What is really slick about the closer scrutiny by the brown shirts is that residents and visitors are starting to take back The Hole from the outlaws who think they own it.

I've had had numerous calls and e-mails asking how to report violators without tying up 911. The local number is (907) 235-8239. Use it. Tell them what's going down, then give a description of the miscreant(s) and the license plate of their ride. Even if enforcement can't react immediately, you'll be giving them a heads-up on who to look out for in the future.

Let's move on before I say something unseemly about certain politicians and their mystifying lack of support for this unique fishery.

I received a report last week that a silver had been caught outside The Lagoon along with some sockeye and a pink. Two were true, one sucked swamp gas. Yes, a couple of reds were taken and a pink misidentified as a coho was landed, so don't overheat that the silvers are back, yet.

Here's a quick way to tell the difference between chinooks, cohos, pinks and sockeyes.

This way you won't embarrass yourself in front of visiting family when someone informs you that you are a major tool for telling your grandkid that he/she just landed a king when it was actually a highly disoriented humpy that didn't have a clue where it was supposed to be.

Kings (chinooks) have a blue-gray back with silvery sides. They also have small, irregular-shaped black spots on their back, dorsal fin, and usually on both lobes of the tail along with a black mouth and black gums at the teeth base of their lower jaw.

Cohos (silvers) have a greenish-blue back with silver sides. They have small black spots on their backs, dorsal fin and usually only on the upper lobe of their tail. They also have a black mouth with white gums at the lower jaw's teeth base.

Sockeyes (reds) have a dark blue back with silvery sides. There are no distinct spots on their back, dorsal fin or tail.

Pinks (humpies) have large spots on their backs and very obvious black oval blotches on both tail lobes. They also have very small scales.

If you still cannot tell the difference between these fish, you are a loser and should go back to mooching for guppies in your home aquarium.

Emergency Orders and Regulation Reminders

The marine waters of Kachemak Bay remain open to snagging except in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon area.

The China Poot personal use dipnet fishery opened July 1. Complete regulations are found on pages 16-18 of the Southcentral Alaska regulation booklet. Try reading them.

Fresh Water: Salmon

The Anchor River reopened to fishing for all species except king salmon on July 1 to department markers located approximately 2 miles upstream.

The Ninilchik River reopened on July 1 to fishing for all species except for wild king salmon from its mouth to department markers located approximately 2 miles upstream.

Deep Creek also reopened to fishing for species other than king salmon on July 1 from its mouth to department markers located approximately 2 miles upstream.

Salt Water: Halibut

Halibut fishing continues to improve for Lower Cook Inlet anglers who know how properly use a circle hook. Fishing near any charter boat that you have been able to stealth follow will be productive.

Daily limit is two halibut, possession limit of four. Lures that work are the preferred bait.

Salt Water: Salmon

King salmon trolling success has been above the snore level in Lower Cook Inlet and Kachemak Bay while being seepage slow north of Bluff Point.

Popular trolling set-ups include non freezer burned herring and anything else that charter captains lie about to us losers with row boats.

King salmon fishing at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon continues to be lackluster. Try salmon eggs, herring, blue Vibrax spinners and chanting. Fishing around the incoming and outgoing tides will give you the illusion of action due to the movement of water.

Silvers will be showing up at The Lagoon around the middle of July. (What travel agent called that in? We're still waiting for the king surge.)

The Fishing Lagoon is currently closed to snagging. Call (907) 235-8239 if the troglodyte who you are fishing next to doesn't believe it.

King fishing is fair in Seldovia and Halibut Cove.

The following notice is awesome: lingcod season opened July 1. There is a minimum size limit of 35 inches and a bag limit of two per day and two in possession. Any fish intended for release must not be gaffed.

I remember catching lings when I was kid in Washington state. They are the best eating fish on the planet and have an attitude when hooked. I'd love to tangle with one of those beasts again.

Shellfish

Good clamming tides run July 5-10 and again July 19-26.

Remember, you may not return razor clams to the sand once you have removed them -- they are delicate and handling damages them increasing their chances of dying. The fine for returning razor clams that have been dug to the sand is $100.

The minimum size for littleneck clams is 1.5 inches; for butter clams, it's 2.5 inches. Undersized clams must be returned to the beach and should be reburied on their side or neck up. The fine for taking undersized clams is $100 plus $2 per clam.

Check your Southcentral Regulation Summary Booklet for clam limits.

Fisheries for king crab, Dungeness crab and shrimp in Cook Inlet remain closed.

Major Update Alert: The Tanner crab sport, personal use and subsistence fishery in Cook Inlet will reopen July 15. A permit is required and available at the Anchorage, Soldotna and Homer Fish and Game offices.

Nick C. Varney is a fishing fanatic in search of semi-truthful tales, tips and facts associated with anything that includes bait and a pole. If you have some, he can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com.