Bright and early the next day, we expoited a break in the rain to head down the Kenai Peninsula toward the Anchor River. The fishing was so good we stayed for two days.

We left the cabin in fog and constant misty rain. After exploring a couple of miles of the Ninilchik River, we headed to the Anchor. There were King Salmon everywhere. We started fishing in earnest.

The first fish brought to hand was a new species for the trip. This fairly fresh chum salmon was the first fish of many we landed on the Lower Anchor. This fish slammed an egg-sucking leech, and was the only chum we saw in the Anchor.

Then Andy hooked something bigger. This hen King Salmon was our first King of the trip.

We were getting really hungry for fish.  Looking for some smaller fish to cook on the fire, we headed downstream, closer to the ocean.  Before long, Andy caught a fresh, silver Dolly Varden - with the crab-like sea lice still attached from the saltwater.  We were fishing the first riffle up from the ocean, and there were a lot of dollies around.

A pair of chromer Dolly Vardens got stuffed with Alaskan Fireweed and cooked on the coals for our evening meal.  What a delicacy!  They were absolutely delicious.  From this point on, we had Dolly Varden for dinner almost every night.  They're unbeatable as far as eating.

The next morning, I latched onto something big in the boulder fields.

After a massive battle on my 8-weight, I landed my first Chinook Salmon.

The boulder fields on the Lower Anchor proved to be very fruitful. Here, Andy battles another king salmon. But this one was a lot bigger!  It took him well into his backing, both upstream and down, before finally succumbing.

These fish never quit fighting, even after being landed.  If they slipped out of your grasp and got back into the water, you had to fight them all over again!  Andy took no chances with this brute, getting him unhooked right away.

This beast was our biggest King from the Anchor.  It probably weighed between 30 and 40 pounds.  

This young moose wandered by while we were fishing.

Since it was opener for the Upper River the next day, we made a quick trip to Homer Spit to fish for silvers in the lagoon. None of them hit our flies, and we were perplexed by the local rigs, which consisted of a huge plastic bobber on the end of the line with a big hook about a foot up from it. Frustrated by the cohos, we bought some bear medicine and headed back to camp for another meal of fresh Dolly Varden.