Located down Redoubt Ave. (and behind the Fred Meyer) in Soldotna, this location gets busy during the height of sockeye season, but you can still find all fish species native to the Kenai River. There’s a nice parking lot, with a modern outhouse.
Easy Boardwalk Access
This spot is particularly good for anyone who's mobility impaired, since you access the river by a flat, metal boardwalk—and the actual fishing area is also from the boardwalk. This makes Moose Meadows one of a very few places where anglers can fish for sockeye without having to be in the water—you can do excellent even from a wheel chair. There are two primary sections here, so if you want to avoid the crowds, take the boardwalk downstream.
How to Fish from a Boardwalk
Granted, fishing from a boardwalk requires a slightly different technique. This boardwalk sits over a deep hole, right where the sockeye travel. So, instead of flipping out into the current as you would at other locations, you almost have to fish right below the boardwalk. You’ll most likely have to use a heavier weight to ensure your fly reaches the right depth quickly enough, and you won’t be able to use a very long leader. Quite literally, you’ll be fishing within 5 to 10 feet of the boardwalk.
One of the most troublesome aspects of fishing here is trying to set the hook, as you have to pull in an upward motion. Prepare to miss a lot of fish—though, when the sockeye run is in full swing here, the fish are stacked. There’s also very little room to fight a hooked fish, so you’ll really want a heavy rod and net. You’ll want to land your fish (and your neighbor’s) as quickly as possible, since one fish running downstream can stop everyone on the boardwalk from being able to fish.
