King salmon fishing reopens north of Bluff Point, at one fish per day

Anglers can again fish for king salmon in Cook Inlet salt waters north of Bluff Point, where the closure ended Aug. 15. The bag and possession limit there is one king of any size, not the usual two, and it runs through Sept. 15.

South of Bluff Point, including Kachemak Bay, the limit has been one king any size since April 1 and also holds through Sept. 15. The Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit and the Seldovia slough and lagoon stay at two. On Sept. 16 the two-fish limit returns to all Cook Inlet salt waters for the winter fishery.

The prohibition that just ended covered catch-and-release as well as retention and ran May 1 through Aug. 15, under a February emergency order signed by area management biologist Mike Booz.

The department forecast every Cook Inlet king run below its escapement goal this year: the Deshka at 3,414 fish against a goal of 9,000 to 18,000; the Kenai early run at 2,325 fish over 75 centimeters against 2,800 to 5,600; the Kenai late run at 12,718 against 13,500 to 27,000; and the Anchor at 2,747 against 3,200 to 6,400. Deshka and Kenai sustainable escapement goals have not been met in four of the last five years. The Board of Fisheries has adopted a recovery plan closing king fishing north of Bluff Point from June 20 to Aug. 15 every year until Kenai late-run kings leave stock-of-concern status.

NOAA Fisheries closed recreational Chinook fishing in the Cook Inlet Exclusive Economic Zone from May 30 through Aug. 15. Kings and coho were fair over the past week and scattered through Kachemak Bay, though offshore locations produced the best catches. A small trolled herring or spoon behind a flasher is the most popular setup. The Homer office can be reached at 907-235-8191.