Anchor River

Beginning Tuesday, the upper portions of the Anchor River open to Dolly Varden, rainbow and steelhead fishing. The bag limit for Dollies is two per day, two in possession, but the rainbows and steelhead are catch-and-release only and may not be removed from the water.

Some pink salmon are being taken in the lower section of the Anchor River and a few silvers have returned, but expect slow fishing at least until the last week of August.

Halibut

Halibut fishing in Lower Cook Inlet continues to be excellent with anglers concentrating their efforts about 25 to 30 miles west of the Homer Spit in waters 180- to 250-feet deep.

The average size for harvested halibut is between 15 and 20 pounds and the daily bag limit is two halibut, with a possession limit of four. Herring is the preferred bait.

Salmon

The early-run silver salmon are arriving at the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon. Fishing success is improving and should be good for the rest of the month and into August. The daily bag and possession limit for silver salmon is six in the lagoon area. The “Silver Salmon Spitacular” fishing derby is scheduled to begin Aug. 5. A portion of the proceeds helps keep the lagoon stocked with silvers.

Best results involve drifting salmon eggs near the inlet channel of the lagoon, on the flooding and ebbing tides.

Snagging success is still good for red salmon in China Poot Bay.

Fishing for big king salmon spawners in the Anchor Point to Ninilchik marine waters should start to wind down, although a few were caught over the weekend. Anglers are trolling up to one mile from shore, and using cut herring for bait or spinners. Try fishing one hour before high tide through two hours after high tide.

Bluff Point and Point Pogibshi are the popular spots for trolling for feeder king salmon. Typical size in this area has been 10 to 20 pounds.

The daily bag limit for king salmon is one in Cook Inlet salt waters north of Bluff Point and two south of Bluff Point.

Lingcod

Lingcod anglers venturing to the outer North Gulf Coast continue to bring back decent catches. There is a size limit of 35 inches, and a bag limit of two per day with two in possession for lingcod.

Personal Use

The personal use dipnet fishery in China Poot Creek upstream of Alaska Department of Fish and Game markers is open through Aug. 7. No permit is required, but you must have a 2006 Alaska resident sport fishing license, or a fish and game senior license, or a Disabled Veteran’s license while taking or transporting the fish. The personal use bag and possession limit in China Poot Creek is six red salmon per person per day. Only red salmon may be kept and only dipnets may be used.

A new personal use shrimp fishery opened July 1. The open area is from Gore Point east to Aialik Cape. A free personal use permit is required, as is a resident sport fishing license. One permit per person is required. The regulations for the new personal use area can be found on the back of the shrimp permit, or on the Southcentral Alaska regulations Web site at http://www.sf.adfg.state.ak.us/statewide/ regulations/scregs.cfm under “NGC Shrimp Fishery.”

Clams

Good clamming tides run through today then Aug. 8-12. Remember, the best time is one hour before to two hours after low tide. No permit is required, just a sport fishing license. Diggers are still reporting many small young clams and few large clams within several miles south of the Clam Gulch access. Go further south, or head north for adult-sized clams in this area.

Refill the holes you dig in the beach and rebury, neck up, the steamer (littleneck) and butter clams that you don’t take.