Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

July 27, 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, Deep Creek, and Stariski Creek are open to sport fishing except for king salmon. Small numbers of Dolly Varden and pink salmon are passing through these low sections daily. For the Anchor River, the daily Dolly Varden counts are now posted on the fish count webpage.
• The lower Ninilchik River is also open for all species except wild king salmon. You may fish for hatchery king salmon, but the run is mostly over.
• When targeting Dolly Varden with spinning gear, try small spinners and spoons, and beads or smolt patterns are most effective on fly fishing gear.
• Anglers may start seeing some coho salmon in these streams but none have been counted through the weirs yet this season. Try fishing at the mouths of these streams at the start of the incoming tide.
• 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 continued to be excellent throughout Kachemak Bay and Lower Cook Inlet last week. Tides will be more moderate through the week which will provide more effective fishing time.
• 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.
• 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 slower last week with anglers finding fish scattered throughout Kachemak Bay. Upper Cook Inlet salt waters north of the latitude of Bluff Point will be closed for king salmon fishing through July 31, 2021. See emergency order 2-KS-7-47-21 below for more info.
• Pink salmon are becoming more prevalent throughout Kachemak Bay which makes it harder to target king salmon. There are large numbers of them from Seldovia to Flat Island. To target king salmon around pink salmon, try setting the gear at deep depths to get below the pink salmon.
• Most anglers use downriggers and fish with troll-sized herring or spoons behind flashers.

Coho Salmon

• Some anglers are finding small numbers of coho salmon within Kachemak Bay. Try trolling around the tip of the Homer Spit or Point Pogibshi. Small thin blade spoons or troll size herrings are the most effective.
• The coho salmon run continues to be slow at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon.
• Try fishing within the lagoon when the tide is 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.

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-7-47-21 closed sport fishing for king salmon in the salt waters of Cook Inlet north of the latitude of Bluff Point (59° 40.00' N. lat.). This regulatory change is effective through 11:59 p.m. Saturday, July 31, 2021.
• 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 through 11:59 p.m. Sunday, October 31, 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.