Kenai Cannery Retreat | 2023
Overview
The 2023 Kenai Cannery Retreat was a rejuvenating and relaxing getaway held in mid-August for 8 delightful women. Fishing on the world-famous Kenai River in South Central Alaska is an opportunistic adventure for all skill levels for anglers. We were fortunate to have 3 lady fishing guides, 2 knowledgeable hosts and a venue that was located just minutes from the mouth of the Kenai that is home to over 2.5 million salmon annually.
The female guides are highly skilled in a variety of fishing techniques, which made the options flexible and spontaneous in fishing for Coho salmon, Sockeye salmon and of course on of the all-time favorites, fly fishing for Rainbow trout.
Day to Day Report
Day 1: With the convenience of being located in southcentral Alaska, anglers rented vehicles to leisurely enjoy their scenic drive from Anchorage southbound along Turnagain Arm and down to the Kenai Peninsula.
Upon arrival at the Kenai Cannery at 4:00pm, guests were greeted with a beautifully displayed charcuterie board and a champagne toast. During dinner we learned where everyone was from and it ranged from Maine to Arizona, to California and even a few local Alaskans to join the trip together. Each angler had a purpose and a passion for fulfilling this bucket list trip and fishing opportunity.
Day 2. An early departure on the shuttle bus was necessary so we could meet up with the lady guides and plan out an action-packed day on the river. We had 3 boats and a total of 13 women heading out on the river to enjoy mother nature’s creations of breathtaking scenery. The sun was out, the mountains were out and within minutes of arriving to our fishing spots, we were all catching fish.
Each of the guides offered a thorough training process on safety on the boat, the river and how to operate the various types of fishing rods for the specific fish we were targeting. Lots of smiles, laughter and new memories were being made.
After our fun-filled day out fishing with new friends, we worked up an appetite for a delicious dinner catered by a local restaurant that abundantly offered a locally grown, organic menu that was enjoyed by all.
Day 3. We had the opportunity to switch up the anglers on the boats, so we had new experiences, new friends being made and new stories to share. The skill-range for the anglers were beginner to advanced and this group was sure to support and empower each other at every cast. Fishing was still hot for sockeyes so many of the anglers chose to fish from the shore with the boats close by. The ladies that were flyfishing upstream were having an epic day of catch and release on Rainbow Trout and sharpened their skills with practicing form, rhythm and reading the waters.
During the evening we enjoyed another beautiful meal and had a special guest speaker, Jolynne Howard to creatively deliver a wine tasting event as well as a fly tying class. Jolynne has been teaching fly tying classes for many years and sure enjoyed her patiently working with each guest on the introduction of fly tying with your own vise and materials.
Day 4. The last day was a half day but not short of any excitement. We were all anxious to try our cast at a new species or continue to help fill the fish box with the delicious sockeye salmon for all to enjoy and share with loved ones at home. All in all, the ladies caught 280 pounds of wild sockeye salmon that were processed and packed locally for the ladies to take home.
