I’d like to indulge in a bit of nostalgia by sharing a column extracted from a dusty disk file that’s still as relevant as it was when archived decades ago.
It’s really interesting writing a fishing column in a burg where most everyone seems to have three times the knowledge and skills of a piscator Obi-Wan Kenobi when it comes to perfect techniques, gear, success rates and the ability to make stuff up faster than I can ask questions.
Sometimes it’s tough to tell if an angler’s mischievously yanking my chain with tall tales or just laying out the facts.
Luckily, over the years I have developed a state-of-the-art b.s. meter. How? Because I am one of them and have been fishing so long there probably isn’t a blatant fishing fabrication that I haven’t heard or made up myself.
Being misleading or mendacious, if you will, is part of the sport. Who wants to give away their secret fishing hole or covert bait? Even if shared willingly, a seasoned angler will become instantly suspicious and figure that it must be some sort of nefarious setup. Why, because, no sober sportsman in their right mind would ever reveal clandestine info that might let some dude or dudette out-fish them.
What I really admire about true fisherman is that they excel when it comes to having a sense of humor and have the kindness to teach their skills to anyone who truly wants to learn.
I remember a time in the high Cascades of Washington State when I went on an extended campout to earn a few merit badges. While hiking a remote trail, I met a man who looked as old as the canyon walls surrounding him and lived in a secluded cabin at the headwaters of the stream I was following.
He was a bit cantankerous and surprised to see me that deep into the mountains but when I explained my quest and solicited advice about setting snares and discovering the haunts of the native cutthroat trout, his demeanor changed dramatically.
During the next four days, J. taught me about fishing wild streams with indigenous baits and how to identify active game trails along with survival tips not contained within the manuals I carried.
He also turned out to be a master of storytelling and treasure cache of details about the area’s history.
When I recounted my experience to folks living in a nearby town, they just blew off my tale as a kid without a clue. The gentleman had a rep of being a recluse with a touch of antisocialism. Plus, he was always armed.
I’ve never sensed antisocialism, only caution when approached by someone unknown to him. As for being armed? His lifestyle required it.
I’ve always wondered if someone in the burg had really tried to communicate with J. or just judged him by the rumors.
I carry the teachable moments he shared until this day. Such as this one.
“If you see someone successful at what you really want to learn and do it right, set aside your ego, and solicit their coaching.”
In Homer, we have a multitude of class-act fishermen who take pride in their craft and will take the time to tutor you, if you simply request help.
Of course, there are others that won’t, probably because they prefer midnight runs with snagging hooks and flipping hooks.
OK, back to 2024 and a look at the fishing report for the week of Aug. 19.
This will be quick with the way the things have been going lately.
Freshwater Fishing
Anchor River, Deep Creek, and the Ninilchik River are open to sport fishing other than the kings. Note: Please check for emergency orders prior to fishing.
Coho Salmon
Silver fishing continues to be abysmal in the lower Kenai Peninsula streams. Fishing the early morning, near the mouth of the rivers in or around high tide, may produce some fresh fish. “May” is the operative word.
Dolly Varden
Dolly fishing has been fair. Beads pegged under small strike indicators is one of the more effective ways to attract dolly strikes. For fly fisherman, smolt patterns, streamers, and beads remain hot attractants. Spinners and spoons are rockin’ options when hunting them with spinning gear.
Saltwater Fishing
Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet
Halibut
Halibut fishing has been pretty fair although the marine weather has been a bummer limiting the number of days to safely motor out to the fishing grounds.
Lingcod
Lingcod fishing has been fine on the outer coast, including the Chugach Islands area, when the seas calm their jets.
King Salmon
King fishing improved last week with a plethora of good reports from throughout Kachemak Bay. Silver Ridge, Bluff Point, and the Eldred Passage area were all giving up chinook.
Coho Salmon
Trolling for the elusive silvers has been a pitiful experience throughout Cook Inlet salt waters.
Surf Fishing
Surf fishing at the tip of the Homer Spit keeps providing a multiplicity of groundfish including halibut, sculpins, skates, sharks, flounders, cod things a starving cat wouldn’t touch.
Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon
The silver salmon run in the fishing hole has come to a miserable conclusion for the season.
Local Lakes
The Homer Reservoir (located on Skyline Drive) remains a remarkable place to take catch dollies. Yes, the fish are small, but at least, unlike the silvers this year, there are some to hook into. The little scrappers are often lurking 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, will work just fine 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.
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
Cook Inlet Sport Fishing Regulation Changes
East Cook Inlet Razor Clam Fisheries Remain Closed for 2024
For additional information, please contact the Homer Office at 907-235-8191.
Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com. If he isn’t busy tracking down the rumor that interplanetary aliens had something to do with the disappearance of the coho. It’s a good as some of the other theories that have shown up in his inbox.
