Today is opening day and along with the excitement of a new season and great weather, we got some great news for anglers.  The Russian River Sanctuary is opening tomorrow. Not only does the opening mean fish are abundant, but it moves anglers up from the Kenai / Russian confluence and makes more space for fly fishers on down the Kenai River. Soldotna – The Alaska Department of Fish and Game (ADF&G) is implementing the following sport fishing regulation liberalization by opening the Russian River Sanctuary area early for anglers to sport fish for sockeye salmon. This regulatory ch ..read more

When I was a little kid, I was almost killed by a largemouth bass.  I was a camper at Camp Warren on Half Moon Lake near Virginia Minnesota.  I was 10 years old.  This is what I remember. Before dinner, we generally had some free time.  I always used that time to go fishing.  I dashed down to the dock at the end of camp.  The dock extended out into a bed of reeds.  There were sometimes bass in those reeds.  I flung out a Hula Popper on my Zebco 202 and proceeded to chug.  The biggest bass I’d ever seen exploded on it.  It was a struggle.  ..read more

  We love fly fishing and we love sharing the Kenai River with our fly fishing guests. Some of our guests had their best days ever. Some of our guests returned to load up on Sockeye.   July always goes so fast. Now we look forward to the best trout fishing with a side of Silver Salmon ..read more

The Carl and Maria Anderson crew got after it.  A three generation family trip to Alaska and the Kenai River produced this stringer full of chromer sockeye salmon.  It does not get much better.  Thanks for visiting Mystic Waters ..read more

Salmon season is in full swing.  Russian River bound sockeye otherwise known as "Reds" have been running the Kenai on their upstream migration.  Some end up providing fantastic table fare for our guests.  #salmonaredelicious  We still make time most days for some trout fishing.  As we move into July, trout will become the focus for a couple weeks as we wait for the next round of Sockeye. Summertime in Alaska and around Cooper Landing in particular is pretty awesome ..read more

On October 12th, Stacy and I stood in the Middle of the Kenai River above Hog Bend.  We toasted the end of another Mystic Waters Fly Fishing season for Stacy and another annual trip back for Fred.  We are both planning some big changes in our lives this next year, but Mystic Waters Fly Fishing will carry on. Jay from the Montana Fly Project came up with Fred and a crew from Montana.  Stay tuned for a YouTube vlog series about Jay's trip.   ..read more

Fall on the Kenai River in Alaska is a bittersweet time.  Alaska summers are so busy, that it feels like they consume us. The season is frantic and it can wear you down but it goes by so fast.  It seemed like only yesterday, the Ruck’s rolled into Cooper Landing and had us out so early or late, that night and day were irrelevant.        Anna Grace was clearly worn out from early morning sockeye fishing.      JoelZ returned with the family and they did their thing.     Salmon season is a frenzy, but Stacy m ..read more

When you open a bottle of fine wine that has been properly matured, you still take that first sip with a bit of caution.  It might be pretty good, but patience and resting will allow it to breath and uncover a very special window.  When it is just right, swallow it down and don’t wait too long.  It’s not going to get any better.    Ales are much the same, only they mature and diminish much faster.  I once brewed a batch of IPA that I was incredibly proud of.  When it was properly matured it was perfect and satisfying.  I held ..read more

It's hard to beat fly fishing the Kenai River in September.  It's a magical time with foggy mornings breaking into beautiful golden days. These are Mystic Waters. This year has not been normal, but the Upper Kenai River continues to be a happy place and the fly fishing remains amazing. Does anyone know where the other shoe went ..read more

  New Interstate Travel Protocols to begin on August 11During the July 28 press briefing, Governor Dunleavy announced that starting on August 11 all non-residents must arrive with a negative COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours prior to departure. Testing will no longer be available for non-residents when they arrive in Alaska.  Everything is in flux right now and travel arrangements can get complicated.  Here is a link to a great account from our friend Heather Hodson.  She hosted a group to Rapids Camp Lodge in Bristol Bay, so they had additional travel connections af ..read more