Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

June 27, 2023

ADF&G News

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Freshwater Fishing

• The Ninilchik River king salmon fishing has slowed down over the last few days. Anglers have been finding some success during the early morning hours and during the incoming tide in the harbor. Expect fishing to improve later in the week when more new fish start moving into the system.
• 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.
• Dolly Varden fishing in Bridge Creek Reservoir was good over the past week. Anglers reported catches of good numbers of small fish. For best success, try casting bait, small lures or spoons from shore.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

• Halibut fishing has improved in Cook Inlet over the past week and more larger fish are coming across the docks. 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 continued to have success trolling for king salmon throughout the Kachemak Bay area last week. Better catches were reported at Bluff Point and Point Pogibshi but fish are widely scattered throughout the bay.
• 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 has slowed down over the last few days. 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. Spinners, spoons, and flies will work as well. Currently, the lagoon is closed to snagging but may open to snagging by emergency order soon.
• There are still small numbers of king salmon in the Seldovia Slough but the fishing is winding down for the season.

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 soon.
• China Poot personal use dip net fishery for sockeye salmon opens on July 1. Dippers should expect fair to good catches for the first couple of days of the season.
• Lingcod fishery opens on July 1 and anglers should expect fair fishing along the outer coast for the first few days of the season. Leadhead jigs with white grubtail are a classic lingcod lure.
• Surf fishing in Cook Inlet has been fair. Anglers are finding success with halibut on the Clam Gulch beaches. Whiskey Gulch provides good shoreline access as well. Homer Spit is the best bet for variety and numbers of fish.

Shellfish

• Clamming will be open in the Ninilchik area from July 1 through July 4. Expect crowded conditions close to the access locations around the Ninilchik harbor and less crowded conditions at the more distant locations at Deep Creek and Whiskey Gulch. The best numbers of razor clams are within ½ to ¾ mile in both directions of the Ninilchik River. For exploring for low numbers of large clams, try Whiskey Gulch.
• Starting Sunday, the tides will be low enough for digging the popular locations in west Cook Inlet. Both Crescent River bar and Polly Creek have good numbers of large clams.

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.
• Emergency Order 2-RC-7-22-23 reduces the razor clam bag and possession limits to the first 15 clams dug and shortens the season to July 1 through 4 in the personal use fishery.
• Emergency Order 2-RC-7-23-23 reduces the razor clam bag and possession limits to the first 15 clams dug and shortens the season to July 1 through 4 in the sport fishery.

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.