08-30-2004, 03:29 AM
Lower Cook Inlet Area
Salt Waters
Halibut [ul] [li]Halibut anglers in Central and Lower Cook Inlet have been reporting more difficulty finding and catching decent-sized fish. This coincides with the annual outmigration of halibut from shallower coastal areas to deeper waters that generally takes place sometime after the middle of August. [li]Good fishing has still been reported from Point Adams out to the Barren Islands and Chugach Islands, although fishing in the middle of the Inlet has slowed down somewhat. [li]In spite of the outmigration of halibut from Lower Cook Inlet, fishing for halibut can still be very productive, with success limited primarily by rough seas. [li]The bag limit for halibut is 2 per day (4 in possession). [/li][/ul]
Marine Waters King Salmon [ul] [li]Salt water Cook Inlet feeder king salmon fishing is available around Bluff Point, Point Pogibshi, and other nearshore locations in Kachemak Bay. Fishing has been fair to good with anglers using cut herring for bait, hootchies, or spinners. [/li][/ul]
Other Salt Water Fishing [ul] [li]Many silvers are being picked up at the "green can" off the Homer Spit,out at Flat Island and in the Bluff Point/Anchor Point areas. [li]Anglers continue to have a great time catching silver salmon at the Fishing Hole. The best bite is early in the morning or on the flooding and ebbing tides. Spinners are working well inside the Hole, along with cut herring and cured salmon eggs below a bobber or drifted salmon eggs when the water is flooding into the Hole. [li]Best luck for catching lingcod is fishing the Barren Islands or the Chugach Islands areas. Lingcod season remains open until December 31. The minimum size limit is 35 inches, and the bag limit is 2 per day and 2 in possession. [li]Rockfish fishing is also open all year. Most rockfish are taken while targeting halibut or salmon. Rockfish caught in less than 60 feet of water generally survive release. The bag limits are 5 rockfish per day, no more than 1 of which may be a non-pelagic species. [li]Large schools of spiny dogfish have recently moved into Cook Inlet. Anglers are reminded that all dogfish that are not kept must be carefully released. The bag limits for all sharks, including dogfish, are one fish per day and two per year, and they must be immediately recorded on the back of your license or on your harvest record card. [li]Anglers are reminded that all fish that are gaffed must be kept as part of that person's bag and possession limit. A person may not gaff a fish for which the fishing season is closed, that is not of legal size, or that is to be released. [/li][/ul] Shellfish [ul] [li]The next series of clamming tides runs August 28-September 1. Again, a PSP warning has been issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation for Kachemak Bay. Clammers should read the "news release" information above and visit the website listed in the "Helpful Links" section of this report. [li]Dungeness, King and Tanner crab, and shrimp fisheries are closed in Cook Inlet and the Outer Gulf Coast. [/li][/ul] Fresh Waters [ul] [li]Silvers are entering Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik River, but aren't biting readily, possibly because of the warm temperatures and very low water levels. [li]Pink salmon can also be found in these streams. [li]For salmon fishing, drift eggs or cast small to medium spinners for best results. Silvers will be available through Labor Day. [li]Steelhead are starting to enter the rivers. Please familiarize yourself with the differences between a silver salmon and a steelhead. Rainbow/steelhead have black spots all over both lobes of the tail, while silvers have black spots only on the upper lobe of the tail. [li]Rainbow/steelhead trout may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately in these streams. [/li][/ul]
Salt Waters
Halibut [ul] [li]Halibut anglers in Central and Lower Cook Inlet have been reporting more difficulty finding and catching decent-sized fish. This coincides with the annual outmigration of halibut from shallower coastal areas to deeper waters that generally takes place sometime after the middle of August. [li]Good fishing has still been reported from Point Adams out to the Barren Islands and Chugach Islands, although fishing in the middle of the Inlet has slowed down somewhat. [li]In spite of the outmigration of halibut from Lower Cook Inlet, fishing for halibut can still be very productive, with success limited primarily by rough seas. [li]The bag limit for halibut is 2 per day (4 in possession). [/li][/ul]
Marine Waters King Salmon [ul] [li]Salt water Cook Inlet feeder king salmon fishing is available around Bluff Point, Point Pogibshi, and other nearshore locations in Kachemak Bay. Fishing has been fair to good with anglers using cut herring for bait, hootchies, or spinners. [/li][/ul]
Other Salt Water Fishing [ul] [li]Many silvers are being picked up at the "green can" off the Homer Spit,out at Flat Island and in the Bluff Point/Anchor Point areas. [li]Anglers continue to have a great time catching silver salmon at the Fishing Hole. The best bite is early in the morning or on the flooding and ebbing tides. Spinners are working well inside the Hole, along with cut herring and cured salmon eggs below a bobber or drifted salmon eggs when the water is flooding into the Hole. [li]Best luck for catching lingcod is fishing the Barren Islands or the Chugach Islands areas. Lingcod season remains open until December 31. The minimum size limit is 35 inches, and the bag limit is 2 per day and 2 in possession. [li]Rockfish fishing is also open all year. Most rockfish are taken while targeting halibut or salmon. Rockfish caught in less than 60 feet of water generally survive release. The bag limits are 5 rockfish per day, no more than 1 of which may be a non-pelagic species. [li]Large schools of spiny dogfish have recently moved into Cook Inlet. Anglers are reminded that all dogfish that are not kept must be carefully released. The bag limits for all sharks, including dogfish, are one fish per day and two per year, and they must be immediately recorded on the back of your license or on your harvest record card. [li]Anglers are reminded that all fish that are gaffed must be kept as part of that person's bag and possession limit. A person may not gaff a fish for which the fishing season is closed, that is not of legal size, or that is to be released. [/li][/ul] Shellfish [ul] [li]The next series of clamming tides runs August 28-September 1. Again, a PSP warning has been issued by the Department of Environmental Conservation for Kachemak Bay. Clammers should read the "news release" information above and visit the website listed in the "Helpful Links" section of this report. [li]Dungeness, King and Tanner crab, and shrimp fisheries are closed in Cook Inlet and the Outer Gulf Coast. [/li][/ul] Fresh Waters [ul] [li]Silvers are entering Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik River, but aren't biting readily, possibly because of the warm temperatures and very low water levels. [li]Pink salmon can also be found in these streams. [li]For salmon fishing, drift eggs or cast small to medium spinners for best results. Silvers will be available through Labor Day. [li]Steelhead are starting to enter the rivers. Please familiarize yourself with the differences between a silver salmon and a steelhead. Rainbow/steelhead have black spots all over both lobes of the tail, while silvers have black spots only on the upper lobe of the tail. [li]Rainbow/steelhead trout may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately in these streams. [/li][/ul]