Dark? Its light out till almost 9pm now, and we are gaining 5+min a day!
Fishing is pretty slow that time of the year, trout fishing is closed until early June. Salmon start hitting the rivers in early June. Some of the creeks on the lower Kenia might be open for kings this year. They aren't doing well, so I wouldn't bank on it.
I'd look at booking a charger out of Ninilchik, Deep Creek or Happy Valley for halibut. Skip Homer and Seward, you wallet will thank you and you'll catch just as many fish or more. Stick with a small 6 pack boat. Whale watching/dinner cruise is pretty fun out of Seward or Whittier.
Snagging for reds will be on in Seward in late May or early June, its fun but a chit show, go mid week.
As you mentioned bear hunting will be going pretty strong, but it doesn't really get good until Memorial weekend, IMO. If you have access to a boat thats a plus, check with some of the charters they run spring hunts on the salt water. There is a lot of baiting that goes on down on the Kenia, so look for areas where you can get away from people and easy access. Bear hunting isn't nearly as good as it used to be, lots of completion. I've had a few double digit bear days down there, but recently its much lower.
Breakup season sucks balls (most of April) and the worst time of the year IMO. We had a lot of snow this year, unless we have a warm spring, there will be a lot of snow in the mountains until June.
Have fun!
This.
In 2017 I spent September updating all the Alaska Fred Meyer stores starting in Fairbanks and working my way south until I finished in Soldotna. I left as the terminal dust came in.
I did the same gig in 2016, but in February. Winter driving in Alaska is better than anywhere I've ever been, but don't hold up the semi's. They will blow your doors off.
Are you flying into Anchorage or into Soldotna? If you are driving from Anchorage, before you do anything you should hike to the top of Flattop Mountain. Worth it if the weather is good. Amazing views of the city and difficult enough that you feel like you did something. There were some guys there glassing goats from the parking lot and they let me have a look.
Polar Bear Gifts in downtown Anchorage is the place for the cheapest "Daddy, what did you bring me" trinkets, tee shirts, shot glasses and all things AK.
Allow time to enjoy the drive if you are driving out from Anchorage. Whittier is worth the side trip. Whittier feels like you went through a time warp to a Cold War spy movie. I was the only outsider in through the tunnel one day in February. No one would let me buy my own beer. I finally had to beg off that I wouldn't be able to drive home.
Alaska Wildlife Conservation Center is fun in a touristy zoo sort of way, but the Woodland Bison make it worth it.
There is an aquarium in Seward and the Exit Glacier side trip is cool.
Expect delays, highway construction season starts after breakup and I've spent a lot of time looking at the same tree on that road. Turnagain Arm from Anchorage to Alyeska is the deadliest piece of highway in the state. I like to pull over a lot. It's easy to drift out of your lane trying to take it all in.
Stop at a sportsman's access and really look at the Kenai River. You will never see a river like it. Turquoise. I've never taken a picture that does it justice.
Pull over often. I had a lot of pissed off natives behind me as I rubbernecked at Iliamna across the inlet. Ninilchik has been on my Zillow ever since.
Duncan House Diner for breakfast in Homer is bucket list.(Reindeer Sausage!) Kenai Brewing in Soldotna is fun.
