By Nick Varney

Special to the Homer Independent Press

The Spit was packed last week and the parking lots, along with the boat trailer storage areas, resembled massive staging areas for what looked to be a possible invasion of Seldovia.

Dodging whack-a-peds suddenly appearing from behind rigs while trying to check out different vendors across “tourist avenue” was a skillset in itself.

The area around the Nick Dudiak Lagoon was a bit calmer, but so was the fishing until the tide started to roll in.

Now don’t get excited, before the freshwater moved into the lagoon it was deader than a bug smacking the grill of a loaded cement truck doing 70.

As the inbound current increased, so did the strikes, but the fish were small and missed opportunities were amazing. Thus, the following is offered as a gentle reminder as to how to deal with the silver warriors.

Most of the fishermen were using either roe or small herring floating a couple of feet below a bobber. Nice setups, but here are a few additional suggestions.

First, when you are floating the current, make sure you use enough weight to take your bait down. Be patient if the float goes under. Let the fish run and commit to the strike, then set the hook. Too many take-downs were blown because the bait was ripped from the silver’s mouth before the hook was in a position to be properly set.

If you are fishing the calm waters of the lagoon, the rule is the same if your bobber takes a dive. Let it run underwater for at least a count of five, then gently reel up slack until you feel the line tight, then strike back.

Fish do not appreciate the sunlight and are easily spooked, so drag your keister down to the water at the first flush of dawn or when the sun beds down and the water cools. You will find your prey to be more active and ready to feed.

Note: Silvers are notorious for suddenly “going on the bite” and then just as quickly shutting down. There is a rhythm to it if you take the time to learn it.

More tips next week.

Time now for the fishing report for the week of July 27.

Freshwater Fishing

The lower sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams are open to sport fishing for fish other than the blackmouth, but the dolly counts are lousy, and the coho are no-shows so far.

Expect snail-slow fishing for another week in the lower river.

The upstream sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams are open to sport fishing except salmon starting Aug. 1.

Again, the dollies are scarce in these streams so expect slow fishing. Beads are the most effective way to catch dollies this time of year if you can find them.

China Poot Personal Use Sockeye Salmon

There are still plenty of sockeye arriving to the creek on a daily basis. Most dippers are nailing their limits. Expect things to slow down over the next week or so.

Saltwater Fishing

Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet

Halibut

Halibut fishing remained solid over the week in Kachemak Bay, Cook Inlet and the outer coast. If you like to explore new areas, try drifting to locate the fish. Herring is the most common bait but don’t hesitate to try octopus, pollack and even salmon heads or fins. The ‘buts aren’t fussy eaters.

King and Coho Salmon

King and coho fishing was close to being as exciting as a dying sigh last week. Most fish are coming from offshore locations.

Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher work great when there’s something to lure. Hootchies and tube flies will work too, if the fish show up.

Lingcod

Expect fair to fine fishing for the hideous beasts featuring gourmet fillets next week if the seas are favorable enough to make it out to fish the outer coast from the Chugach Islands to Gore Point.

Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon

Fishing has been poor to fair for silvers in the Dudiak Lagoon. Hopefully, the run should be peaking this week.

Roe under a bobber, small plug cut herring, mackerel pieces or red-enhanced spinners are all cool approaches for bringing on the hits. Of course, that depends on how badly the floss snaggers screw things up with their constant harassment of the circling schools of fish. It’s disgusting to watch coho being hooked in their sides, backs and bellies then drug toward shore until they break off, leaving the hook in them or onto the land, unhooked and kicked back in. Real class acts.

Surf Fishing

Whiskey Gulch and Deep Creek are still fine “go to” options for slamming halibut from shore.

Don’t forget about fishing off the tip of the Homer Spit.

There are some mighty fine vittles with fins available out there. Plus, the exciting possibility of hooking into things that would scare the hell out of a salmon shark.

Sockeye

There should be a ton or so of sockeye in Tutka Lagoon and in front of China Poot Creek. Many fin chasers snag these fish with weighted treble hooks, and the results have been on fire over the last few days. Expect similar conditions next week.

Emergency Orders

King Salmon Restrictions in Cook Inlet Salt Waters

Rockfish Restrictions in North Gulf Coast and Cook Inlet

Cook Inlet and North Gulf Coast Sport and Personal Use Razor Clam Permit Now Required

Until next week…

Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com if you have any tips, tales or observations and comments about the on-goings at the “outlaw lagoon.”