Our guided ice fishing trips are a warm, easy half day on a stocked lake near Soldotna. You meet your guide at the lake, step into a heated, insulated shelter over holes we've already drilled, and fish for rainbow trout and the other fish stocked in that lake. A trip is 4 hours and costs $185 per adult or $135 for kids 5 to 15. A private shelter for up to 4 is $595. We fish about December 20 to March 15, ice permitting.
- $185 / $135adult / youth 5 to 15
- 4 hours10:30 AM start; 10 AM or 2 PM from mid-February
- Heated shelteraugers, rods and bait included
- December 20 to March 15ice permitting
A half day on the ice, the comfortable way
Ice fishing doesn’t have to mean standing in the wind. Your guide checks the ice, drills the holes and sets up a heated, insulated shelter before you walk out. Inside, you sit in the warm, jig a small lure or bait a few feet under the ice, and watch your rod tip. When a fish bites, your guide is right there to help you land it.
It’s a good first fishing trip for kids and a relaxed winter outing for everyone else. No experience is needed, and the minimum age is 5. Each guide takes up to 6 guests.
Two ways to book
Shared shelter, half day
$185 per adult (16+) · $135 youth 5 to 15- Length: 4 hours
- Group: up to 6 guests per guide
- Ages: 5 and up
- Season: about December 20 to March 15, ice permitting
Private shelter, half day
$595 per shelter, up to 4 guests- Length: 4 hours
- Group: just your family or friends, with your own guide
- Ages: 5 and up
- Season: about December 20 to March 15, ice permitting
Pick a date: $185 adult · $135 youth · $595 private shelter
Book two or more of our trips and you get 5% off all of them. Prices don't include sales tax.
What’s included and what’s not
Included: a heated, insulated shelter; augers (your guide drills the holes); rods and tackle; bait; a hot drink; and cleaning the fish you keep.
Not included: your Alaska sport fishing license. Alaska residents 18 and older and nonresidents 16 and older need one, and you can buy it online from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game and show it on your phone. Licenses run on the calendar year and expire December 31, so a January trip needs the new year’s license.
Your day, step by step
- The day beforeWe text you the lake, where to park and a map pin. We choose the lake by the ice and the bite.
- Meet at the lakeArrive 10 minutes early, dressed for the cold. Midwinter trips run about 10:30 AM to 2:30 PM, when the days are short. From mid-February, there's a 10:00 AM and a 2:00 PM trip.
- Fish in the warmYour guide shows everyone how to jig and set the hook, then keeps the holes clear and the heater going.
- Fish cleaned, then homeWe clean the fish you keep, within the daily limits, and you head back to Soldotna or Kenai.
Where we fish
We fish the stocked lakes around Soldotna, Kenai and Nikiski. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game stocks them with rainbow trout, and some also get landlocked salmon or Arctic char:
- Sport Lake, Soldotna: rainbow trout and landlocked salmon
- Longmere Lake, Soldotna: rainbow trout and landlocked salmon
- Spirit (Elephant) Lake, Kenai: rainbow trout, landlocked salmon and Arctic char
- Island Lake, Nikiski: rainbow trout and Arctic char
- John Hedberg Lake, North Kenai: rainbow trout
We pick the lake for your trip the day before, by the ice and the bite. For more about these lakes, the rules and ice safety, see our Kenai Peninsula ice fishing guide.
Current ice conditions
Our first ice report goes up when the lakes freeze, usually in mid-December. We check the ice on Sport, Longmere, Spirit (Elephant), Island and John Hedberg lakes and post what we measure here.
Our guide checks the ice again before every trip. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game doesn't monitor lake ice, so if you go on your own, check it yourself as you go.
How we keep it safe
- We check the ice before you walk out. Your guide drills test holes and measures the ice on the way out and around the shelter. We only fish ice our guide has checked.
- We stay on small, stocked lakes. Big lakes freeze unevenly: the Alaska Department of Fish and Game warns that their ice can be thick in one place and dangerously thin a step away.
- Ventilated heaters only, with a carbon monoxide detector in every heated shelter.
- If it isn’t safe, we don’t go. If the ice isn’t ready by your date, or it’s dangerously cold or windy, we’ll call you to move your trip or refund you in full.
What to wear
- A base layer of wool or synthetic, not cotton
- A fleece or down middle layer
- A windproof jacket and insulated snow pants or bibs
- Insulated, waterproof winter boots and warm socks, plus a spare pair
- A warm hat, a neck gaiter, and insulated gloves or mittens (bring a spare pair: hands get wet)
- Sunglasses for the bright snow, and ice cleats if you have them
Bring snacks and water, and a cooler or bag for your fish.
Questions about our ice fishing trips
How much is a guided ice fishing trip near Soldotna?
$185 per adult (16 and older) and $135 per child aged 5 to 15 for a 4-hour half day in a shared, heated shelter. A private shelter for up to 4 people is $595. Prices don't include sales tax, and you get 5% off when you book two or more of our trips.
When is ice fishing season near Soldotna?
We plan to fish about December 20 to March 15, ice permitting. The real start depends on the ice each winter: we open a lake only after our guide has checked it.
What's included in the trip?
A heated, insulated shelter, augers, rods and tackle, bait, a hot drink, and cleaning the fish you keep. Your fishing license is not included.
Do I need a fishing license to ice fish?
Alaska residents 18 and older and nonresidents 16 and older need an Alaska sport fishing license. Licenses expire on December 31, so for a January trip, buy the new year's license. You can buy one online from the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.
Where do we meet?
At the lake. We choose a stocked lake near Soldotna, Kenai or Nikiski the day before, by the ice and the bite, and text you the lake, where to park and a map pin.
How old do kids need to be?
5 and up. Kids 5 to 15 pay the youth price, $135, and children under 16 don't need a fishing license.
Will I be warm enough?
You fish from inside a heated, insulated shelter, so most of the day is warm. You still walk across the ice and step outside, so dress in layers with insulated boots, a hat and gloves.
What happens if the ice or the weather isn't safe?
We only fish ice our guide has checked. If the lakes aren't safe by your date, or it's dangerously cold or windy, we'll call you to move your trip to another date or refund you in full.