Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 10, 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

• All sections of the Anchor River, Deep Creek, Stariski Creek, and the Ninilchik River are open to sport fishing. You may not fish for salmon above the 2-mile marker in the streams. Gear is limited to single-hook, no bait above the 2-mile markers.
• The lower section of the Ninilchik remains open to hatchery king salmon but closed to wild king salmon fishing. See the emergency order below for more info. All other streams are closed to all king salmon fishing.
• Coho salmon counts are starting to pick up through the Anchor River weirs, but it’s still early in the run. Try fishing during the break of day or the incoming tide in the lower sections of Anchor River, Deep Creek, or Ninilchik River. Coho salmon often bite best during the break of day. The coho salmon counts for the Anchor River are posted on the Fish Counts website.
• Small numbers of Dolly Varden and pink salmon are passing through the lower sections daily. For the Anchor River, the daily Dolly Varden counts are now posted on the Fish Counts website. Anglers have been having limited success finding dollies in the upper section of the Anchor River this year.
• When targeting Dolly Varden with spinning gear, try small spinners and spoons. Beads or smolt patterns are most effective on fly fishing gear.
• 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

• The halibut bite continues to be fair throughout Kachemak Bay and Lower Cook Inlet. Tides are fairly large this week. Fishing slack will give you the most time fishing and allow you to set the anchor.
• Both drifting and anchoring can work to catch halibut, try the other if one isn’t working.
• 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 continues to be slow, but anglers are still finding fish scattered throughout Kachemak Bay.
• 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

• Try trolling for coho salmon around the Homer Spit or Point Pogibshi. Small thin blade spoons or troll size herring are the most effective.
• Coho salmon fishing has been fair to good at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. Try fishing daybreak, the incoming tide, or outside of the lagoon on the outgoing.
• Plug cut herring or small cluster of salmon eggs under a bobber are effective but may stop working as well as spinners as soon as there isn’t any current from the tide. Try a spinner or a Pixie spoon to present something different than other anglers around you.

Sockeye Salmon

• There are sockeye salmon built up in the saltwater just before China Poot Creek for snagging. Snagging tends to be best before a high tide flood all the way up to the markers denoting the beginning of China Poot Creek.

Personal Use

• The China Poot Personal Use dipnet fishery has been extended through Sunday, August 15. There are still plenty of sockeye salmon in China Poot to dipnet. The fish are in good condition and most haven’t begun to turn or deteriorate yet. There are very few to no pink salmon present, but please remember you must release them unharmed if you do capture one in a dipnet.

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-RS-7-54-21 extended the China Poot Personal Use Fishery effective 12:01 a.m. Sunday, August 8 through August 15, 2021. All other regulations remain in effect.
• 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 effective 12:01 a.m. Saturday, June 12 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.