Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

July 15, 2025

Freshwater Fishing

• The lower sections of the Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River will open sport fishing for species other than king salmon on July 16. Gear is restricted to single hook artificial lures. Expect slow fishing for Dolly Varden. The best place to catch dollies and avoid king salmon would be in the intertidal sections of these streams. Beads, smolt patterns, and small spinners will catch the most fish.
• China Poot personal use dipnet fishery has remained good. This week would be a great week to catch your fill of sockeye salmon for the grill, smoker, and freezer.

Saltwater Fishing
Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet

Groundfish

• Halibut fishing continues to be really good, but it requires anglers to explore different spots to find them first. Drifting an area first prior to setting the anchor is a good way to ensure you are in a good spot.
• Both lingcod and yelloweye seasons are open and those anglers fishing the outer coast are finding success with them. Fishing should continue to be productive on conducive weather days.
• Surf fishing has remained a popular option for those anglers without boats. Whiskey Gulch and Deep Creek are great locations to try for halibut. Fishing off the tip of the Homer Spit is still producing a variety of groundfish including halibut, sculpins, skates, sharks, flounders, and cod.

King Salmon

King salmon fishing was poor to fair over the week. July is usually the slowest month for king salmon. There are good numbers of pink salmon at Point Pogibshi which can be challenging to target king salmon there. Try fishing deeper to avoid the pink salmon. Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher is the most popular setup, but hootchies and tube flies will also produce fish. To find king salmon at any location, try setting the gear at different depths including mid-water column and 10 feet off the bottom.

Sockeye Salmon

There should be a good number of sockeye salmon around Tutka Lagoon and in front of China Poot Creek. Most anglers snag these fish with weighted treble hooks.

Coho Salmon

• The coho salmon run has started to build in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon and anglers are having fair success. Try eggs or cut herring under a bobber. Also look for jumpers along the east side of the Homer Spit. High tide in mud bay is a great time to catch some from shore.
• There are scattered reports of coho salmon from anglers trolling in the outer portions of Kachemak Bay. Expect poor fishing over the next week until the runs start showing up in better numbers.

Emergency Orders

“Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

Lower Kenai Peninsula Roadside Streams Gear Limited to Single Hook Artificial Lures
Ninilchik River Closed to King Salmon Fishing
Sport Fishing For King Salmon Closed in Upper Cook Inlet Salt Waters
King Salmon Bag Limit Reduced from 2 to 1 in Lower Cook Inlet Salt Waters
Rockfish bag limit reduction: 2 pelagic, 1 non-pelagic. No retention of yelloweye May 27 – June 30th.

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