Trip planning information and FAQs

Your trip to Alaska will be in two segments: your hometown to Anchorage, and Anchorage to Kenai Riverbend Resort (Soldotna/Kenai). Most guests rent a vehicle in Anchorage. You can also fly from Anchorage to Kenai and rent a vehicle there.

Driving from Anchorage. Plan on about 3 hours. Construction may be heavy in 2027. Please enter 45756 Porter Road, Kenai, AK 99611 into your cell phone GPS app for current driving directions. If you have any problems, call us and we will get you detailed directions.

Flying from Anchorage. The flight takes 20 minutes. You will need to collect your luggage and check in with Grant Aviation or Kenai Yute Air. Car rentals are available at the Kenai airport. Reserve early.

The lodge itself sits on 50 acres of the lower Kenai River. The contact page has the map and the full set of drive times.

Bring clothing that can be layered. Alaska weather changes all day, and the mornings are cool and call for the most clothing. Everything below will keep you comfortable on the not so perfect days. Remember, you are fishing in Alaska and the weather will vary.

• Medium weight jacket or polar fleece top, light gloves, and a stocking hat or earmuffs for the early morning trips.
• Ball cap, flannel shirts, jeans and sweatshirts.
• Rain suit. Good raingear makes the trip so much better. We have loaner raingear, but remember they are loaners. If you buy raingear, consider lightweight all rubber gear with sealed seams.
• Sunglasses. Polarized are better.
• Personal items: Kenai Riverbend Resort provides towels, soap, shampoo and hairdryers.
• Fishing shoes or boots: hiking type boots or knee-high rubber boots. We have a limited supply of rubber boots.
• Medications: think about Dramamine or Bonine if you are saltwater fishing, and visit your physician about Scopolamine patches.
• A small backpack or shoulder bag for fishing gear, equipment, lunch and drink. Include zip lock bags to keep valuables dry. We have coolers at the lodge for your use.

The most frequently asked question is: what should I leave the guides and staff for a tip? It is a suggestion only. We suggest gratuities at 20% of your trip cost, from $500.00 to $700.00 per person.

Guides and captains receive $60 to $90 per angler per trip on average. The fish house crew, housekeeping and office staff receive the remainder. It is best to tip your guide or captain after each trip. These are recommendations, and tips in any amount are appreciated. We will give you a tipping guideline sheet when you arrive. Thank you.

The time of summer decides which freshwater species are available. For 2027, sockeye and silver salmon will all have seasons on the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers. Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden fishing is best late, in September. Saltwater halibut fishing is out of Deep Creek/Ninilchik and Homer. Seward brings silver salmon, ling cod, rockfish and yelloweye. Salmon fishing is available right on the property. Our fishing overview lays the weeks out species by species.

At times the Alaska Department of Fish and Game issues emergency orders restricting the catch and retention of king salmon. If that happens, we substitute the charter with the best salmon fishing option. All vessels and guides are insured and licensed. On every trip, fishermen are provided with all gear, tackle and baits.

All fishing is generally from a boat. Sockeye salmon are fished from the bank on parts of the river, and we provide Simms waders for all guided bank fishing trips. Every group gets a tote to carry its harvested fish. Back at the resort we vacuum seal, freeze and process your catch. Your package includes 50 to 100 pounds of processing and 1 to 2 airline approved boxes, depending on the package. Otherwise processing is $2.50 a pound and boxes are $30.00 to $45.00 each. Filleting fish you caught on your own, outside a guided trip, is $5.00 per fish.

Planning to fish independently after your guided trip? We have limited gear and nets. For sockeye, bring needle-nose pliers, split shot, 2/0 salmon hooks, line cutters, ball bearing swivels and a knife for bleeding your fish. You can buy Kenai River setups locally. For pinks and silvers, bring bright colored Blue Fox and Mepps spinners. Trustworthy Hardware and Sportsmen's Warehouse are both very close to the lodge and have everything you want at great prices. Many guests buy hip boots for under $65.00 and discard them rather than pack them.

Fishing license. Anyone 16 years old or older needs an Alaska fishing license, good for both fresh and saltwater. Options are a one, three, seven or fourteen-day license. A license can only be purchased electronically, online at www.adfg.alaska.gov. Please buy your license before you leave home, and once it is printed and signed, take a picture of it to keep in your phone in case you lose the paper.

Daily limits. King salmon limits are determined on arrival, because the Alaska Department of Fish and Game changes them several times a year. Historical daily limits: two halibut (one any size and one under 27 inches), three to six sockeye, and six pink salmon. On the Kenai, two silver salmon in August and three in September. In Seward saltwater during July and August, three silver salmon plus 1 ling cod, 1 yelloweye and 3 rockfish daily. These limits are not set in stone: salmon and halibut restrictions can change at any time with rulings from NOAA, the feds and the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Taking fish home. You can only leave Alaska with your allotted legal daily limits.

