Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI
Archived Sport Fishing Report
June 20, 2023
ADF&G News
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Freshwater Fishing
- The Ninilchik River is now open to sport fishing 7 days a week, through October 31st, 2023. Fishing for king salmon has continued to improve as the season progresses. Anglers found success last weekend, during the early morning hours, above the Sterling Highway Bridge and during the incoming tide, in the harbor. Expect fair fishing throughout the week.
- For the best success with hatchery king salmon, try drifting baits such as cured salmon egg clusters, plug cut herring, or shrimp under a bobber. Tackle such as spinners, spoons, plugs, and flies will all work too.
Saltwater Fishing
Halibut
- Halibut fishing has been fair to good in Cook Inlet. Weather permitting the more distant locations have been producing better catches but anglers willing to spend more time soaking bait can be successful in nearshore locations.
- Consider drifting in new locations to locate fish before setting the anchor.
- Herring on a circle hook is the most popular bait; however, octopus, salmon heads, and jigs also work.
- When anchoring, try using a chum bag to attract more fish to your location.
King Salmon
- Anglers experienced fair success trolling for king salmon throughout the Kachemak Bay area last week. Better catches were reported at Bluff Point, Point Pogibshi, and Glacier Spit.
- The most popular set-up is small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher, but spoons, hootchies, and tube flies will all produce fish.
- King salmon fishing at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon improved over the past week, with some reports of limits being caught. Expect the fishing to remain similar this week. Try soaking bait under a bobber as the tide floods into the lagoon or try fishing on the outside of the lagoon on the outgoing tide.
- King salmon fishing in the Seldovia Slough also improved last week. Anglers were having success fishing from the bridge during the incoming tide and in the lagoon around high tide.
Other Saltwater Fishing
- There have not been many reports of sockeye salmon showing up in China Poot Bay or in Tutka Lagoon but anglers should expect to see a buildup of fish in both locations at some point soon.
- Surf fishing in Cook Inlet has been fair so far this spring. Anglers are finding success with halibut on the Clam Gulch beaches. Whiskey Gulch provides good shoreline access as well.
- Anglers are catching a variety of groundfish and flatfish from the tip of the Homer Spit. Soaking a small chunk of herring, on the bottom, will have the best results.
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-7-13-23 closed the Anchor River and Deep Creek to all sport fishing through July 15, 2023.
- Emergency Order 2-KS-7-12-23 restricts gear to single hook but allows bait, changes the king salmon bag limit to 2 hatchery king salmon 20” or longer, and prohibits the retention of wild king salmon. The bag limit for king salmon less than 20” has changed to 10 hatchery king salmon and you may not retain wild king salmon under 20”.
- Emergency Order 2-KS-7-14-23 reduces the king salmon bag limit to one fish any size in Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay south of the latitude of Bluff Point from May 15 through July 31.
- Emergency Order 2-KS-7-15-23 closes sport fishing for king salmon in Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay north of the latitude of Bluff Point from May 15 through July 31.
- Emergency Order 2-RF-7-20-23 reduces the rockfish bag and possession limits in Cook Inlet to three per day and six in possession of which only one per day, two in possession can be nonpelagic.
Don’t forget to purchase your 2023 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase your 2023 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, advisory announcements, and the 2023 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing in before you head out.
For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Homer office at (907) 235-8191.