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Kenai Peninsula's Kachemak Bay Enhanced Salmon Fisheries

Sockeye Salmon - China Poot Bay

The best area to fish sockeye salmon is the southeastern arm of China Poot Bay, four miles south of the Homer Spit. The fish concentrate here prior to entering China Poot Creek which is the outlet for China Poot or Leisure Lake.

This sockeye salmon fishery is again the result of a Fish and Game enhancement project. Each year sockeye salmon fry are stocked in China Poot (Leisure) Lake. Here they rear for one-two years before migrating to salt water as smolt. In the marine environment they grow rapidly, returning to China Poot Creek in two or three years as 4-6 pound adults. Upon their return in July and early August they are harvested by sport, personal use, and commercial fishermen. A barrier falls located 150 yds. upstream prevent the fish from returning to the lake. As no spawning area is available, this is a terminal harvest area similar to the king salmon fishery at Halibut Cove and the Homer Spit. It is therefore desirable to harvest all returning sockeye salmon.

In China Poot Bay, sockeye salmon may be caught on a variety of small spoons and spinners. Once the fish move into the Creek, they can be taken on brightly colored streamer flies drifted through pools and eddies.

During July, a personal use dip net fishery occurs in China Poot Creek. This is a personal use fishery and is restricted to Alaska residents only. Nonresidents may not participate in this fishery. Again, access is limited to the high tide period due to the extensive mud flats. Boaters should be aware that a vast majority of this bay goes dry during low tide and the amount of time available for fishing the creek area is limited.

Note: The China Poot sockeye dip net fishery opens on July 1, however, the Seldovia Native Association (SNA) currently owns the land area that covers the lower China Poot stream. Although the land status is subject to change if purchase for State Parks is approved, SNA has and may again post this area to No Trespass. Contact the Homer ADF&G office for current land status prior to fishing this area.

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