Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 21, 2017

Week of June 21 to June 28

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

Regulation Reminders

• Snagging will open (except for the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon) in Kachemak Bay east of a line from Anchor Point to Point Pogibshi on June 24.
• It’s a good idea to review the 2017 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet before starting your fishing trip. Make sure to review pages 70-72 before heading out to fish for king salmon in Cook Inlet saltwaters areas. Before heading out to fish on freshwater streams, review pages 64-66 for the Anchor River; pages 66-67 for Deep Creek, and page 69 for the Ninilchik River.
• Anglers are reminded that:
  • Hooked steelhead trout must not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
  • A king salmon 20 inches or longer that is removed from salt or fresh water must be retained and becomes part of the bag limit of the person who hooked the fish.
  • After taking a king salmon 20 inches or longer from the Anchor River, Deep Creek, or Ninilchik River, anglers may not fish for any species for the rest of the day.
  • Anglers are reminded that in freshwater, the bag and possession limit for king salmon less than 20 inches is ten fish.
• Regulation changes are in effect for guided anglers fishing for halibut. A more extensive description of Federal Regulations can be found on the NOAA Fisheries Sport Halibut Fishing in Alaska webpage.
• Rockfish caught in deep water suffer injuries from decompression. Recent research by ADF&G staff indicates that the survival of released rockfish can be substantially improved by releasing fish at the depth of capture. For more information, visit the ADF&G's Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage.
  • Remember that while you may retain five rockfishes per day, only one may be a non-pelagic species (review the rockfish identification chart on page 90).
• Lingcod may not be harvested until July 1. All lingcod caught accidentally must be carefully released and may not be punctured with a gaff.

Razor Clam Emergency Order

• All Eastside Cook Inlet beaches from the Kenai River to the tip of the Homer Spit are CLOSED to the taking of all clams through December 31, 2017.

Saltwaters Fishing Report

Halibut

• Early-season halibut fishing is good and some larger halibut are being harvested. This fishery will continue to improve as more fish move from deep, overwintering waters back to the shallower summer feeding areas.
• Herring is the most popular bait; however, octopus, squid, salmon heads, and jigs also work well.
• Unguided anglers can retain two halibut a day, four in possession. Regulations for guided anglers can be found by following the link in the ‘Regulations Reminders’ section.

Salmon

• Trolling success for feeder king salmon continues to be sporadic throughout Kachemak Bay and Upper Cook Inlet. Anglers have reported catching king salmon in a variety of locations including Bear Cove and Point Pogibshi in Kachemak Bay to offshore of Anchor Point in Upper Cook Inlet. Trolling success for mature king salmon has been poor in Upper Cook Inlet.
• Down riggers are essential for trolling in deeper water. Small herring trolled behind a flasher or dodger is the most effective presentation. Try setting a downrigger at various depths between 15-90 feet.
• Small thin blade spoons and large spoons have been working as well. King salmon are continuing to enter the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit, and fishing success is fair. Try salmon eggs or herring suspended under a bobber and also try fishing around the incoming tide as new fish arrive.
• King salmon are continuing to enter the Seldovia Lagoon. The best time to fish is during the incoming tide as new fish arrive. Anglers are using spinners, herring and shrimp as bait.
• Over the past week angler reports from Halibut Cove Lagoon suggest that few fish have returned to the lagoon this year. Expect an increase in effort with this fishery when it opens to snagging this week.

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, a variety of flatfish species, and an occasional king salmon.
• Anglers trolling for king salmon have been reporting catches of rockfish as well. Both Bluff Point and Point Pogibshi have been producing black, dark and dusky rockfish.

Freshwaters Fishing Report

• Fishing for hatchery only king salmon from the mouth upstream approximately 2 miles to the ADF&G regulatory markers opened June 16 in the Ninilchik River and anglers report poor to fair fishing. There will continue to be new fish arriving throughout the rest of the month. Try the early morning hours for the best fishing.
• The Anchor River will open to fishing from the mouth upstream approximately 2 miles to the ADF&G regulatory markers on Wednesday, June 21. Expect fair to good fishing on the last day. New fish continue to enter the Anchor River on every tide and will be scattered throughout the sport fishery area. Try fishing when the river opens at midnight, in the early morning hours or at the mouth of the river on the incoming tide.
• The Anchor and Ninilchik River weirs are operational and fish counts are available on the ADF&G webpage.
• River conditions on the Anchor and Ninilchik rivers are expected to be good but may fluctuate with rain to the area.
• Salmon roe clusters and herring suspended under a bobber have been the most effective but spinners, spoons, flies, jigs and yarn also work.
• Try fishing near the mouths of these streams during the incoming tide to target newly arriving fish.

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 ADF&G Sport Fish webpage or at local ADF&G offices.

Shellfish

• Clamming tides run until June 29.
• Occasionally there are PSP advisories issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Contact the DEC at (907) 269-7501, or visit the DEC PSP webpage for more information.
• 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.
• There will be a Tanner crab fishery opening October 1, 2017, and closing February 28, 2018.
• All shrimp and crab fisheries in Kachemak Bay remain closed for 2017.