I am headed back to AK next month for Reds and Halibut and have found through some serious internet scouting that flounder and cod can be caught off the end of the Homer Spit.
I am curious to find out in any Utah BFT folks have tried it. I know, why am I not posting in the AK forum? It's dead, that forum has not has a post since March. I have searched for as much info as I could find but any first hand experiences would be interesting.
My group usually spends a day in Homer wandering the tourist trap shops, I would rather ad a few more species to the freezer. I plan on usually Gulp Shad on a dropper rig and cut bait if I have to (herring is a little overpriced up there).
Thanks for any stories or tips.
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I have been seriously contemplating a fishing trip up there chasing after some of those monster butts! I used to catch their little sisters (20-40lbs) down in San Diego on light tackle, they are my absolute favorite fish to jig for!
Sorry I can't help on any tips for AK, but I was wondering if there is any chance you could point me in the right direction as far as travel packages, lodging, charters, etc?
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The Halibut Charter my family has always used has retired and we are just gonna head to Ninilchik this year and use a few of his recommended friends that still guide. I will post the name of their outfit after we get back. Any of the charters out of Ninilchik are a better deal IMO than out of Homer. You will be fishing with 5-6 guys rather than 15. The guides are stringent on who's limit is caught and boxed. They have to be in order to stay legal. Either way you will likely have a better experience on the smaller boats. The guide let me drop a huge curly tail jig last time to try and get cod. I bet I caught and released 30 halibut because I had already boxed my two keepers. It was an absolute riot and there is no chance I could have done that out of Homer or Seward.
As for Salmon, we just DIY the Kenai and Russian rivers and camp the few days.
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there is a fish processing plant at the end of the spit marina side. they dump all the crud into the ocean , it is loaded up with cod right there . we were cleaning fish at the fish cleaning station and a couple of guys brought in a cooler full of cod from over there. I beleive they call them walleye polluck. When we were there the locals were cleaning up on silvers from shore also , east side of spit back in corner, that was august and a run of silvers comes in around then. Homer is awesome, good luck!
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AFISHUNT Charters out of Ninilchik is really good for halibut. They do trips for salmon in Cook Inlet, and Kasiloff River trips, too.
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Try visiting with the outfitters at the South Town Expo next winter when they have their big show you can get some great info from them, some guys are there to cut their competitors prices and I shy away from them. Basically you get what you pay for. We ended up with a great trip several years ago several days out of Seward and several days out of Deep Creek near Ninilchik. We went with another couple and were the only ones on a six man boat on each trip. We caught Halibut, ling cod, silvers, pinks and bass and had great guides each day.
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I use Waters Edge in Elfin Cove when we go. I will actually be going back this July. We catch Giant Halibut, cod, salmon, and plenty of rockfish. The one thing about this outfit is that it is unguided. They give you all the tools, boat, tackle, lodging, and three meals a day. They just let you loose to do what you want. Our group last year came back with 150 pounds each of processed fish. They process and freeze your fish as soon as you bring it in, then it flies back with you. Also, the family that runs it is from here in Utah, which is cool.
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Check this forum out. This is the one Alaskans use and I used it when I lived up there. Yep you can catch those fish on the Homer Spit. I never did it as I was usually after salmon.
EDIT: Posting links to a competing forum is not allowed, see the FAQ above for the rules of the site.
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I've done it, the cod and Pollock can be fast action and great for kids, but are often really wormy. Idk why they are wormy there as opposed to the ones I catch further out but that has been my experience. If you want a great small pack guide, Steve McClure has a great saltwater boat he's been using and very reasonably priced on combo trips as well as dedicated species runs. He also is literally THE guy to use on the kenai river for anything that swims in it, he's been serving as the president of the river guide association up there for quite a while now and you'll be hard pressed to find a nicer, harder working, knowledgeable guide anywhere. Where been fishing with Steve for +20 years now with never a single complaint.
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Thanks for the tips, I am even more excited for this trip than the first time I made the trek up. Mostly because I know what is in store and how amazing and other wordly Alaska is. Even the drive from Anchorage down the Kenai Pen is like nothing I have seen.
I look forward to the Homer trip. It's always a fun challenge to try a new style of fishing when I travel.
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I agree and completing get it! Big part of why I moved to Anchorage o last Tuesday!
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Pm me! Just returned from Homer last week. With all due respect to squawminnow, there are plenty of 6 pack boats in Homer. We absolutely killed it with 5 guys
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[url "http://www.smartcharters.com/"]http://www.smartcharters.com/[/url] JnJ smart charters is the best in the area. John the owner, also known as "Notso" is personal friend of mine and has a great fleet of boats. we worked together in the off season when I lived in Fairbanks. his cabins on the property are great, the only downside is that they a packers fans, I give him grief all the time about it. I wouldn't fish with anyone else down there.
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Head to the end of the spit and until you have just about come to Lands End Resort. Park near the old Coast Guard doc on the left. Fish on either side with small cut bait. Often the side near the entry to the harbor is the best. Lots and lots of flounder. There are also pollack to be caught there as well and they are tasty fried up. They generally have parasites, but those can be removed with a little knife.
Generally you will find people fishing there. If the Silvers are running along the spit, they can be caught with large spoons or spinners. We even caught one with a salted herring.
Pick up a tide book at the Kachemak Gear Shed or any of the board walk stores. Fish when the tide is going out or low end of the tide. It may not even matter though.
Anyhow, have a good time. Stop by the Seafarer's Memorial. Good luck!
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