Most river trips launch from our private boat launch. For anything else, a map, guide and boat contact information, and your schedule are available during or after check in. From the lodge, the Kasilof River salmon charters are 30 minutes away, Ninilchik halibut 1 hour, Homer halibut 2 hours and Seward excursions 2 hours. You will be driving yourself to these locations, so please be on time. Our guides are passionate, and most like to be on the water early because the early bird gets the fish.

We offer top-quality rod and reel rentals for the week. The rental rate is $25.00 for the week, with a $100.00 deposit for any damages. Terminal tackle is not included but is inexpensive to buy. We still have some loaner rods and reels available, first come, first served.

Pack a lunch, drinks, and a waterproof bag or backpack for personal gear, especially for the not so perfect days.

We own all of our boats, and your guides are Kenai Riverbend Resort employees. It is rare, but sometimes we use another guide. These are guides we have used for years, or guides who worked for us and then started their own business. They are great and will work hard for you.

Kenai Riverbend Resort is an outdoorsman's dream, made up of 50 acres and managed to the highest standards. Each cabin is fully furnished and includes a mini kitchen, a full size fridge, a bathroom and light daily housekeeping. See the cabins for more.

The office has Wi-Fi, but because of high usage you may want to use your provider's hotspot. We do not have quiet hours, but we ask you to be respectful of your neighbors. All linen, bedding, towels, kitchen utensils (in the cabins), shampoo and soap are included with lodging.

Pack light. We have coin operated laundry at the lodge for use after housekeeping is finished. Your trip balance is due on arrival. Final billing, trip upgrades, additional trips and retail purchases can be paid in cash, check or credit card at the end of your stay.

Most of our trip packages include fish processing. We fillet, vacuum seal, freeze and box up to 100 pounds of your fresh catch. This is a per person benefit for package clients only. Over 100 pounds, fish are processed at $2.50 per/lb. and $35.00 to $45.00 per box. Fish caught during evening or self-fishing incur a $5.00 per fish fillet charge if you want us to fillet them. Also included is an insulated, airline approved fish box.

For the best value, most airlines let you take up to 50 pounds as an added piece of luggage for $35.00 to $60.00, so check your airline. Airlines have changed their luggage allowances, so check with your carrier before you fly. FedEx is expensive, typically over $350.00 for overnight shipping. If you choose to overnight your fish home by FedEx, you pay the shipping fees.

You will need a car to get to the resort, halibut, Seward and fly-out charters, and it lets you go see the sights. When choosing the size of your rental, think about the fish: each person will probably have one box or more. Boxes are 34" x 12" x 11" per 50 pounds of fish.

We recommend off airport rental locations. You can save hundreds of dollars and get unlimited miles and discounted weekly rates. Information is provided at time of booking.

Our weather can vary through the day in summer. For the latest information, check the forecast online for our area. As a rule, our mornings are cool, warm by mid-day, and our evenings are very comfortable. Rain is always unwanted, but it finds its way to us off and on all summer. We fish rain or shine. Rain can change our temperature by 15 degrees, so come prepared.

High seas. For your safety we cancel saltwater trips for high seas, on the recommendation of the captain. We try our hardest to reschedule the trip, but at times we are unable to. We substitute other trips to make sure you are fishing. Weather is something we cannot control.

Please consider a travel policy that covers illness, trip cancellation and accidents. You are welcome to call Travel Guard at 1-877-248-8992 or visit www.travelguard.com. They are a national carrier that specializes in trip insurance. Their Sportsmen's travel package offers comprehensive coverage for traveling sportsmen, including travel, emergencies, cancellation and lost equipment.

Kenai Riverbend Resort reserves the right to make changes for the safety and proper handling of clients. We are always aware of safety, but outdoor activities of this nature are not risk free. At times trips on the ocean are cancelled due to weather, and we reserve the right to substitute these trips. We do not assume responsibility for injury to clients, personal belongings, or for time and expense incurred. Upon making the deposit to Kenai Riverbend, the depositor agrees to be bound by all the above stated terms and conditions. Prices are subject to change.

Our season in Alaska is very short, so cancellations affect us greatly, and unexpected things do get in the way of an Alaska adventure. To protect yourself, buy travel insurance well before your trip so you are covered in an emergency. We are not responsible for airline travel delays, loss of fishing time (missed scheduled trips), lodging, transportation, lost baggage, lost or late fish boxes, or other conditions beyond our control.

Full payment is required upon arrival. There are no refunds or credits for a no-show, early departure, self-cancellation or missed trips. Early or late check in or check out is charged at the daily lodging rate and the fishing charter fee.