Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 14, 2015

Homer Area

Week of July 13 to July 20

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

Razor Clam Emergency Order

• All Eastside Cook Inlet beaches from the Kenai River to the tip of the Homer Spit are closed to all clams and mussels through December 31, 2015.

Tanner Crab Emergency Order

• The Cook Inlet and North Gulf Coast sport, personal use & subsistence Tanner crab fisheries will not open for the 2015-2016 season.

Salt water Regulation Reminders

• Sport caught pink salmon may be used as bait in the salt water fisheries and are counted as part of your daily bag limit.
• Snagging is allowed in Kachemak Bay east of a line from Anchor Point to Point Pogibshi starting June 24 through December 31, except in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon.
• The marine waters of Tutka Bay Lagoon within 100 yards of the hatchery net pens are closed year-round to sport fishing for any species.
• Lingcod season opened July 1. Anglers are reminded that the bag and possession limit is 2 fish and the minimum legal size is 35 inches.
• Rockfish caught in deep water suffer injuries from decompression. Recent research by Department staff indicates that survival of released rockfish can be substantially improved by releasing fish at the depth of capture. For more information on the use of deep water release mechanisms, see the department’s Web page at http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=fishingSportFishingInfo.rockfishconservation .
• Unguided anglers can retain 2 halibut a day of any size, 4 in possession.
• 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, and guided anglers have an annual limit of five halibut. 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.

Fresh water Regulation Reminders

• China Poot personal use dipnet fishery is open July 1-August 7 upstream of the ADF&G markers. Personal use caught sockeye salmon must have both tips of the tail fin removed. Complete regulations are found on page 16 of the Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet.
• The Ninilchik River is open for hatchery king salmon. The bag and possession limit on hatchery king salmon is one 20 inches or greater in length and 10 hatchery king salmon less than 20 inches. Wild king salmon must be not be removed from the water and released immediately.
• Hatchery king salmon are identified by the absence of an adipose fin (fleshy fin on the back just in front of the tail).
• The Anchor River, Deep Creek and Stariski Creek. Sport fishing is closed for king salmon for the rest of the season in these streams. King salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Gear is limited to one unbaited single hook artificial lure through July 15.

Salt Water Fisheries

Halibut

• Halibut fishing is improving as more fish move from deep, overwintering waters back into the shallower summer feeding areas. Sampled fish harvested out of the Homer port averaged 11.18 lbs. (range 2.4 – 35.0 lbs.). Many anglers had success using herring on circle hooks.
• The department has received several reports of “mushy” halibut this season. The flesh of these fish is very soft or flabby, sometimes with pockets of jelly-like tissue, and the flesh is mushy after being cooked. Experience during years of high prevalence of this condition (1998, 2005, 2011-12) shows that the incidence of these fish can be high for anglers fishing certain locales, so if you catch a fish that feels flabby or does not look as robust and rounded as a healthy halibut should, release it immediately unharmed and consider moving to a different area to avoid these fish. Department research is ongoing.

Salmon

• Trolling success is reported as fair to good for king salmon near Point Pogibshi to Point Adam.
• Fishing for king salmon is reported as slow north of Bluff Point.
• Popular trolling set-ups for king salmon include herring, tube flies, and spoons. Try using dodgers or flashers for extra attraction.
• Anglers are reporting good catches of coho and pink salmon in Kachemak Bay mixed with some chum and sockeye salmon.
• Early-run coho salmon are arriving at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit and fishing has been reported as fair to good. Try salmon eggs, herring and blue Vibrax spinners; also try fishing around the incoming tide as new fish arrive.
• Pink salmon are arriving into Tutka Bay Lagoon along with some sockeye salmon. This is a stocked fishery paid for by enhancement taxes on commercial fisheries. Anglers are reminded to avoid commercial boats operating in the area.
• As a part of the Chinook Salmon Research Initiative, the Department is 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://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=chinookinitiative.main .

Other Saltwater Fishing

• The Homer Spit offers a variety of fishing opportunities. Anglers are catching variety of species walleye pollock, Pacific cod, and a variety of flatfish species. Anglers are also fishing for coho salmon along the east and west shore of the Homer Spit.
• Anglers fishing near the Barren, Chugach, and Elizabeth Islands are catching lingcod and rockfish as well as other target species. The Department would like to remind anglers that the survival of released rockfish caught in greater than 60 feet of water is substantially improved by releasing these fish at the depth of capture.

Fresh waters

Personal Use Fishing

• Dipnetting success for sockeye salmon in China Poot is fair. The peak of this run is about the middle of July.

Streams

• Expect fair fishing for Dolly Varden in roadside streams as most runs are just starting to arrive. Fish near the stream mouths for better success.
• For the Ninilchik River, some bright to blush hatchery king salmon are still available.
• Salmon roe clusters, plug cut herring, spinners, spoons and jigs should all be effective bait and tackle for catching hatchery king salmon.
• Expect fair fishing for Dolly Varden and pink salmon in roadside streams as most runs are just starting to arrive. Fish near the stream mouths for better success.

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

• Clamming tides run from July 14-19.
• Razor clams can be found on beaches along the west side of Cook Inlet and are accessed by boat or plane. Popular razor clam beaches include Crescent River, Chinitna Bay and Polly Creek.
• Boaters should use caution before traveling across the inlet because of strong currents and should check weather forecast before traveling.
• Littleneck (steamer) and butter clams can be found in gravel beaches on the south side of Kachemak Bay from Seldovia to Chugachik Island.
• Good numbers of butter clams are found on the islands in China Poot Bay. Butter clams can be found up to two feet deep. Littleneck clams can be found in a variety of habitats from Jakolof Bay to Bear Cove. Try exploring new beaches for success. Typically, littleneck clams are found shallower in the substrate, up to eight inches deep.
• All shrimp and crab fisheries in Kachemak Bay remain closed for 2015.