Having spent several summers fishing the Kenai from the bank on a private 5 acre stretch of the river I learned to love the river. The last time out I launched a boat at the Riverbend Campground near Soldotna and cured myself for good on fishing that river in a private boat. A dad with his young son launched before me and immediately shot to the opposite shore where the super-swift current sucked them close to shore where low hanging branches knocked the kid into the water. When I launched myself the fast current swept me onto a gravel bar in seconds...Now I admit I did not appreciate how tough it can be to navigate an unfamiliar river. After getting used to the river I had to get used to the guides. What a mess! I found a nice slot and finally was able to hold the boat in it so the three fishermen in the boat could drop their Kwikfish. As soon as we got settled I looked upriver to see these huge boxcar looking boats boondogging downriver sideways...Of course, being guides they claimed right of way....kind of like blowboaters on the Sound...We had to move out of the way or risk getting t-Boned. It became obvious that guides on the Kenai do not like competition and especially not from private boats.

If I am not mistaken the Kenai had some guide-free days. The Kenai also has a 7 mile stretch upriver of the first lake that is float only and might be fly only. I think the river is such a zoo now I won't bother fishing it. Alot of the bank access is private and some of it is pay to play. I think something needs to be done to limit the madness on the Kenai.

Are the swarms of gill netters still out in force at the mouth?