Chuck Thomas Sportfishing
Kenai River - Alaska
King and Silver Salmon Fishing Trips and Cook Inlet Halibut
Chuck Thomas Sportfishing has been guiding on the Kenai River for over two decades. The Kenai Peninsula is home to the Kenai River and the scenic town of Homer. Customize your fishing package to include as many king salmon and halibut fishing days as you like, or add a fly-out day to the mix.
If you want a guide service's expertise during the day and no set agenda in the evening, consider a trip with Chuck Thomas.
After a day of guided fishing, if you still want to get more fishing in, you can head over to the Soldotna River Walk for some sockeye fishing. The evening is yours. Several package options are available. All ages and skill levels are welcome.
Fresh and Saltwater Fishing Options.
The Kenai River is known for its world-record salmon runs. Kings average 30 to 40 pounds, with numerous 60 to 70-pound kings landed each year. The Kenai has two king salmon runs. The first run lasts until the end of June, and the second usually ends around July 31st.
Silver Salmon: Silvers hit the Kenai in mid-July and run through the second week of August.
Sockeye Salmon Kenai sockeye average 4 to 10 pounds. Sockeye is considered, by some, to be the best-tasting salmon.
Kasilof River: You can also arrange to fish the Kasilof River, a small drift boat-only river known for its numbers of king salmon that return each year to spawn and a good run of silvers, beginning in August.
Customize your package: Each package has at least one day of halibut fishing. Book a day trip to Cook Inlet for halibut fishing. Fish for Pacific halibut averaging 18- to 22-pounds (chicken-sized halibut are the best eating),
and barndoor-sized halibut weighing up to 400-pounds.
Kenai River and Cook Inlet Fishing Facts
Season: The 2023 season runs from May through September.
Guided Hours: Trips are from six to eight hours.
Salmon Fishing Days: You'll meet your guide at the river at 6:00 a.m., a five to 10-minute drive from the cabin. You'll fish from
20-foot open jet sleds with 50 HP outboard motors. Up to four anglers per guide. Depending on the season, you’ll fish for kings, sockeye, or silvers. In even-numbered years, you can also fish for pink salmon beginning in late July.
Halibut Charters: If desired, packages include one-day halibut fishing aboard a 30 to 32 ft. saltwater cruiser with covered cabins. The boats seat up to six anglers plus Captain and deckhand. You will need to drive your rental car to Homer, a one-hour and 45-minute / 70-mile drive. You’ll fish from 7:00 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. and return to the cabin by about 4:15 p.m.
Guides: are career professionals, each averaging over twenty years of fishing experience in Alaska and the Pacific Northwest.
Equipment: Spin fishing gear, tackle, and all the bait needed for your trip are provided. Fly anglers need to bring their own equipment.
Fishing License: Your fishing license and king stamp are not included in the package.
Lunch: You'll need to bring your own lunch, snacks, and beverages for the boat. An ice chest and cooler are provided on the boats.
Soldotna Lodging:
Your base is the small town of Soldotna, Alaska (approx. pop. 4,163) on the Kenai Peninsula. You'll stay in a three-bedroom cabin, five minutes from town. The cabin has six twin beds and two-and-a-half baths. (No groups are mixed at the Lodge.) A flat-screen TV with livestreaming access has been added for the 2023 season. No meals are provide in the package, so thankfully, the cabin has a fully-equipped kitchen with a refrigerator, a gas range, and microwave. Chest freezers are in the garage to store your fish. There is also a washer and dryer onsite.
Meals: No meals are provided. You’ll prepare or purchase your own meals. There is a Fred Meyer, a Safeway, and a Walmart nearby. There is also a wide choice of restaurants available.
Communications: The cabin has free Wi-Fi. Cell phones work well in this area and can be used as a hotspot to access the internet.
Getting to Soldotna, Alaska:
You'll fly to Anchorage, Alaska — the Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport. From Anchorage, there are two options for getting to the Lodge in Soldotna, Alaska.
1.) You can rent a vehicle in Anchorage and drive the scenic Seward Highway to Soldotna, a 2.5-hour drive.
2.) You can fly from Anchorage to the Kenai Municipal Airport, a 20-minute flight, rent a vehicle and drive 10 minutes to Soldotna.
Ground Transportation: A rental car is required. On river fishing days, you will have about a five to 10-minute drive to the river. On your halibut fishing day, you will need to drive from Soldotna to the marina in Cook Inlet, a 70-mile drive.
It is very important that you reserve a rental car as soon as you schedule your trip.
King Salmon Fishing Packages
2023 Rates:
You can Customize your package.
4-nights and 3-days guided fishing
$2,145.00 per person
(2-days salmon fishing and 1-day halibut fishing)
6-nights and 5-days guided fishing
$3,045.00 per person
(4-days salmon fishing and 1-day halibut fishing)
Halibut Combo Charter:
Fish for halibut, ling cod, and rockfish. Add $200.00 p.p. per day to your package.
Package Inclusions and Exclusions
The Packages Include:
• Lodging, two guests per room
• Wi-Fi
• Guided fishing
• Use of spin gear, tackle, and all bait
• Vacuum-packaged fish care, packed in airline-approved boxes
The Packages Do Not Include:
• Airfare to Anchorage or Kenai, and return
• Car rental for the week from Anchorage or Kenai
• No Meals are Provided.
• Alcohol
• 3% Kenai Sales Tax on the total package
• Alaska Fishing license $45.00 (2023)
• King Salmon Stamp $45.00 (2023)
• Gratuities for guides and staff
• Global Rescue or similar medical/safety evacuation coverage
• Travel insurance
• Anything not covered under inclusions.
