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Kenai Peninsula's Kachemak Bay Enhanced Salmon Fisheries

Homer Spit Fishin' Hole

King Salmon

A second king salmon enhancement project was begun on the Homer Spit in 1984. The goal of this project was to develop a king salmon sport fishery for anglers fishing from shore and small boats. Preliminary results are encouraging with as many as 3,300 king salmon taken each year.

These king salmon return to a small saltwater pond, named the "Fishing Hole," on the Homer Spit near the boat harbor. Successful fishing techniques include casting with artificial lures, flies, salmon egg clusters, shrimp and cut herring. Trolling herring and lures along the eastern shoreline of the Spit should also be productive. The timing of these fish is similar to those at Halibut Cove, i.e. the run begins in late May, peaks in mid June, and ends in early July. A new regulation effective in 1989 can open and close snagging on the Homer Spit by Department emergency orders. These potential periodic openings will be announced in newspapers and on radio and TV stations. Signs will be posted around the small saltwater pond. The emergency openings will also affect the harvest method for pink and coho salmon fishing on the Homer Spit. Snagging on the Homer Spit is permitted only when these surplus enhanced fish can no longer be harvested by non-snagging techniques.

Coho (silver) Salmon

Similar to the enhanced fisheries for king salmon and pink salmon on the Homer Spit, coho or silver salmon are also provided by the ADF&G as an opportunity to catch a fine fighting and delicious tasting late season salmon.

This fishery is maintained the same way as the other two salmon fisheries returning to the "Fishing Hole." Young silver salmon smolt are released in the saltwater pond each summer to begin their saltwater water life cycle for the next few years. Returning adult coho salmon begin arriving at the Homer Spit "Fishing Hole" in early August and continue to arrive through mid September.

Coho generally weigh 8-15 pounds and stage along the Homer Spit en route to their spawning grounds in the Fox River area at the head of the Bay, as well as the same saltwater pond on the Spit where the kings and pinks are taken. Shorecasting artificial lures from the Spit can be as productive as trolling from a small boat. Brightly colored spoons and spinners are a good choice. Look for a concentration of "jumpers" and position yourself within casting or trolling distance of these fish. Another good method involves drifting salmon eggs near the inlet channel of the saltwater pond on the flooding and ebbing tides. Suspending egg clusters from a bobber or still fishing on the bottom of the pond can also produce cohos for those that want to take a more relaxed approach to this fishery.

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