TheKenaiisaworld-classsalmonriverthatattractsfishermenfromallovertheworld,butisalsothe“everyman“riverofthegreatfishingparadiseofAlaskabecauseofitsaccessibility.TheKenaiRiverisspecialnotonlybecauseworld-recordsalmonarecaughtinitsstunninggreenwaters,butbecauseitisontheroadsystemandthuscanbeaccessedbytheaveragefisherman,notmerelythewell-to-dowhopayhugesumstofishinremoteAlaskanareascontrolledbyprivatelodgesandthatareapproachableonlybysmallplanes.InastatethattakesatleastashareofitsidentityfromitsimageasTheLastFrontierandconcurrentlyasafishinghaven,theKenaiRiveristhelifebloodofasportingworldandindustrythatoffersanincomparablefishingexperiencetotheresident,thetourist,thehardcorefisherman,thebeginner,andtheexpert.FishermenintheLower48states,seducedbyimagesofgiganticfightingsalmon,dreamofsomedayfishingthepicturesquewatersoftheKenaiRiver.FishermenwholiveinSouthcentralAlaska,includingAlaska’slargestcityofAnchorage,plottheirfishingseasonsaroundthearrivalofkingsalmon,redsalmon,andsilversalmon.Toallofthem,theKenaiisamagicalriver.Notonlyisittheplaceofdreams,whereananglermightcatchaworldrecordorworld-classfish,itis,despiteitsnearnesstothesmallcitiesofKenaiandSoldotna,stillawilderness.Atonebendintherivertheremightbeahotel,aprivatesummerhome,oraforestsincetheKenaiNationalWildlifeRefugealsoswallowstheKenaiRiver.Theeighty-file-mile-longKenaiRiveris,moreorless,tworivers.Theupperriverprohibitsmotorizedboatsaltogether.Thelowerriverfeaturesthem.Theupperriverinvitesraftersandfly-fishermen.Thelowerriverofferssavvyguideswhoknoweachturnoftheriver,eachrock’splacement,andtheopportunitytofishfor70-,80-,or90-poundsalmonthroughspeciallydevelopedstylesappropriatetotheareaandthespecies.TheupperriverallowsforDollyVardenandrainbowtroutfishing.Thelowerriveremphasizesbigsalmon.EachsummerthousandsofanglersfishtheKenaiRiver.TheybringmillionsofdollarsworthofbusinesstotheKenaiPeninsulawhilefollowingtheirdreamsandbringinghomestoriesofwildernessfishingadventures.
