Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 13, 2021

* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing, and wearing a face-covering when social distancing is not possible, and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store.

Freshwater Fishing

  • The lower sections of the Anchor River and Deep Creek will open to sport fishing except for king salmon on July 16. Small numbers of Dolly Varden and pink salmon are starting to return to these streams. For the Anchor River, the daily Dolly Varden counts are now posted on the Fish Count webpage.
  • When targeting Dolly Varden with spinning gear, try small spinners and spoons, and beads or smolt patterns are most effective on fly fishing gear.
  • The Homer Reservoir is a great place to take kids and try fishing for Dolly Varden. The fish are small but plentiful. Casting a spinner from shore works great.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

  • Halibut fishing continues to be good. Some large fish have been caught in Cook Inlet in the last week.
  • Both drifting and anchoring can work to catch halibut, try the other if one isn’t working.
  • The marine weather forecast looks mostly favorable for the week in Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet which should allow anglers to get to the offshore locations. The tides are moderate for most of the week.
  • Herring on a circle hook is the most popular bait; however, octopus, salmon heads, and jigs also work well.

King Salmon

  • Trolling for king salmon was fair to good in Kachemak Bay last week. There has been a consistent bite near Bluff Point and lots of bait in the water column near Point Pogibshi. Some pink salmon are beginning to show up around Point Pogibshi and Bluff Point.
  • Most anglers use downriggers and fish with troll-sized herring or spoons behind flashers.

Coho Salmon

  • Coho salmon are starting to return to the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon in small numbers but the fishing has been slow.
  • Try targeting newly arriving fish on the incoming tide when it starts flooding into the lagoon.
  • Plug cut herring or small cluster of salmon eggs under a bobber are the most effective.

Sockeye Salmon

  • Anglers have been having some success with snagging sockeye in Tutka Bay Lagoon and in China Poot Bay near the creek mouth.

Personal Use

Dipnetting sockeye salmon in China Poot Creek has been fair to good. For the best success try arriving early at the start of the incoming tide. See page 15 of the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for more info on this personal use fishery.

Emergency Orders

Please review the Emergency Orders and Advisory Announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

  • Emergency Order 2-KS-7-18-21 increases the hatchery king salmon bag and possession limits in the Ninilchik River from one fish to two fish 20” or greater in length and removes the annual limit effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 12 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, October 31, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-7-17-21 closes sport fishing for king salmon within one mile of shore in the salt waters of Cook Inlet north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00' N. lat.). This regulatory change is effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 5 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-7-16-21 closes the Anchor River and Deep Creek to all sport fishing effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 5 through 11:59 p.m. Thursday, July 15, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-KS-7-08-21 reduced the king salmon annual limit north of Bluff Point from five to two fish through 11:59 p.m. Wednesday, July 15, 2021.
  • Emergency Order 2-RCL-7-04-21 and 2-RCL-7-05-21 closed all EASTSIDE Cook Inlet beaches to clamming for all species from the mouth of the Kenai River to the southernmost tip of the Homer Spit in 2021.

Don't forget to purchase your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2021 sport fishing license and king stamp through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Also, make sure to review Emergency Orders and the 2021 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Homer office at (907) 235-8191.

Archives

Lower Cook Inlet Area Archives for:
Aug 30, 2021 Aug 24, 2021 Aug 17, 2021 Aug 10, 2021 Aug 03, 2021 Jul 27, 2021 Jul 20, 2021 Jul 13, 2021
Jul 07, 2021 Jun 29, 2021 Jun 21, 2021 Jun 15, 2021 Jun 08, 2021 Jun 02, 2021 May 25, 2021 May 18, 2021