King of the River – Powerboat
+393Explore the world-famous Kenai River aboard “King of the River”! This Alaskan hotspot is a haven for Salmon and you’ll hook everything from Chinook to Sockeye and Coho. Head out with Captain Dean Schlehofer, he hooked over 1,000 Salmon in 2021 alone and has been guiding in these waters for over 3 decades.
Capt. Dean has 2 20’ Willie powerboats. Each one can fit up to 4 anglers who can all fish at the same time. These spacious beauties have enough sitting and standing room to ensure you won’t bump elbows while reeling in your fish. GPS and Fish Finder keep you top of your targets and the live wells keeps your bait fresh to entice the bite.
The Kenai River is home to Chinook (King), Coho (Silver), Sockeye (Red), and Pink Salmon which return every year in record numbers. Locals and visitors alike flock here to hook King Salmon weighing between 30 and 70 lbs on average! Alaska Red Salmon makes its charge up the River from mid-June to mid-August giving you the opportunity to hook fish weighing up to 12 pounds!
Capt. Dean provides top-notch G Loomis and Tekota rods and reels. He can even bring along fly fishing gear if you’re going after Red Salmon, just let him know ahead of time. He has deckhand on board with him on all trips to help out with everything fish related. If you’re happy with the service, tips between 10% and 20% are appreciated.
At the end of the trip, your catch is cleaned and filleted. Capt. Dean can also set up special perishable packaging of your catch through FedEx for an additional $25. It’s then mailed to your home address or packaged safely for your flight.
Be sure to bring along any drinks and snacks you’d like to enjoy throughout the trip. Most importantly remember to pick-up a valid Alaska fishing license beforehand. Get your fish on in the productive Kenai River with King of the River!
Please note there is a sales tax, about 6%, that is not included in the trip prices.
Captain
Dean Schlehofer
Highlights
Plan your trip
Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (96)
+93Angler rating
Anglers claimed
Good experience
84%
Appropriate for children
83%
Friendly captain
98%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Recommend this charter
93%
Caught fish
85%
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Shockeye salmon run
Half Day Trip (AM) on July 10, 2025
King of the River didn’t disappoint on the 2025 Sockeye salmon run. The guide we had on the fish trip coached and trained our family to able to limits out in 1 hour. Great job to Chris on showing the Indiana family on how to harvest Salmons in Alaska.
King of the River didn’t disappoint on the 2025 Sockeye salmon run. The guide we had on the fish trip coached and trained our family to able to limits out in 1 hour. Great job to Chris on showing the Indiana family on how to harvest Salmons in Alaska.
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Great experience!
Half Day Trip (PM) on August 13, 2024
My family of four (youngest fisher was 17 years old) fished with our guide, Jason. Jason was great, he had some suggestions but wanted to hear what we were interested in doing. If something wasn't producing we'd try another spot or another method. We had a great afternoon on the Kenai river and ended up catching several coho and quite a few pink salmon!
My family of four (youngest fisher was 17 years old) fished with our guide, Jason. Jason was great, he had some suggestions but wanted to hear what we were interested in doing. If something wasn't producing we'd try another spot or another method. We had a great afternoon on the Kenai river and ended up catching several coho and quite a few pink salmon!
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Great experience!
Half Day Trip (PM) on August 11, 2024
Fishing was great, wish we would have caught more silvers and sockeye's to keep. We caught a lot of pink salmon. Our guide Jason was great, really helpful, and really nice.. Dean the owner was out guiding as well. He came over to say hi and check on our fishing. Would definitely recommend and our family is definitely doing it again.
Fishing was great, wish we would have caught more silvers and sockeye's to keep. We caught a lot of pink salmon. Our guide Jason was great, really helpful, and really nice.. Dean the owner was out guiding as well. He came over to say hi and check on our fishing. Would definitely recommend and our family is definitely doing it again.
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
July fishing trip
Half Day Trip (PM) on July 1, 2025
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Fun and enjoyable Fishing trip
Half Day Trip (AM) on July 18, 2024
We had a really enjoyable and productive fishing catching experience with Jason. He had everything organized and provided us with the gear and instruction to catch all the fish we wanted and a boat ride in only a few hours . A beautiful time on the river . Thank youb
We had a really enjoyable and productive fishing catching experience with Jason. He had everything organized and provided us with the gear and instruction to catch all the fish we wanted and a boat ride in only a few hours . A beautiful time on the river . Thank youb
FAQs about King of the River – Powerboat
What are the trip rates for King of the River – Powerboat?
