Feeder Kings: Homer, AK 10/22

[kardinal_84]

So for the first time ever I fish fall/winter kings out of Homer. Ran into guys in a zodiac that took pictures because their friends were saying THEY were insane for being out there in a 12-14 ft zodiac.

Day starts out with a pacific cod. First fish off my downrigger from 100 ft down.  Hour later hook my first ever fall/winter king. Tiny. 6 or 7 pounds. But it's my first and you get to keep two so I kept it.

5 to 10 minutes later downrigger pops again and a nice 15 to 20 pounder comes to net!  Suh-weeeeeeet!!!!

I will post video later when I get home.

Dressed for below freezing temps, ended up being glass calm and mid 40's! Another bonus!  Lost a ton of water weight I am sure.

[akfishergal]

Awesome!  The first king would be perfect for lox; the second is a dinner party all to itself.  I had to laugh at the prospect of incredulous fishermen in the Zodiac filming their proof that someone else was EVEN MORE maddened with fish fever. 

First ever feeder king -- maybe not life changing, but certainly perspective altering.  You've got me thinking.

[kardinal_84]

If these are anything like the feeder kings I got this spring then they will be amazing. These were my first almost winter kings.
I'm excited but you are right, these weren't life changing. Today was too much like catching kings in summer...on a lake. I was thinking 4 to 5 ft swells in freezing spray conditions.

I know I got lucky both with fish and weather. I'll be back!

I'll check about the Whittier kings bit this was super close. I could have hit the condos by lands end with my surf casting gear....almost.

[micahgee]

Nice work, as usual!

Keep up the Alaskan fish porn please

[Mark Collett]

  Way to go Rudy........
  I knew you'd do it sooner or later.Good job ,my friend.
  Details----did you put in by Lands End off the beach or at the boat launch there.
                 were you right at the end of the Spit ? I know that gets deep fast there.I've caught a few cod right past
                 the pilings off that beach.Probably not a whole lot of charter boat traffic.I fished there last June without a
                 flag and damn near got run over by Rainbow Charters' 50' boat.A bit spooky.
    Anyway---congradulations.........

[kardinal_84]

Thanks Micahgee and Mark!  I put in on the other side of the spit directly opposite the harbor. Drug the yak down off the sides of the shops on stilts and board walk. Caught my two within virtual casting distance from the new condos by lands end. Most people were hooking up near the green buoy.  More later. Heading back now.

The only minor disappointment was I psyched myself up to fish in winter weather conditions. Turns out I was on a glass flat lake and fairly warm weather. Worse things could happen!  Hope fully the videos turn out. Great day!!!

[akfishergal]

I know exactly where you're describing -- and wouldn't have imagined them in so close.  What a great day!  How deep did you find them, and how were you rigged up? Most excellent to imagine.  Thanks for sharing. Good luck on the upper Kenai on Sunday. 

[kardinal_84]

Well folks, here's the full report.  I got to get out the door so I will post the video from the road.  It's uploading to youtube right now but its going to take time.

For the first time EVER, I try feeder kings out of Homer.  I had gotten intel from various sources that tell me the Kings are close to the spit.  Sources say troll from Land's End Hotel out to the Green Buoy.

So is it winter yet?  I guess not.  I think even here in Alaska they consider October as late autumn.  When is winter?  Officially its Dec 21.  But this is Alaska.  I think November is considered winter here.  So I can't claim to have caught a winter king yet.  But this year I have caught a Spring King (May), Summer king (July), now a fall King in October!  Only one more season to go!

But with the recent weather, I dress for winter fearing the worst.  Check the forecast and its only calling for one footers.  Really?  This time of year?  I had been SUPER excited about trying Kings in the winter time.  My imagination probably got the better part of me and I was thinking it might be my version of the Deadliest Catch but with a kayak and Kings instead of crab.

So I arrive in Homer and I stare across the water in disbelief.  Maybe I missed the ocean somehow because this looks a LOT more like a lake.  I have to say it was probably the first time EVER that I was just a little disappointed that the conditions were so good.  I had psyched myself up for a rodeo in 3 to 5 foot swells with snow falling around me.  Instead I got perfectly flat, calm, and sunny.  I definitely had too many layers of clothes on!  Oh well, they say you should dress for immersion in the water and not the air temperature.  That's good advice for anyone thinking about kayak fishing.





I pass a 14 or so foot inflatable and chat with the folks.  They had landed two nice kings early.  They took a picture of me and my kayak as proof to the people who had said they were crazy for trying this in their inflatable that there were other people who had fish fever worse!  lol. 

So I start fishing in 65 to 120 feet of water trying to stay in the bottom 25% of the water column.  Don't see much bait so I peddled out toward the birds.  How do the birds know there is bait 100 feet down?  Amazing.  As soon as I see bait on the sonar I am hooked up!  OH YEAH!  First fish ever on my new downrigger set up.  It's Heavy...it's not fighting...ARGH...it's a cod.  Well at least I caught something.

About an hour later I start marking some bait.  I immediately get hit!  FISH ON!!!!  Hmm...it's not very big...but it's fast...it's a KING! A tiny one...maybe 5 or 6 pounds max.  Well the feeder kings I caught this spring were awesome so I decided to keep it.  Besides, I might not catch anything else and I drove 8 hours!  Had to bring something back...or so the thought process went. 

10 minutes later my line pops out of the downrigger and its FISH ON!  This one is better.  You can tell right away.  It's not a halibut.  Zipping around too much and no headshakes.  Hmm..seems pretty heavy!  YEEHAW!  I got a REAL king!  Maybe 20 pounds.  So I limit out.  AMAZING. 


When I opened up the fish, they had fish that I had never seen before.  They looked like some type of smelt.  Maybe it was a capelin which I have seen before. Smaller than red label herring. Two or three time fatter than a sand lance.  Interesting.




Well what a great day.  You know it's a great day or I am just psycho when the only complaint was the weather was TOO NICE. I WILL be back.  The Homer winter king derby is MINE! ...if they are close...lol.  I can't wait till next years Anchor Point Salmon derby.  I think I will have it dialed n by then.  This downrigger thing is going to not only hammer the kings, but it is going to SLAY the halibut in the waters off Deep Creek to Anchor Point.   






 

 
 

 

 

[Jammer]

Nice job Rudy, I always enjoy your full reports. Thanks for taking the time to include 'em. My family and I visited Homer last summer on a day trip from kenai. That part of alaska is absolutely beautiful. We saw more glaciers and bald eagles then ever before. Nice catch dude!!!

[kardinal_84]

Thanks jammer!

Here's the video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yLY5aQJR9mA&sns=em

[IslandHoppa]

Great report and video. Impressive net work landing them, too. Good luck completing your "King Grand Slam"!


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[craig]

Great report and video Rudy! And I thought that summer was when I would have to go up there to catch fish.  Hmmm...I bet airfare and hotel rates may be cheaper for winter salmon fishing in Alaska.   

[kardinal_84]

One for 2, or 3 or 5....don't know gor sure  crazy day  Definitely at least one for two. Skipped the trout for kings...of course.

34 inches...guessing 25+.

[akfishergal]

Beautiful. Simply beautiful.  The trout will wait -- the Chinook is king!

[rawkfish]

Awesome stuff Rudy!! Keep it comin'!!