Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

May 24, 2017

Week of May 24 through May 29

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 clamming through December 31, 2017.

Regulation Reminders

• It’s a good idea to consult the 2017 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet before starting your fishing trip. Make sure to review pages 71-73 before heading out to fish for king salmon in Cook Inlet saltwater areas. Before heading out to fish in freshwater streams, review pages 64-65 for the Anchor River; page 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.
• Regulation changes are in effect for guided anglers fishing for halibut. A more extensive description of the Federal Regulations can be found on NOAA's Fisheries Rules and Notices 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. Please visit the ADF&G's Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage for more information.
• Lingcod may not be harvested until July 1. All lingcod caught accidentally must be carefully released and may not be punctured with a gaff.

Salt Water

Halibut

• Early season halibut fishing is fair and most fish are small. The fishery will improve as more fish move from deep, overwintering waters back to the shallower summer feeding areas.
• Herring is the most popular bait, but octopus, salmon heads, and jigs also work well.

King Salmon

• Early-run king salmon are available this time of year in the nearshore salt waters of Anchor Point, Whiskey Gulch, and Deep Creek.
• Trolling success for feeder king salmon is reported as good from Bluff Point south and in Kachemak Bay.
• Trolling success for feeder king salmon is reported as fair to good from Bluff Point north. Feeder king salmon are often mixed with maturing Cook Inlet king salmon making their way to Cook Inlet streams.
• Herring in a variety of sizes have been the most effective but small thin blade spoons and large spoons have been working as well. Most anglers are using flashers to attract king salmon.
• To find fish, try fishing a variety of depths up to 100 feet near rocky points and kelp beds.
• As 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, 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! For more information, please visit the Chinook Salmon Research Initiative webpage.
• Small numbers of king salmon have shown up at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon, but expect the fishing to be slow over the next week. For better success, fish the incoming tide. Popular gear includes using eggs under a bobber.
• A small school of king salmon has been reported in the Seldovia boat harbor.

Other Salt Water Fishing

• Fishing off the end of the Homer Spit can be a fun way to spend time. Species available include walleye pollock, Pacific cod, a variety of flatfish species, and an occasional king salmon.

Fresh Water

• The Anchor River, Ninilchik River, and Deep Creek will open from the mouth upstream approximately two miles to the ADF&G regulatory marks to fishing Memorial Day weekend (Saturday through Monday, May 27 to May 29). In addition, the Anchor River will open to fishing on Wednesday, May 24.
• Try using bait such as eggs and herring.
• Currently the river conditions on the Anchor River, Ninilchik River, and Deep Creek are poor. The Anchor River and Ninilchik River should improve some with less rain but expect less favorable water conditions on Deep Creek throughout the weekend.
• Try fishing the Ninilchik River this season for the expected increased numbers of hatchery king salmon.
• Try fishing near the mouths of these streams during high tide to target newly arriving fish.

Lake Fishing

• The ice is gone from most of the Kenai Peninsula stocked lakes and fishing conditions are good. Most of these lakes are stocked with rainbow trout, which, at 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 website and at local ADF&G offices.

Shellfish

• The next clamming tides run from May 23 through May 29, included in this tide series are some minus 5 foot tides.
• There are occasional PSP advisories issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC). Contact the DEC at (907) 269-7501, or check out the PSP webpage for more information.
• Razor clams can be found on beaches along the WEST SIDE of Cook Inlet and can be accessed by boat or plane. Popular razor clam beaches include the Crescent River, Chinitna Bay, and Polly Creek. Boaters should use caution before traveling across Cook Inlet because of strong currents and should check the weather forecast before traveling.
• Littleneck (steamer) 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.
• Shrimp, Dungeness crab, and king crab fisheries in Kachemak Bay remain closed for 2017.
• The Tanner crab fishery will open October 1 through February 28, 2018.