from the species each guide lists on its own site. This is what guides advertise, not an agency species list or a promise of what you will catch.

  • Chinook salmon41
  • Sockeye salmon39
  • Coho salmon38
  • Halibut38
  • Rainbow trout30
  • Rockfish & lingcod20
  • Steelhead15
  • Arctic grayling5

Things to know

Official license and rules pages

Buy the license from the agency and read its current regulations before you go. These links are the authoritative pages; nothing on this page grants or implies access to any water, and fees are only shown when read from the agency page on a stated date.

Nothing here grants or implies access to any water.

Women-led and women’s trips

About this

Near Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai. From each business's own website, not checked by us. Plan around them in the trip planner.

Veteran-owned and veteran programs

About this

Near Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai. Each fact comes from the business's own website, an official register or an approved claim; the listing page links the source.

  • Fishology AlaskaGuide · Soldotna · 1 miMilitary discount · from their website
  • Kenai Drift AnglersGuide · Soldotna · 1 miMilitary discount · from their website
  • Kenai Methods Guide ServiceGuide · Soldotna · 3 miMilitary discount · from their website
  • Fish Em LLCGuide · Soldotna · 5 miVeteran-owned · from their websiteMilitary discount · from their website
  • McDonald FishingGuide · Sterling · 10 miVeteran-owned · from their websiteVeterans on the team · from their website
  • Reel Salty ChartersGuide · Ninilchik · 38 miMilitary discount · from their website

Veteran programmes and licences

The Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai area

About this

The circle is the 60-mile area this page covers, around Soldotna. Tap a water for its page. Shops and guides appear where they publish a street address on their own website; all of them are listed above.

Map of the Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai area: its waters, shops and guides

RestroomsWaters

Map of Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai: the 60-mile area this page covers, its waters, and shops and guides with an exact address.

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles

Guide season: May to September

About this

Read from the websites of 9 guides within 60 miles that state a season. It is when they run trips, not a hatch chart or a conditions report; closures and seasons are set by the agency pages.

  1. Jan1
  2. Feb1
  3. Mar1
  4. Apr1
  5. May6
  6. Jun9
  7. Jul8
  8. Aug7
  9. Sep6
  10. Oct4
  11. Nov2
  12. Dec1
Restrooms near Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai

Restrooms near Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai

Restrooms within 5 miles of the centre of Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai in a straight line, nearest first, with what anglers found when they went. The map says a restroom is there, not whether it is clean or open today.

Map of 4 restrooms near Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai

Skip the map; every place is in the list below

Map of 4 restrooms near Kenai Peninsula: Soldotna & the Kenai, numbered as in the list, with the town centre marked.

Map: © OpenStreetMap contributors · OpenFreeMap · © OpenMapTiles

  1. Restroom

    0.2 mi away in a straight line

    Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.

    Directions
    We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
    • Is it clean?
    • Flush or vault?
    • Free?
    • Open to everyone?
    • Step-free?

    Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map

  2. Restroom

    0.3 mi away in a straight line
    • Flush toilet (mapped)
    • Public (mapped)

    Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.

    Directions
    We don't know yet: is it clean? · free? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
    • Is it clean?
    • Free?
    • Step-free?

    Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map

  3. Restroom

    0.8 mi away in a straight line

    Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.

    Directions
    We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
    • Is it clean?
    • Flush or vault?
    • Free?
    • Open to everyone?
    • Step-free?

    Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map

  4. Restroom

    3.4 mi away in a straight line

    Not rated yet — be the first to tell other anglers if it's clean.

    Directions
    We don't know yet: is it clean? · flush or vault? · free? · open to everyone? · step-free? — tell other anglers: show the questions
    • Is it clean?
    • Flush or vault?
    • Free?
    • Open to everyone?
    • Step-free?

