Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 03, 2014

Homer Area

Week of June 3 to June 9
Issued June 3

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

King Salmon

The BOF approved changes to king salmon regulations and additional pre-season emergency orders have been issued. These changes are summarized below and are in effect through Monday, June 30, 2014.
• The combined annual limit is 2 king salmon 20 inches or greater in length for fish harvested from May 1 to June 30 in the Anchor River, Deep Creek, Ninilchik River and all marine waters south of the latitude of the mouth of the Ninilchik River to the latitude of Bluff Point.
• The closed area marker south of the Anchor River was relocated to the Anchor Point Light (59º 46.14 minutes N).
• After harvesting a king salmon 20” or greater from either the Anchor River, Deep Creek, or the Ninilchik River, anglers are required to stop fishing for any species in these streams for the rest of the day.
• Anglers may only use one unbaited, single-hook, artificial lure on the Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River.
• Ninilchik River king salmon bag and possession is one wild or hatchery-reared fish during regulatory weekend openings in May and June; beginning July 1, bag and possession is limited to one hatchery-reared king salmon.
• The Anchor River is now closed to sport fishing on Wednesdays.

Youth Fishery on June 7

• The first Youth Fishery at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon is Saturday, June 7. A portion of the lagoon will be open to youth 15 years of age or younger from 12:01 a.m. until midnight. Department staff will be present from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to help young anglers fish and tie egg loops and fishing knots, and learn the best way for releasing fish.

New Sport Fishing Regulations

• Sport caught pink salmon may be used as bait in the salt water fisheries.
• Regulation changes are in effect for guided anglers fishing for halibut. The bag limit for guided anglers is two fish per day, one of any size and one less than or equal to 29 inches in length. A more extensive description of these Federal regulations can be found at: http://alaskafisheries.noaa.gov/frules/79fr13906.pdf You can also contact NOAA fisheries at 1-800-304-4846 or 907-586-7228 with questions about regulations pertaining to sport fishing for halibut.

Salt waters

Halibut

• Early-season halibut has improved with some large size fish being caught. Success will improve as more fish move from deep, over-wintering waters back into shallow, summer feeding areas. Tides in the coming week should be favorable for halibut fishermen.
• Sampled fish landed in the Homer Harbor over the past week averaged nearly 13 pounds (range 5.3 to 54.4 pounds) round weight. Many anglers had success using herring on circle hooks.

Salmon

• Trolling success for feeder king salmon has been fair along the southern shore of Kachemak Bay and Point Pogibshi and fair to good from Bluff Point north. While trolling, anglers are also starting to catch sockeye, chums and pink salmon.
• Early-run king salmon are arriving in the nearshore salt waters of Anchor Point, Whiskey Gulch and Deep Creek and anglers are reporting fair to good fishing.
• Popular trolling set-ups for king salmon include herring, hootchies, tube flies, and spoons. Try using dodgers or flashers for extra attraction.
• King salmon are returning to the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit and fishing success is reported as ranging from fair to good. A small school of king salmon have been reported in Seldovia Lagoon.
• As a part of the Chinook Salmon Research Initiative, the Department has begun a project looking at the genetic stock composition of the marine king salmon fishery. There are port samplers stationed at the Homer Harbor, and Deep Creek and Anchor Point tractor launches conducting quick interviews and collecting biological information, scales, and genetic clips from sport caught king salmon. If you fished for king salmon in Cook Inlet, regardless of success, we’d like to talk to you! More information on the Chinook Salmon Research Initiative can be found at: http://dfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=chinookinitiative.main

Other Saltwater Fishing

• Fishing off the end of the Homer Spit can be a fun way to pass the time. Species available include Walleye pollock, Pacific cod, and a variety of flatfish species, Dolly Varden, and a king salmon on occasion.
• Anglers are also reporting good catches of Walleye Pollock and Pacific cod in Kachemak Bay.

Fresh waters

Salmon

• Ninilchik River, Anchor River, and Deep Creek, as defined by the ADF&G markers will open to fishing at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 7, through midnight, Monday, June 9.
• The water conditions in these streams are expected to be good.
• Expect fair fishing for king salmon.
• For better success, try fishing in the early morning hours and at the mouth of these streams on the incoming tide.
• At this time of year, steelhead trout will be leaving the rivers and entering saltwater to recover their strength after spending their winter in the river and spawned in the spring. Please familiarize yourself with the differences between kings and steelhead trout before you fish and practice good fish handling if you catch one. Remember hooked steelhead trout must not be removed from the water and they must be released immediately.

Lake Fishing

• The Kenai Peninsula stocked lakes fishing conditions are good. Most of these lakes are stocked with rainbow trout which, this time of year, are taken on dry or wet flies, small spoons, spinners, or bait. A brochure listing the locations of the stocked lakes is available on the Sport Fish web site and at ADF&G offices.

Shellfish

• The next series of clamming tides run June 11-17.
• All shrimp and crab fisheries in Kachemak Bay are currently closed.