Reports keep coming in that the sockeye runs around 78 miles north of here have been lava hot and the descending hordes of rigs from the new Dodge City — aka Anchorage — are stacked up as deep as the fish. Some of which have ended up candidates for new artificial reef construction. Gotta watch those tides.
The Poot down here has been producing nice limits too — resulting in one of the Spit’s cleaning tables turning into a “flying elbows” hazard zone, especially when the halibut hunters show up.
Maybe that’s the reason our Reeling ‘Em In headquarters received several requests for a copy of a written tutorial we’ve published previously providing basic guidance for those totally filleting impaired.
The following offers a rudimentary approach that will, hopefully, produce identifiable fillets instead of lumps of salmon sausage.
First, make sure your filleting knifes are sharper than the backside of a splitting maul.
Once the fish has been cleaned, (keep the head on) lay it down with its back toward you and near enough to firmly grasp it. This will decrease blade slippage resulting in the inopportune removal of a prison tattoo from some disgruntled dude waiting behind you.
Start just behind the head and begin to cut toward the tail with the knife’s edge in contact with the vertebral column. Carefully slice at a slight incline to glean as much meat as possible from along the back. Continue smoothly cutting through the ribs until you reach the end of the tail. Place the finished fillet aside and allow novice bystanders to gape in awe.
Note: If there is hysterical laughter or power hurling, take what’s left of your catch home and deal with the mess there. You are probably already a YouTube star. Don’t make it worse. But, if everything remains cool, proceed to the next phase.
After completing the filleting of the first side, flip the fish over and perform the same process by cutting from the tail toward the head. Take care to incise around the dorsal fin and then continue carving until you’ve reached the head. Voila! Another, well-honed fillet.
To remove rib bones, start by sliding the knife lightly between those bones and the flesh. Keep the blade as close to the ribs as possible to make sure that you don’t, inadvertently, leave behind more meat than could have been served as an entrée.
Once the ribs have been removed, trim the fillet to eradicate any fat or anything else that disgusts you. Note: Slow, butter-basted, or smoked fish bellies are remarkable delicacies.
Finally, if you are a perfectionist, remove the bones cut through during the filleting process, with a small pair of needle nose pliers.
Yes, I realize that the internet is overflowing with ways to fillet salmon.
But, stuffing a printout of this in your waders might come in handy and help avoid the public humiliation of rolling out a final product akin to bear cud.
Time now for the fishing report for the week of July 22, 2024.
Freshwater Fishing
Anchor River, Deep Creek and the Ninilchik River are still open for sport fishing other than kings. Some pretty good number of dollies continue to enter these streams so expect fair fishing.
Fly fisherman should give smolt patterns, streamers and beads for the best action. Spinners and spoons will do just fine when fishing with spinning rods.
The China Poot personal use dipnet fishery continues rock for sockeye. Those cruising across the bay are having little trouble dipping limits. There are a few pinks slinking in, so pay close attention to what you are keeping.
Saltwater Fishing
Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet
Halibut
Halibut fishing has been steaming hot with the favorable marine weather. The marine forecast indicates that the seas may limit fishing a bit more this week.
Lingcod
The tranquil seas over the last week provided great opportunities to make it to the outer coast resulting in some fine lingcod fishing. Expect similar fishing when the seas chill and allow favorable conditions to make it to the Chugach Islands area.
King Salmon
King fishing south of Bluff Point remained productive over the week. A limited number of chinook are scattered throughout Kachemak Bay. Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher is a fine setup, but hootchies and tube flies will also turn on their need to feed.
Sockeye Salmon
Sockeye fishing in China Poot remained incredible through the weekend. Tutka Bay Lagoon was fair with pinks starting to arrive and lower the IQ of the sea life around them. The same for next week.
Surf Fishing
Surf fishing at the tip of the Homer Spit opens the possibility a landing halibut, sculpins and skates, oh my! Along with flounder, cod, sharks and things we dare not speak of.
Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon
A very modest number of coho caught in the lagoon last week. Expect pitiable fishing until more fish make their debut. Salmon roe clusters or chunks of herring and/or mackerel suspended under a bobber should be cool for getting the silvers’ bite on.
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 and his wife aren’t trapped the Kenai/Soldotna traffic snarls when they travel there for appointments next week.
