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- The areas upstream of the two-mile regulatory markers on the Anchor and Ninilchik rivers and Deep and Stariski creeks opened on August 1 to fishing for Dolly Varden and steelhead/rainbow trout. Salmon may not be targeted or harvested upstream of the 2-mile regulatory markers.
- By emergency order the Tanner crab bag and possession limit has lowered from 5 to 4 crabs in the Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet sport, personal use and subsistence fisheries. Permits are required and are available at the Homer, Soldotna and Anchorage ADF&G offices.
- New, more liberal, regulations for spiny dogfish are in effect and listed below. Regulations for other shark species remains at one fish per day and two per year, and all other sharks kept must be recorded immediately on a fishing license or harvest card.
- The marine waters of Kachemak Bay are now open to snagging, except in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon area.
- Although the daily Anchor River weirs counts were averaging around 100 silver salmon a day, anglers are reporting poor to fair fishing. Most fish were caught early in the morning. Fewer new fish have been entering the river on the incoming tide.
- Anglers fishing the lower sections of the Ninilchik River and Deep Creek also report poor to fair catches of silver salmon.
- Stream flows are relatively stable. Look for more silver salmon to enter the river when rains cause the river levels to rise.
- The most effective technique for catching silver salmon in these streams is drifting salmon roe clusters along the bottom. Roe can also be suspended just off the bottom under bobbers. Plug-cut herring, spinners in sizes 3-6, and weighted flies also work.
- The limits for salmon, other than king salmon, are three per day and three in possession, only two of which can be silver salmon.
- Anglers are reporting fair to good fishing for Dolly Varden with small salmon roe clusters and small spinners. Fly-fishers are having good success with egg patterns, beads and muddler minnow patterns.
- The daily bag and possession limit for Dolly Varden is two fish.
- Remember that steelhead trout hooked in the Anchor River, Deep Creek, Stariski Creek and the Ninilchik River must not be removed from the water and must be released immediately.
- Halibut fishing is poor in Kachemak Bay but fair to good if you travel to central or southern Cook Inlet from Homer, or fish out of Anchor Point and Deep Creek. Most anglers have been catching their bag limits in Cook Inlet.
- From Homer, try the Compass Rose area for smaller fish but closer to port. For larger fish, try the Flat Island area and beyond.
- Halibut landed over the past week averaged less than 17.5 pounds.
- Try fishing around and during the slack tide. This allows anglers to keep bait on the bottom with less weight.
- Herring is the most popular bait, but octopus, squid, salmon heads, and jigs work well.
- Fishing for silver salmon in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit was poor last week. Some new fish arrived on a couple of incoming tides but overall there was very few new silver salmon.
- Anglers are reporting catching a few silvers while trolling in the Point Pogibshi area and along the beaches north of the Anchor River but success has still been spotty. Trolling has been the most effective approach.
- Anglers are reporting some feeder king salmon being caught while trolling for silver salmon. Try fishing a little deeper to target king salmon.
- The most popular trolling set-up for king and silver salmon is herring behind a flasher or dodger. Trolling hootchies, tube flies, and spoons behind flashers also works. Try fishing in the shallow kelp beds near Bluff Point or trolling along the west shore of the Homer Spit to BishopÕs Beach. Watch out for rocks along BishopÕs Beach.
- The daily bag and possession limit for spiny dogfish was increased to 5 per day.
- There is no longer an annual limit and recording requirement for spiny dogfish.
- Dogfish travel in large packs, so be prepared to release a few or pick up and move to avoid them.
- Remember it is illegal to intentionally waste or destroy and species of sport-caught fish, including dogfish.
- You may use the head, tail, fins and viscera of sport-caught spiny dog fish for bait.
- Lingcod fishing has been good. Many anglers target lingcod near the rock piles and pinnacles by Elizabeth Island and Kennedy Entrance. There is a minimum size limit of 35 inches and a bag limit of 2 per day/2 in possession. A gaff may not be used for any fish intended for release.
- Dolly Varden are available off the end of the Homer Spit. Try fishing small silvery or orange spinners for best results.
- A variety of cod and flounders are plentiful off the end of the Homer Spit by LandÕs End. Use herring or jigs for the best success. Familiarize yourself with the identification of the different species so you can tell which ones are good to eat.
- There are some clamming tides this week (August 23-26) but these are small minus tides and wonÕt provide much time to dig for clams.
- Littleneck (steamer) and butter clams can be found in gravel beaches on the south side of Kachemak Bay from Seldovia to Chugachik Island.
- Good numbers of butter clams are found on the islands in China Poot Bay. Butter clams can be found up to 2 ft deep.
- Littleneck clams can be found on in a variety of habitats from Jakolof Bay to Bear Cove. Try exploring new beaches for success. Typically, littleneck clams are found shallower in the substrate, up to 1 ft deep.
- Razor clams can be found on the sandy beaches from Kasilof to Homer and are exposed on any minus tides. Tides of minus -2.0 feet or lower are suggested.
- Expect to find many small clams on the Ninilchik Beaches. There was a large spawning event that recently occurred and this recruitment is now in the 2"-4" size range.
- There are still large clams in the Ninilchik area but they may be difficult to locate. Look for larger shows to potentially target larger clams.
- Remember that all razor clams that are dug must be kept regardless of size. Check through the sand removed from your hole for any additional clams prior to digging a new hole.
- There are fair to good numbers of medium sized clams on the Clam Gulch beaches.
- For larger razor clams, try the Deep Creek to Whiskey Gulch beaches. The number of clams on these beaches are fewer than the northern beaches. So explore around to find shows.
- All shrimp and crab fisheries in Kachemak Bay are currently closed. Tanner crabs will open July 15 and a free permit is required and will be available in July. Personal use (Alaska residents only) shrimp is open for the North Gulf coast and a free permit is required. Both permits are available at the Homer and Anchorage ADF&G offices.
- The Kachemak Bay coho salmon gillnet fishery opened Monday August 16. A permit is required and available at the Homer ADF&G office.
- The China Poot personal use fishery is closed.
Good luck fishing!!
This concludes the Homer - Lower Kenai Peninsula fishing forecast.
Area webpage: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/areas/homer/homhome.cfm
Salmon and trout identification pages: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/regulations/2001/html/pdfs/01ayksalmonid.pdf
River levels: http://aprfc.arh.noaa.gov/cgi-bin/ahps.cgi?pacr
Lake stocking: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/Hatchery/Stocking_search/HTML/stock_search.cfm
Maps to stocked lakes: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/Region2/LAKEMAPS/HTML/LAKEMAP1.stm
Southcentral informational handouts: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/region2/pubs.cfm
Safety in bear country: http://www.wildlife.alaska.gov/hunt_trap/hunting/huntak/huntak14.cfm
Enforcement: http://www.dps.state.ak.us/fwp/index.asp
Regulations: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/reghome.cfm
Northern pike: http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/region2/areas/anch/pikepage.cfm
OEO/ADA statement: http://www.adfg.state.ak.us/oeostate.php
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