One of the “must see” highlights of the Fourth of July weekend was having a frontline seat for the opening of snagging at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon.
We rolled up 90 minutes early and nailed down a primo viewing site across from the entrance then settled in to watch as anglers laid claim to turfs along the inner banks.
Once the snag fest commenced, small jacks learned to fly and some of the heftier kings were nearly beaten to death by fanatical, wannabe netters as they tried to drag them onshore. In some cases, their landing proficiency was directly related to how many brew safaris they had made to their rigs.
Most of the bigger chinook sported blushed sides with a few surviving elders reaching a decomposing point to where they would be lucky to retain their heads if snagged between the eyes.
The action wasn’t as hot as in the past, but neither was the run.
A couple of hardcore enthusiasts reported that they were able to pick up a few chrome-plated fish during the zero dark thirty hours.
Then there’s Jim K’s tale of woe, who had been camping at the lagoon for a week without landing a thing but a mentally challenged jack.
The evening before snagging opened, he finally got into a blackmouth outside the lagoon’s entrance and the fight was on. The fish was bright silver and seriously disturbed about its dental display being modified by treble-hook braces.
Jim, on the other hand, was deeply pleased with the fish’s new grill work until, “whoosh.”
Suddenly his quarry became sushi while all he could do was stare and snarl when his line snapped as a seal rocketed into the bay with his coveted trophy locked in its jaws.
JK was not amused as the beast backstroked east, sporting a salmon-enhanced grin while dragging 30 feet of line along with his favorite strike indicator.
He finally mumbled that it was looking as if the jack he caught earlier in the week was going to end up costing him around $400 a pound and a nightmare traffic run back to Wasilla. From the look on his wife’s face, it was going to be a long ride home.
Time now to take a look at the fishing report for the week of July 7.
Freshwater Fishing
The Anchor River, Deep Creek, and Ninilchik River are closed to all sport fishing through July 15.
China Poot personal use dipnet fishery kicked up a gear last week. This week would be a primo time to catch your fill of sockeye for the grill, smoker and freezer.
Saltwater Fishing
Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet
Groundfish
Halibut fishing continues to be griddle-hot, although some locations have become spotty, so be prepared to move or drift around until you find them. Plenty of large slabs were taken over the holiday weekend.
Both lingcod and yelloweye seasons are open. Most anglers travel to the outer coast to find the hotspots. Fishing for both over the week should continue to be productive on conducive weather days.
Surf fishing has remained a popular option for those anglers without boats. Whiskey Gulch and Deep Creek continue to be great locations for launching from the beach for halibut.
Fishing off the tip of the Homer Spit is still producing a variety of groundfish including halibut, sculpins, skates, sharks, flounders and cod with an attitude.
King Salmon
King fishing was boring to acceptable last week. July is usually the slowest month for the big boys.
There are swarms of pinks hanging in the hood around Point Pogibshi, which can be challenging to sift through to find a king. Try fishing deeper to avoid the idiots. Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher leads the most popular setup vote, but hootchies and tube flies will also pop them.
Sockeye Salmon
There should be a nice number of sockeye around Tutka Lagoon and in front of China Poot Creek. Most anglers snag these fish with weighted treble hooks.
Coho Salmon
There are scattered reports of coho in the Dudiak Lagoon and showing up while trolling the outer portions of Kachemak Bay. Expect poor fishing over the next week until the runs start to get serious.
Emergency Orders
Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.
Anchor River and Deep Creek Closed to Sport Fishing
Sport Fishing For King Salmon Closed in Upper Cook Inlet Salt Waters
King Salmon Bag Limit Reduced from 2 to 1 in Lower Cook Inlet Salt Waters
Changes to King Salmon Gear in the Ninilchik River
Rockfish bag limit reduction: 2 pelagic, 1 non-pelagic.
For additional information, please contact the Homer ADF&G Office at 907-235-8191.
Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com if you have any tips, tales or grumpy mumbles to share.
