|
- Please refrain from setting crab pots in Kachemak Bay August 15-29; the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be conducting a sonar survey to provide detailed bottom and habitat mapping of Kachemak Bay during those dates. If entangled with sonar gear, crab pots could be lost and/or the sonar gear could be broken.
- Tanner crab fishing is open in Cook Inlet. A PERMIT IS REQUIRED TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS FISHERY. Permits are available only at Fish and Game offices in Anchorage, Soldotna and Homer, Monday-Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- The waters upstream of ADF&G markers on the Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik River are open to fishing only for Dolly Varden and rainbow/steelhead trout. Rainbow/steelhead trout may not be removed from the water or kept, and must be released immediately. These upstream waters are closed to all salmon fishing, including catch and release.
- At the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit, anglers may no longer fish with weights or bobbers beyond the hook or hooks. The hook or hooks must be the last piece of tackle on the line.
- Anglers fishing the lower sections of the Anchor River and Deep Creek report fair catches of silver salmon, especially around the high tide. Silvers will be available through Labor Day. The limits for salmon are 3 per day and 3 in possession, only 2 of which can be silver salmon.
- Steelhead are starting to enter the rivers. The steelhead runs are not large and all rainbow/steelhead are catch-and-release only. Please familiarize yourself with the differences between silver salmon and steelhead trout. Rainbow/steelhead have black spots over the entire tail fin and have white mouths and gums, while silver (coho) have black spots only on the upper lobe of the tail fin and their mouth is black with white gums on lower jaw.
- Treble hooks and bait are allowed on these streams until September 1. Try using salmon roe and herring when targeting silver salmon. Size 3 or smaller spinners and spoons are effective lures for salmon and Dolly Varden.
- On the Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik River, anglers can expect fair catches of Dolly Varden.
- Fly-fishers targeting Dolly Varden are having good success with egg patterns, beads and Muddler Minnow patterns.
- The limit on these streams for Dolly Varden is 2 per day and 2 in possession.
- Pink salmon are returning in good numbers to streams on the west side of Kachemak Bay.
- Halibut fishing continues to be good. The best fishing has been 15 to 25 miles west of Homer or several miles offshore from Seldovia or Point Pogibshi or in the vicinity of Flat Island.
- Average size for the typical sport-caught halibut is around 15 lbs., with herring on circle hooks the standard gear.
- Fishing out of Deep Creek and Anchor Point has also been good. Many boats are fishing in waters between 80 and 130 feet deep, and usually 10 miles or more offshore. Most charters and private boats are bringing back their limits.
- Daily limit is 2 halibut, possession limit of 4.
- Silver salmon fishing is fair to good at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. Silvers will be available in the Lagoon into September.
- Cured salmon eggs are working well on the incoming tide, but herring also works well. During slack water in the Lagoon, try fishing bait below a bobber.
- The daily bag and possession limit for silver salmon is 6 in the Lagoon area. The Fishing Lagoon is currently closed to snagging.
- Silver salmon fishing in Mud Bay at the base of the Homer Spit has been good this week.
- Trolling success for king salmon has picked up off the south side of Kachemak Bay, Bluff Point and north to Ninilchik.
- Trollers are catching some silver salmon around the mouth of Kachemak Bay.
- Popular trolling tackle includes herring, hootchies, tube flies, and spoons. Try using dodgers or flashers for extra attraction.
- Anglers targeting lingcod, rockfish and other bottomfish have been doing well. Most anglers are fishing 30 to 100 feet deep near the Elizabeth and East Chugach islands.
- A series of good clamming tides run through August 20 and August 28-September 1.
- Littleneck (steamer) and butter clams can be found in gravel beaches on the south side of Kachemak Bay from Seldovia to Chugachik Island.
- Diggers are reporting an abundance of small razor clams and few large clams from the Clam Gulch access area. For larger clams, head further south, to the Ninilchik or Whiskey Gulch access locations.
- Razor clamming is reported as good in all other locations.
- Subsistence, personal use, and sport fisheries for Tanner crab is open July 15 Ð March 15 in the waters of Cook Inlet and the North Gulf Coast. A PERMIT IS REQUIRED prior to harvesting; permits are free and available at ADF&G offices in Anchorage, Soldotna and Homer.
- Fisheries for king crab, Dungeness crab and shrimp in Cook Inlet remain closed.
- The Kachemak Bay coho salmon gillnet fishery opened August 18. A permit is required and available for Alaska residents at the Homer ADF&G office.
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
|