King of the River – Powerboat offers the following trips to customers:
- US $225 per person - Half Day Trip (AM) (5 hours)
- US $225 per person - Half Day Trip (PM) (5 hours)
- US $300 per person - Full Day Trip (9 hours)
Which amenities are available onboard with King of the River – Powerboat?
When you book a trip with King of the River – Powerboat, you can expect the following amenities onboard:
- GPS
- Fishfinder
- Radar
What's included in the trip price with King of the River – Powerboat?
Trips booked with King of the River – Powerboat include:
- Rods, reels & tackle (Gloomis rods, Tekota 500LC reels, Tekota 300LC )
- Live Bait (We do offer our bait, lures, plugs, all fishing tackles, and all fishing gears. All trips are included everything and baits too. )
- Lures
- Catch cleaning & filleting (We offer 100% free cleaning and filleting. If you are interested to bring or ship your fishbox after your catches? We do have our own fish processing. We will do everything to cut, vac, pack, freeze, and ship your fishbox or bring it to the airports. )
- First Mate (Deckhand, tips between 10-20% appreciated)
- Fly Fishing Equipment (Only for Red Salmon, request in advance)
What types of fishing does King of the River – Powerboat offer?
King of the River – Powerboat offers the following types of fishing:
- River Fishing (There are two rivers that we will be casting the lines on the Kasilof River and Kenai River, Alaska. It is only 30 minutes away between two rivers. )
- Inshore Fishing (Red Salmon)
What fishing techniques does King of the River – Powerboat offer?
King of the River – Powerboat offers the following fishing techniques:
- Light Tackle
- Heavy Tackle
- Trolling
- Jigging
- Fly Fishing
- Drift Fishing (Optional )
Which fish species can I catch with King of the River – Powerboat?
Top targeted fish species with King of the River – Powerboat include:
- Salmon
- Salmon (Chinook)
- Salmon (Coho)
- Salmon (Pink)
- Salmon (Sockeye)
Meet your captain
Kenai, Alaska, United States
The Angler's Choice Award is given to listings that consistently deliver a high-quality service and earn great reviews from customers.
I have been fishing the Kenai River since 1986. Growing up in Connecticut, I often saw magazines writing about giant King Salmon in the Kenai. It was my dream to one day go to Alaska and catch one of those Kings. In 1981 my family and I miraculously moved to Alaska. I always seemed to fish north of Anchorage but in 1986 I went south to the Kenai with my friend Charles on his 16' aluminum boat. My first King weighed in at 37 lbs. A few weeks later I bought my first boat. On July 28, 1986, I landed an 80 lbs King Salmon. My dream of landing a trophy King had come true. I was the one who was hooked.
Fish you can target
Your boat
Where you can fish
River Fishing
There are two rivers that we will be casting the lines on the Kasilof River and Kenai River, Alaska. It is only 30 minutes away between two rivers.
Inshore Fishing
Red Salmon
How you can fish
Light Tackle
Heavy Tackle
Trolling
Jigging
Fly Fishing
Drift Fishing
Optional
What's on board
GPS
Fishfinder
Radar
Included in the price
Rods, reels & tackle
Gloomis rods, Tekota 500LC reels, Tekota 300LC
Live Bait
We do offer our bait, lures, plugs, all fishing tackles, and all fishing gears. All trips are included everything and baits too.
Lures
Catch cleaning & filleting
We offer 100% free cleaning and filleting. If you are interested to bring or ship your fishbox after your catches? We do have our own fish processing. We will do everything to cut, vac, pack, freeze, and ship your fishbox or bring it to the airports.
First Mate
Deckhand, tips between 10-20% appreciated
Fly Fishing Equipment
Only for Red Salmon, request in advance
How cancellations work
Free cancellation up to 14 days prior to trip
You can cancel or modify your booking up to 14 days before the trip date, free of charge. If you cancel or modify your booking later, or fail to show up, you'll forfeit 100% of what you've paid.
Listing policies
Pickup not included
Transfer to/from departure site is not included in trip rates.
Child Friendly
No minimum age, life jackets provided
You Keep Catch
Catch and Release Allowed
Disabled Accessible
How to pay
Book with 10% deposit, pay rest to captain
When the captain confirms your trip, FishingBooker charges your credit card a 10% deposit to guarantee your reservation.
The remaining balance is to be paid directly to the charter operator on or prior to your trip date in one of the following payment methods:
Visa
Mastercard
American Express
What’s biting in Kenai right now
Salmon (Chinook)
Salmon (Coho)
Salmon (Pink)
Salmon (Sockeye)