As most of you know by now, things have changed dramatically out on the Spit as the tourist season kicks into high gear.
Cruise ships are rolling in along with RV caravans sporting rigs featuring everything from satellite dishes to side-out decks configured with barbecue grills large enough to feed a Super Bowl tailgate party.
On weekends, keeping your head on a swivel is a must, especially when rolling through touristville where clueless shoppers and gawkers suddenly appear from behind parked cars, trucks and buildings like they were strolling through a mall.
Then there’s the traffic on the Spit road.
Example. One day last week, while on a scouting and interview run out to the fishing lagoon and other cleaning stations, I had just entered the 25-mph zone prior to reaching my turnoff when a Mad Max driver in an open Jeep nearly melted the tires off the left side of my rig as he passed me doing approximately Mach II.
The Jeep jockey dude looked to have been all of 12 years old and had a facial expression that resembled a demented weasel on crack. I figured that he was either late for work as a bathroom doorstop or had just stolen the scrapheap from his detention class monitor. Either way, he’s lucky that he didn’t end up as an example of spontaneous pavement art.
Please be careful out there folks. There’s a lot to enjoy as the summer influx builds but remember the swivel advice. It could mean a time to remember or one you’d like to forget.
Time now for a look at the fishing report for the week of June 9.
Freshwater fishing
The Anchor River and Deep Creek are closed to all sport fishing through July 15.
The Ninilchik River will open again to hatchery king salmon fishing on June 16. The numbers of hatchery fish counted have been pretty good so far, but most have been on the small side.
Saltwater fishing
Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet
Groundfish
Halibut fishing has been smokin’ but the marine weather did get a wee nasty, which hampered some effort at the end of last week.
Looking for a hot pocket of flats? Check out the Flat Island area. Herring on a circle hook is working great along with octopus, salmon heads, and jigs with white bodies and red eyes.
Surf fishing anglers were still getting it on during their halibut hunts over the last week.
Also, launching lines off the tip of the Homer Spit is producing an interesting assortment of groundfish including halibut, sculpins, skates, sharks, flounders, cod and things resembling creatures from a Stephen King novel.
King Salmon
King fishing south of Bluff Point has been flat decent with nice reports from the Bluff and 4th of July areas, as well as some locations beyond Kachemak Bay.
Early morning has been more productive than later in the afternoon at Bluff Point. Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher remain the most popular setups, but hootchies and tube flies will also draw strikes.
To find kings at any location, try setting the gear at different depths including mid-water column and 10 feet off the bottom.
The king run at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon improved over the last week as more fish showed up with the tides. But don’t get too excited. Things will still be slow to fair throughout the coming week.
Fishing the incoming or outgoing tide is typically your best bet.
Roe under a bobber, herring, mackerel slices, and spinners are all good methods for whacking a king. Although, for the metal advocates, a blue Vibrax is a reliable hit getter.
Seldovia Slough and Lagoon Chinook fishing also improved over the weekend. Anglers were finding fluctuating luck fishing the bridge at the mouth of the lagoon. Try cured eggs or herring under a slip bobber or spinners.
Incoming tide is the best time to nail kings at the bridge. High tide is better in the lagoon.
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. No retention of yelloweye through June 30.
For additional information, please contact the Homer ADF&G Office at 907-235-8191.
Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com is he isn’t busy dodging candidates for demolitions derbies on one of his Spit forays.
