Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 01, 2017

Week of May 31 to June 05

Regulation Reminders and Emergency Orders

• 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 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.
• Regulation changes are in effect for guided anglers fishing for halibut. A more extensive description of the Federal Regulations can be found on 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. Please visit the ADF&G's Rockfish Conservation and Deepwater Release webpage for more information.
• Remember that while you may retain five rockfish per day, only one may be a non-pelagic species (see 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.

Youth Fishery on June 3

• The first Youth Fishery at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon is Saturday, June 3. A portion of the lagoon will be open to youth 15 years of age or younger from 12:01 a.m. until midnight. Department staff will be present from 9:00 a.m. to noon to help young anglers fish and tie egg loops and fishing knots, and learn the best way for releasing fish.

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 through December 31, 2017.

Salt Waters

Halibut

• Early-season halibut fishing is good. 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, 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

• 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 fair to good from Bluff Point north and near the head of Kachemak Bay. 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 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! For more information, please visit the Chinook Salmon Research Initiative webpage.
• Popular gear for fishing king salmon at terminal fishing areas (Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon and Seldovia Lagoon) includes using eggs under a bobber.
• King salmon are continuing to enter the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit, and fishing success is slow. For better success, fish the incoming tide.
• Fishing is reported as slow in Seldovia.
• There have been no reported king salmon sightings at Halibut Cove Lagoon.

Other Salt Water 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 are reporting catches of black, dark and dusky rockfish on the south side of Kachemak Bay and near Point Pogibshi.

Fresh Water

• The Anchor River, Ninilchik River, and Deep Creek will open from the mouth upstream approximately 2 miles to the ADF&G regulatory marks to fishing Saturday, June 3 through Monday, June 5. In addition, the Anchor River will open to fishing on Wednesday, June 7.
• The Anchor River weir is operational and fish counts are available online.
• River conditions on the Anchor and Ninilchik rivers and Deep Creek are expected to be good.
• Spinners, flies and yarn are effective for king salmon in these streams as well as bait such as eggs and herring.
• Try fishing the Ninilchik River this season for the expected increase number 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 Kenai Peninsula stocked lakes and 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 website and at ADF&G offices.

Shellfish

• The next clamming tides run from June 7 through June 13.
• Occasionally there are PSP advisories issued by the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation. Contact them 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 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 on October 1, 2017, and closing February 28, 2018.
• All shrimp and crab fisheries in Kachemak Bay remain closed for 2017.