Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI
Archived Sport Fishing Report
July 28, 2020
* Just a reminder to all our anglers, please do your part to help slow the spread of Covid-19 by following and reviewing the current State of Alaska Health Mandates in effect. This includes practicing social distancing while sport and personal use fishing and wearing a face covering when fishing and if you are needing fishing supplies from your local store as indicated in Health Alert 010.
* The Alaska Board of Fisheries adopted several proposals establishing new sport fish regulations for the Lower Cook Inlet Management Area at its Seward December 2019 and Anchorage February 2020 meetings. Please see the 2020 Southcentral Sport Fishing Regulation Summary booklet for a complete summary of the Lower Cook Inlet sport fisheries regulations.
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-7-42-20 closed king salmon fishing in Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point from Friday July 24 through 11:59 p.m. Friday, July 31, 2020.
- Emergency Order 2-RCL-7-03-20 and 2-RCL-7-04-20 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 2020.
Freshwater Fishing
Dolly Varden
- Dolly fishing on the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams including the Anchor River has been slow. The upstream sections of these streams open to sport fishing on August 1 and angler can expect fair fishing. Beads should work best in the upstream sections but it’s worth trying different tackle including small spinners and spoons, and flies.
- Pink and chum salmon have started showing up in the small streams on the south side of Kachemak Bay. Humpy Creek and Seldovia River offer the best fishing.
Sockeye Salmon
- China Poot Personal Use dipnetting has continued to have mixed success. Sockeye salmon should continue to arrive through the remainder of the season.
Saltwater Fishing
Halibut
- Halibut fishing has been consistently good in offshore locations and there’s been plenty of good sized fish caught throughout July. If you don’t have a boat, there’s plenty of charters available in Homer, Anchor Point, and Ninilchik.
Salmon
- Trolling for coho salmon has been good on the outer coast but remains slow in Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet.
- Coho salmon is still slow at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. Try working the outside of the lagoon on the start of the outgoing tide. Eggs or herring under a bobber work best. A youth only area will be setup on Saturday August 1.
- Trolling for coho with small spoons on either side of the Homer Spit can be productive as the coho returns build in the NDFL and other Kachemak Bay locations.
- King salmon trolling has been spotty but anglers are still finding some fish in most locations around Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet, including south of Bluff Point and Point Pogibshi.
- Pink salmon are definitely in the mix for the outer bay locations. To target king and coho salmon and avoid pink salmon, try fishing deeper depths.
- Most anglers use downriggers and fish with troll sized herring or spoons behind flashers.
Shellfish
- Clamming tides are available from August 1 through August 5. Consider taking a charter from the Deep Creek tractor launch to west Cook Inlet for razor clams. This is a unique experience with good numbers of medium to large sized clams.
Don’t forget to bring your 2020 sport fishing license and king salmon stamp! Help maximize social distancing and purchase your 2020 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 2020 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.