Area Sport Fishing Reports
Southern Kenai/LCI

August 28, 2024

Freshwater Fishing

Anchor River, Deep Creek, and the Ninilchik River are open to sport fishing other than king salmon.

Dolly Varden

Dolly Varden fishing has been fair. Fishing with beads pegged under small strike indicators is one of the most effective ways to target dollies. For fly fisherman, smolt patterns, streamers, and beads are the best options. Spinners and spoons are great options for fishing with spinning rods.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon fishing has been slow on the lower Kenai Peninsula streams. Fishing the early morning near the mouth of the rivers near a high tide may produce some fresh fish. There is plenty of rain in this week’s weather forecast which could make these streams unfishable if the rain is significant. Check NOAA’s Anchor River hydrograph before planning a fishing trip.

Steelhead

Fair numbers of steelhead have been arriving to these streams already this season. Beads and flies are the best bets to catch them in both the lower and upper sections of these streams.

Saltwater Fishing

Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet

Halibut

There’s still plenty of good halibut fishing to be had though marine weather has limited the numbers of days to leave the harbor over the last week. Herring on a circle hook is the most popular bait; however, octopus, salmon heads, and jigs also work well.

King Salmon

King salmon fishing has good with lots of successful reports from throughout Kachemak Bay. Silver Ridge, Bluff Point, and the Eldred Passage area were all producing catches of king salmon.

Lingcod

Lingcod fishing has been good on the outer coast, including the Chugach Islands area, when the seas have allowed.

Coho Salmon

Trolling for coho salmon has been poor throughout Cook Inlet salt waters.

Surf Fishing

Surf fishing at the tip of the Homer spit has provided anglers a variety of groundfish including halibut, sculpins, skates, sharks, flounders, and cod.

Local Lakes

The Homer Reservoir (located on Skyline Drive) is a great place to take catch Dolly Varden. The fish are small, but can be fun to catch. Dollies are often found along the shore by the road, or the south shore. Try a variety of very small spinners and spoons. Nymphs and dry flies, such as mosquitoes, can work great when the wind is calm.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

• NEW: EO 2-SS-1-58-24: Coho salmon bag limit reduced to 1 per day in Cook Inlet salt waters
• NEW: EO 2-SS-1-57-24: Coho salmon bag limit reduced to 1 per day and gear is restricted to single-hook artificial lure in all lower Kenai Peninsula fresh waters
• Press Release: Cook Inlet Sport Fishing Regulation Changes

Don't forget to purchase your 2024 sport fishing license and king stamp! You can purchase and display your fishing license and king stamp, record your annual harvest (i.e. king salmon), access sport fishing regulations and locations, and so much more on your mobile device. Download the ADF&G Mobile App today. You can also purchase licenses through the ADF&G online store and print it off from the comfort of your own home. Make sure to review emergency orders, advisory announcements, and the 2024 Southcentral Alaska Sport Fishing Regulations Summary booklet for the area you are fishing before you head out.

For additional information, please contact the ADF&G Homer office at (907) 235-8191.