Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

Archived Sport Fishing Report

August 08, 2023

ADF&G News

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Freshwater Fishing

• Fishing for Dolly Varden on the upper sections of the Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River have been poor to fair with fish scattered throughout the sections. The Anchor River has the most road-accessible locations in the upper section.
• Try fishing the incoming tides for newly arriving Dolly Varden or try walking the upper sections of the streams until you locate a pool holding dollies. For fly fishing gear, beads, streamers, and smolt patterns would all be effective. For spin fishing gear try using size 0 to 2 spinners or small spoons.
• Dolly Varden fishing in Bridge Creek Reservoir remains good. Anglers reported catches of good numbers of small fish. For best success, try casting bait, small lures or spoons from shore.
• Expect poor coho salmon fishing in the roadside streams over the next week. There are small numbers of coho salmon entering these streams but not in fishable numbers. Try fishing at the mouths of the streams during the incoming tide to catch newly arriving fish.

Saltwater Fishing

Halibut

• Halibut fishing continues to be very good in Cook Inlet. Weather permitting, the more distant locations have been producing larger fish and better numbers, 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

• Trolling for king salmon has remained fair in Kachemak Bay with anglers finding fish scattered throughout the area. Bluff Point and Point Pogibshi are the best locations.
• The most popular set-up is small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher, but spoons, hootchies, and tube flies may all produce fish.

Other Saltwater Fishing

• China Poot personal use dip net fishery for sockeye salmon has remained good for the last week with most getting their limit. Expect conditions to remain the same this week.
• There have been mostly pink salmon showing up in Tutka Lagoon.
• There are good numbers of coho salmon in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon and fishing has been fair to good. Salmon egg roe clusters or cut herring suspended under a bobber is the most effective setup.
• Coho salmon fishing within Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet has been a mix of success. Point Pogibshi and the Silver Ridge areas are the most likely to produce fish.
• Pink salmon are showing up in large numbers throughout Cook Inlet. Anglers wanting to target pink salmon should try fishing from Point Pogibshi to Flat Island.
• Lingcod anglers have continued to have some success along the outer coast over the past week. Use leadhead jigs with a white grubtail for best results.
• 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.

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-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-RS-7-53-23 extended the personal use sockeye salmon dip net fishery in China Poot Creek through Sunday August 13.

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.