‘Tis true, more silvers are hangover-straggling into the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon, but don’t get too riled up. The present middling tides will probably keep the action slower than the crawling skills of a keg party survivor until the minus tides arrive next week.

Then, if the lagoon starts producing a mother lode of silver, remember that coho can still be finicky little $^&+s, so be adaptable in your presentations.

Over the years, our massive staff has received a surfeit (horde) of queries as to what’s hot and what truly sucks when it comes to the kind of setup that will get their drool on.

Cured eggs work well especially if you angle them into the stream of the incoming and outgoing tides. Mount a medium-sized split shot about a foot to 18 inches up from your bait and cast into the water flow without inadvertently garroting one of the overzealous fanatics beside you.

If you are fishing calmer waters, use a bobber and position your bait (eggs, herring, mackerel) around 12 to 18 inches below it. When a fish hits and the float submarines, let it run underwater for about five seconds or so while slowly tightening the line until you feel the pressure of the fish, then strike back. This will increase your chance for a solid hookup.

If your quarry acts like they’d opt to having their butts gnawed off by a snaggle toothed seal rather than go for what you’re flinging, rotate your bait offerings. If you use herring, plug-cut the little fin beaters because it’s easier to set them up to spin and the technique will introduce more scent into the water.

If the bait approach puts them to sleep, then give flashy silver-bladed lures a shot, such as a #3 Vibrax or Flash-N-Glo. Test different body colors (red, orange, blue, tiger striped). Vary the speed and depth of your retrieves.

If you still can’t get a hit, check out your surroundings. If the sun is bright on the water, the prospect of a silver hit is gloomy. Early morning and late evening hours bring on a much higher probability take downs. Cool days blanketed with a dark shading of overcast skies can bring on the action also.

Remember, that these fish may go on “the bite.” When that happens, it’s like flipping on a blender out there. Suddenly, all pole-bending hell can break loose and then, just as abruptly, shut down.

Hint: If you hit the lagoon between two hours before and two hours after a high tide, you’ll stand a better chance of experiencing the strike zone.

Another hint: If you abhor knocking elbows, try the quieter shoreline on the outside. You can spot the schools coming either by their surface wake or the frequent flyers. Lead the schools like you’re tracking a flock of incoming ducks and then fire your bobber out about twenty feet in front of them.

As the head of the wake closes in on your float, slightly twitch your line to encourage an automatic strike response as they pass and your bait stirs. Good luck.

Now it’s time to take a look at the fishing report for the week of July 29.

Freshwater Fishing

Anchor River, Deep Creek, and the Ninilchik River remain open to sport fishing other than the kings. There continues to be a respectable quantity of dollies cruising up these tributaries so the fishing should remain fair.

If you are flinging flies, then smolt patterns, streamers, and beads are nice options. As for those of you who prefer using spinning rods, spinners and spoons are excellent lures.

China Poot personal use dipnet fishery continues to hit the winning bell for sockeye. Those taking the effort to make the trip across the bay are still slamming their dipping limits, although the number of fish in the creek has dropped off some.

“Tell me it’s not so!” Alert: There may be a couple of unhinged humpies showing up, so pay close attention to avoid embarrassing yourself by counting a cat food qualifier as a primo red.

Saltwater Fishing

Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet

Halibut

Halibut fishing has remained just this side of “sizzle”, with some notable hawgs hauled out of the Inlet last week.

Lingcod

Lingcod fishing has been beyond respectable along the outer coast, including the Chugach Islands area. That’s when the sea gives its permission, of course.

King Salmon

King fishing south of Bluff Point remained productive over the week, with reports of larger fish being landed in the bluff area.

A small number of chinook can be found scattered throughout Kachemak Bay.

Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher continue to get the job done, but hootchies and tube flies will also do the trick.

To ferret out kings at any location, try setting your gear at different depths including mid-water columns and 10 feet off the bottom.

Sockeye Salmon

Tutka Bay Lagoon was fair and pinks are continuing to dumb down the area. Expect similar conditions over the week.

Surf Fishing

Surf fishing at the tip of the Homer Spit has continued to supply anglers a kaleidoscope of groundfish including halibut, sculpins, skates, sharks, flounders, cod, and things that look dead but are just looking for trouble.

Local Lakes

The Homer Reservoir (located on Skyline Drive) is a neat place to pop Dolly Varden. Yeah, the fish are small, but can be a kick to catch. Dollies like to cruise along the shore by the road, or the south shore. Fire a variety of very small spinners and spoons at them. Nymphs and dry flies, such as mosquitoes, can work great when the wind is calm.

Emergency Orders

Please review the following 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 still isn’t on the trail of hook that may help stop some of the outlaw snagging going on at the fishing hole.