Alaska Fishing Adventures

Saltwater, freshwater - your Alaskan fishing story starts here.

The Fishing

Your fishing adventure begins before you even step onto the water.

We provide all the gear and equipment you’ll need, so you can focus on the experience, not the packing list. Our professional licensed and insured guides, provided by Russell Fishing, are among the most skilled and experienced in Alaska. They know exactly where to take you for the best chance at salmon, halibut, trout, and more.

Our boats are stocked with coolers and ice to keep your fish fresh throughout the day. At the end of each trip, your catch is cleaned, packed into insulated boxes, and frozen so it’s ready to travel home with you, ensuring you take home exactly what you caught. Your daily tally is posted on our whiteboard, and your fish are stored in a walk-in freezer until departure. From start to finish, we make every detail easy and memorable, which is why so many guests return year after year and rave about their time at Crooked Creek Retreat.

King Salmon(Chinook) Silver Salmon(Coho) Red Salmon(Sockeye) Pink Salmon(Humpback) Rainbow Trout Dolly Varden Steelhead Grayling Halibut Ling Cod Yelloweye Rock Fish

Fishing Packages at a Glance

Our full trips include lodging, meals, and guiding. Rates are per person, based on double occupancy.

6 Nights, All-Inclusive
$5,900 per person (dbl occupancy) for five guided river trips
$5,100 per person (dbl occupancy) for four guided river trips
$500 discount if booked by November 1st
Upgrade any river trip to halibut fishing for $150
Add-on fly-out adventure available for $350

Why Fishing Here is Legendary

From Salmon to Halibut — Experience Alaska’s Iconic Catches Right Here.

The Kenai Peninsula is world-famous for fishing, and Crooked Creek Retreat puts it all within reach. From the Kenai and Kasilof Rivers to Cook Inlet, the Gulf of Alaska, and remote wilderness lakes, this region offers a remarkable variety of species and settings.

The Kenai River is legendary for its salmon runs and trophy rainbow trout. Millions of salmon return here every summer, including silvers, Kings, and this year’s record-breaking sockeye run of more than four million fish, more than twice the averages of recent years. The Kasilof River adds a quieter, more intimate setting with strong salmon runs and exciting drift-boat fishing.

For those drawn to the saltwater, the Cook Inlet and Gulf of Alaska are home to halibut, known for their power and size, with catches that range from 20 pounds to over 300. Saltwater trips often bring in black bass, lingcod, and salmon as well, making every day offshore a multi-species adventure.

Remote lakes and rivers round out the experience, offering fly-out opportunities for trout, Dolly Varden, grayling, and seasonal salmon. These trips combine pristine wilderness with unforgettable fishing, giving guests the chance to cast in waters few ever see.

What makes this area special is the combination of abundance, variety, and accessibility. Few places on earth allow anglers to chase salmon one day, halibut the next, and trophy rainbows after that, all from a single home base. This is why fishing the Kenai Peninsula is truly legendary.

What You’ll Find in These Waters

Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden, Dollies, a close member of the Arctic Char family, are aggressive eaters. Feeding on the same food as the rainbow, they grow to 5+ lbs regularly and are very strong fighters. Their fall colors are spectacular and when eaten fresh, the naturally high oil content in their flesh makes the meat very tasty . . . great for a shore lunch. The Kenai River population of Dollies will make your fishing vacation unforgettable.

Steelhead

Only a few of the Peninsula rivers, the Kasilof River, Anchor River and Deep Creek have a steelhead run which winds down in the spring and starts again late fall. These sea-run rainbows are known for their fighting ability especially in the smaller, skinnier water and on fly fishing gear or light spinning tackle. Few guides attempt to catch these wily creatures.

Grayling

Grayling are a very unique species inhabiting some of the rivers and high lakes of the Kenai Peninsula. Smaller in size than the trout or salmon, they are aggressive feeders that will inhale a dry fly . . . they are great sport on light tackle and can be a fun part of a hike-in adventure.

Halibut

You never know what to expect while fishing for Halibut as, no matter what the size, they are very powerful fish. Even a small 20 pounder can have the strength to rip the line from your reel. Since halibut sometimes feed on small fish throughout the water column, they can on occasion be coaxed to the surface with very minimal effort. But do not be deceived by the apparent lack of resistance from your fish. . . . At some point in its journey your halibut will decide that he much prefers the comfort of the waters bottom and will head there with a willful determination. If you underestimate this fish, it will easily leave you empty-hooked, empty-handed and frustrated.

In another often unexpected scenario, Alaskan Halibut are often hooked while fishing in Seward for Alaska Salmon and Rockfish. These fish require a lighter tackle than is normally used to target Halibut. The surprise battles that ensue will often last for an hour or more as the powerful halibut makes numerous runs to the bottom in search of safety and the fishermen is nearly powerless to control him on such light tackle. Only through using all of your skills will you win this epic battle between man and fish.

Alaska Halibut – “Barn Doors” – over 300 lbs. can be caught out of Anchor Point, Deep Creek, Homer and Seward, Alaska. The Kenai area waters limit still remains at 2 fish per person with boat limits almost every trip.

Ling Cod

Neither a cod nor a ling, these fish are sought after for their great white boneless meat. Plentiful in Resurrection Bay in Seward and Cook Inlet out of Homer, Anchor Point or Deep Creek.

Yelloweye

Yelloweye is a snapper that lives for over 100 years.

Black Bass

Black Bass are also plentiful, tasty, and a great experience reeling in.