After ending my fishing slump with a smoker-filling performance two weeks ago, I caught the only dumb Dolly Vardens in the Anchor River and my wife and I got invited to go on a Kenai River trip Sunday.
And wouldn't you know it, everyone on the boat hooked into nice kings.
Thanks again to the captain and his wife for making our weekend.
Speaking of nice weekends, Spencer Priest, 16, of Springville, Utah caught an 88-pound Kenai River king Friday, just nine pounds short of the world record.
And he wasn't the only guy catching the big one this week.
Halibut
Jim Corliss of Corvalis, Ore. jumped to the lead of the Homer Jackpot Halibut Derby with a 310.4-pound monster caught Saturday on the "Liahona", with captain Todd Jackson of Central Charters.
It is the first 300-pound plus fish entered so far this year, and he didn't need to call a floatplane to get it weighed in.
A $10,000 fish was caught in July, but unfortunately for the angler the $10,000 prize was for May only.
Flatfish fishing continues to be good to excellent throughout lower and central Cook Inlet in waters 125-200 feet deep.
The average halibut weight is about 25 pounds, but many larger fish in the 50- to 100-pound range are caught every week.
Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon
The early run silvers are arriving at the Homer Spit Fishing Lagoon. Silver fishing is fair in the Lagoon but should pick up this week and be excellent for the rest of the month.
The daily bag and possession limit for silver salmon is six in the Lagoon area. Outside the Lagoon area, the daily bag and possession limit is three.
China Poot Snaggers
Snagging success is good for sockeyes at China Poot but is allowed in salt waters only.
Clams
The next series of good clamming tides run through Monday. The best time is one hour before to two hours after low tide. No permit is required, just a sport fishing license.
Fresh Waters
On the Anchor River, Deep Creek and Ninilchik River, anglers can expect good catches of Dolly Varden during the month of July. Bag limits are 2 per day/2 in possession.
Personal Use - China Poot
The dipnet fishery in China Poot Creek remains open until August 7. Many dipnetters are getting their limits in a short amount of time in this fishery. No permit is required. But you must be an Alaska resident and have a 2005 Alaskan resident sport fishing license, or Fish and Game senior license, or Fish and Game Disabled Veteran's license while taking or transporting the fish.
The personal use bag and possession limit in China Poot Creek is six sockeye salmon per person per day. Only sockeye salmon may be kept.
Tight lines.
Got a fish story? E-mail it to ben.stuart@homernews.com.
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