By Nick Varney

Special to the Homer Independent Press

Well, I was really feeling pretty upbeat about the upcoming Labor Day Weekend after hearing some very cool news about how the fishing has been poppin’ for silvers and dollies in our peninsula streams, then smack. It also looks like the soggy beast that was summer may be on the prowl again.

It didn’t help when I took our lunatic, self-professed princess out for her delicates and got hit with a chill that made me stop dead and slowly turn to look across the bay for termination dust. Nothing. Sigh.

I should have left things alone, but no, I took a look at the forecast and there was an approaching front staring back with a mischievous grin on its face.

The weather will be polite until Friday and then wet sponge skies will darken into a deep dripping overcast and settle in throughout the holiday celebrations, so come prepared.

The fish won’t care and if the winds are polite there should be some fine filets hit the freezers when the boats return. The stream stalkers might have bigger issues because the streams could rise significantly creating a murky turbulence that even disgusts the coho.

Hopefully, this rather bleak outlook will temper as the week progresses and your hamburger buns won’t turn into something akin to Silly Putty.

Time now to take a look at the Fishing Report for Aug. 31.

Freshwater Fishing

Silver fishing is looking good in the lower sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams.

Gear will be restricted to single-hook artificial lures starting Sept. 1 so spinners, spoons, plugs and flies are your best bets.

The birth of dawn is a great time to target the fish. They love to go on the bite around then and tear things up.

Don’t forget to hit the intertidal section after high tide. Action lurks there.

For dollies, both the lower and upstream sections of the lower Kenai Peninsula roadside streams were generous with strikes and flying coho last week. Take time to track down where they concentrate and flip some beads or small spinners at them.

Steelhead have been arriving to these streams in small numbers and have been caught by anglers targeting coho and dollies.

Expect turtle-slow fishing for another week, but it should be good throughout the remainder of September when the water conditions aren’t higher than the spruce trees. Typically dead drifting beads is the great way to get into a steelie in these streams.

Saltwater Fishing

Kachemak Bay/Cook Inlet

Halibut

Halibut fishing should remain stellar next week. Anglers are reporting success throughout Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet.

Don’t forget to drift if things get slow. There are still excellent concentrations of flats out there, you just need the patience to find them.

Herring is the most common bait but don’t hesitate to try octopus, pollock and even salmon heads or fins.

King and Coho Salmon

King and silver fishing was acceptable to fine last week. Both king and coho are scattered throughout Kachemak Bay and anglers are finding success within Kachemak Bay, along Bluff Point and offshore.

Small troll herring or spoons behind a flasher is the most popular setup, but hoochies and tube flies will also produce fish.

To find salmon at any location, try setting the gear at different depths including mid-water column and 10 feet off the bottom.

Emergency Orders

Please review the emergency orders and advisory announcements below in their entirety before heading out on your next fishing trip.

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, when we will have our fall report and close the books for the season.

Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com