For our 2026 trip giveaway, we took two Collective members, Jared and Sam, fishing on Alaska's Kenai River. Here's where we fished, what we were after and how we caught them.

Where we fished

The Kenai River runs across Alaska's Kenai Peninsula, south of Anchorage. We fished two stretches of it. The upper Kenai, near Cooper Landing, is clear, fast water where the trout stack up behind spawning salmon. The middle Kenai is bigger water with a reputation for trophy rainbows and Dolly Varden.

We stayed at our partners Marlow's on the Kenai, a lodge right on the riverfront. If you're planning your own trip, it's a FANTASTIC home base. The cabins are super warm, cozy, and feel just like home. They're also right on the water which is an incredible way to start and finish your day. (Collective members get a deal there!)

What we were targeting

Rainbow trout and Dolly Varden. When the salmon run up the Kenai to spawn, they drop eggs by the thousands, and the rainbows and Dollies sit right behind them feeding. It turns the river into a feeding frenzy, and it's the reason so many anglers travel to the Kenai for trout.

The tactic: bead rigs

With fish keyed in on eggs, it was the only thing worth fishing while we were there. Our guide set us up with bead rigs:

• A pinned bead about the size and color of a salmon egg, set just above a small hook

• About 10 to 11 feet of straight tippet down to an indicator

• A weight and swivel about a foot above the bead

The goal is to dredge the bottom and drift the bead like a loose egg. When a fish eats it, your indicator bumps and you set the hook. Because the hook sits just below the bead, it usually lands in the corner of the fish's mouth, which makes for a clean release.

The best part

Sam had never fished before this trip, fly fishing or otherwise! Both her and Jared got into plenty of good fish, and Jared hooked into a personal-best rainbow on the middle section (watch the YT video to see it). We also had a bear encounter and got to watch them along the river before our final float.

Want to go next time?

Every Collective member is entered in our annual trip giveaway, and there's always a free way to enter too. No purchase necessary. We'll see you in 2027.