Timing your Vacation
We offer off-season rates at A Cabin by the Pond starting May 15th through June 30th and beginning again on August 11th until we close on September 15th.  For some travelers, this is a great opportunity to save a few dollars and avoid the more heavily congested prime-time season of July 1st through August 10th.

The best time to see a moose at A Cabin by the Pond is end of May through most of June.  They usually have their babies around the last week in May and many times show up in our pond the following month.  Tourist activity starts to pick up the first part of July to early August.  Moose get more skittish when there is more noise and people around and tend to hang out deeper in the woods.  The chances of having many moose around during prime time, July 1st through August is diminished plus shortly after that hunting season opens and that also (thank goodness) drives them deeper in the woods.  We usually see a return of the moose in early September before we close.


It's rare to see a bear in our area.  A Cabin by the Pond is across the street from the Kenai River but the river is a ways away and over a bank from us.  If bears come into our general vicinity, they likely will run along the riverbank looking for decaying fish and remnants of fish that have been recently cleaned.  It’s very rare to have a bear pass through our resort.  We have had one walk through about every 4 years and usually in the middle of the night.  They are pretty skittish around people.  They are just looking for easy food.
Les Anderson's record 97 lb King
The largest King Salmon ever caught on a line was on the Kenai River about 4 miles from us.  Les Anderson landed the 97lb King salmon on May 17th, 1985.  Over the last 30 years the Kenai River has been heavily fished for Kings and unsuccessfully managed to the point that emergency measures are now needed to preserve the returning Kings.  Because of this, the King season is regularly closed during different times in the summer to allow for adequate escapement.  The last few years, Fish & Wildlife has closed the early season and then re-opened it in July.  Even if it is open, it’s not unusual for guided clients to spend the whole day on the river without success.  If you want to fish Kings, you might consider fishing on the Kasilof River.  The best bet is to hire a guide familiar with the fishery and the river. One Kasilof River guide I recommend is Mark Ledden of KasilofRiverGuide.com.    The Kasilof River is a short 11 miles from  A Cabin by the Pond.  The prime-time for Kings on the Kasilof River is the first 2 weeks of June and the last 3 weeks in July.
Sockeye salmon (“Reds”) are the most popular fish to catch on the Kenai Peninsula.  The smaller, early run starts around the beginning of June and lasts 2-3 weeks.  Although these fish can be caught in most places on the Kenai River, these reds will collect in larger numbers at the confluence of the Moose River and the Kenai River in early June (about 15 miles from us) and in even greater numbers around mid June to mid July at the confluence of the Russian River and the Kenai River (about 40 miles from us). Since the first run is generally smaller fish and in fewer numbers, most local anglers wait to fish the larger second run starting the middle of July and lasting through the first week in August.  Good red fishing can be found at the public fishing area one quarter mile from the cabins and the Russian River. This fishery is so popular, that anglers tend to be shoulder-to-shoulder when fishing in the public areas.  I have fished these areas with great success but prefer to go very early in the morning or late at night to get a good spot. Some anglers prefer to hire a guide to take them red fishing.  If you plan to visit our area for the second run, plan early.  July 15th through the first week in August can book up 6-8 months in advance. I love fishing Reds and also they are a great fish to eat.  They require a special technique to catch as they don’t like to feed during their trip up the river to spawn.  This can be somewhat frustrating for a beginner but is fun when mastered.  Gogglel “catching sockeye salmon” for more information.

 

Pink Salmon (Humpies) run strong on even years (2016, 2018, 2020, etc.).  They start coming in numbers around the middle of August.  They bite readily on flashy spoons and are easier for beginners to catch.  The canned salmon you see in Costco is typically Pink salmon.  They don’t preserve very well if frozen and are mushy if not eaten fresh the same day.  For that reason, most Alaskans don’t keep them unless they catch them to feed their dog teams. 

 

The Coho salmon (Silvers) start running in numbers around the middle of August and last through most of September.  They are best caught using salmon roe in slow moving spots of the river.  They are very good to eat and are a great fighting fish.


Halibut can be caught most anytime in the summer.  I prefer to charter a halibut trip in the spring but anytime is good.  The closest place to launch for a Halibut charter is at Deep Creek.  It is about 40 miles from us toward Homer.  Charter companies launch their boats in the ocean by large tractor rigs several hours before low or high tide.  Mike Hopley of www.AlaskanCharters.com  is a good choice for a halibut guide.


Most charters for salmon or Halibut run around $220 - $250 a person.  You can also fly in for fishing depending on the time of year and what is currently running.  Talon Air is one of the best known fly-in charter companies that operate off Mackey Lake about 3 miles out of Soldotna.  The fishing tab on our website has additional information.

  

 
If you are interested in Bear Viewing, I recommend Natron Air at http://www.natronair.com. The owners, Tim (pilot) and Janet are very accommodating and we have heard good reports from our guests who have flown with them.  They are about ½ mile from us so very convenient.

 

There are lots of things to see and do in our area.  You can contact the “Soldotna Visitors Center” for more information on all kinds of activities. 

 

You can click on the “Thinks to Bring” on our website to help decide what type of clothing, etc. you might need for your trip to Alaska.

 

Hope this helps you with your planning.  Hope to see you soon.

 

Jim,   907-262-4728   480-766-0003 (winter cell)   A Cabin by the Pond