    Mapped on OpenStreetMap · see or fix it on the map

Restroom locations and map details: © OpenStreetMap contributors, Open Database License, read Oct 24, 2026. Ratings, answers and photos are members' own; who shared them is never shown, and every photo is reviewed before it appears. Visits older than 18 months no longer count. Distances are straight-line miles, not driving. Nothing here grants access to private land. Community guidelines.

Base yourself nearby

About this

Soldotna and Kenai have the most places to stay; Cooper Landing is the small settlement on the upper Kenai, about 40 miles east. We do not list or price properties. The search opens an outside site.

Find lodging on Google Maps

Nearest airports

About this

Distances are straight-line from the town centre, computed from OurAirports open data; distances by road are longer. Fares are never estimated here.

  • ENA Kenai Municipal AirportKenai, AK · 9 mi · regional
    Search flights
  • ANC Ted Stevens Anchorage International AirportAnchorage, AK · 60 mi · major hub
    Search flights
  • HOM Homer AirportHomer, AK · 60 mi · regional
    Search flights

Rough out the trip

About this

Set nights, anglers and guided days. Each line says where its figure comes from, and anything we cannot source honestly (guide rates, fares, license fees not read from the agency page) stays a link rather than a number.

Estimates, not quotes

  • Fishing licenseSee source
    Agency page
    Source

    One per angler (2 anglers). Fees are set by Alaska Department of Fish and Game; see the agency page.

    Source: Alaska Department of Fish and Game
  • Guided days33 rates pages
    Kenai River Float-n-FishCooper Landing Fishing GuideKenai River Trout AnglersSilent Run Driftboat Guide Service
    Source

    1 guided day for 2 anglers. We do not copy guide rates: 33 guides near here publish a rates page on their own website.

    Source: Guide websites (rates pages linked, never copied)
  • Find lodgingSee source
    Search lodging
    Source

    Search places to stay near the destination. We do not list or price properties.

    Source: Lodging search link
  • FlightsSee source
    Search flights
    Source

    Fares are not estimated here. Search flights to ENA (Kenai Municipal Airport).

    Source: Flight search link (no fares quoted)

No priced itemsUse the links for real figures.

How we estimate

Estimates, not quotes. Nothing here is a price from a guide, a property or an airline; confirm every cost with the provider before you book. No placeholder lodging range is configured for this region, and licenses, guided days and flights are never priced here.

Parks, forests and visitor offices

About this

For the non-fishing days, or the people traveling with you. Official sources only; what to do there is for their pages to say.

Gear checklist

About this

A steelhead and salmon fly-fishing checklist: a switch or spey rod (or 9′6″ single-hand) in 7–8 weight, Skagit lines and sink tips, swing flies, studded boots and cold-weather layers, with estimated prices and where to buy.

An angler wades the Deschutes River and casts, dry canyon slopes behind

Steelhead & salmon

11′–13′6″ two-hand rod, 7–8 weight, Skagit head + sink tips · Steelhead and Pacific salmon

Open checklist

Watch: swinging flies for steelhead

About this

Two-hand casting, sink tips and the swing.

Public YouTube videos from established channels, chosen by us to support this page. Not sponsored; the creators are not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear.

  • How To Swing Wet Flies | Tom RosenbauerEmbedded from YouTube · The New Fly Fisher · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube
  • S4 E9 How To Maximize The SwingEmbedded from YouTube · RIO Products · not affiliated with Legendary Fly Gear. Watch on YouTube

Not sponsored All videos on steelhead

Stories from Alaska

About this

Trip stories anglers chose to share publicly, tagged with a water in Alaska.

No Alaska stories yet.

Share a storyAll Alaska stories

Sources for this page

All 10 sources

Guide and shop listings come from the Legendary directories (open map records checked against each business’s own website). Everything else links to the publisher below; this page copies none of their text. A destination hub organises discovery; it does not assert public access, current fish presence, guide availability or fishing conditions.

Links checked 23 Oct 2026. Not a claim of access or conditions.