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Picture Of The Month



SD2OR with a trophy fall walleye

Topic: Tough got Tougher...Maybe - Homer King Derby  (Read 1967 times)

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Klondike Kid

  • Lingcod
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  • The Eagle Whisperer
  • Alaska Outdoor Journal
  • Location: Kenai Peninsula, AK
  • Date Registered: Sep 2016
  • Posts: 488
I got the press release on the derby and was "surprised" by a decision made by the promoters of the contest. Depending on your perspective, it can be good news or bad news. One thing it does do is level the playing field by a degree. Somewhat.

From the press release the big change this year:

"In the interest of being good stewards; The Winter King Committee and Chamber Board of Directors are committed to the long-term sustainability of the Winter King Fishery and have made the decision to limit the number of king salmon caught at this year’s tournament. Each registered angler will be allowed to enter one (1) fish in the tournament. We encourage you to harvest just one fish and join us in solidarity; in being good stewards of our resource and the long-term sustainability of our fishery and the Homer Winter King Tournament."

As Kardinal_84 noted in an earlier post, kayakers participating in this one day tournament are lucky to land one king for an entry. So from a kayaker's stand point, a one fish per participant means everyone catching at least one fish has an equal shot.

But as I see it, there is nothing preventing anglers from catching TWO kings that day and high grading their catch to enter the biggest fish. And with $120,000+ in money and prizes at stake, just how many powerboat anglers are going to stop fishing at one fish per angler? I'll give you a hint....ZERO. Not with that much moola at stake.

So nothing in reality has changed except for the total number of fish entered. Oh I guess there is one other change, NO SKUNK side bets this year.

There will be coupons at the Chamber to get the one night free moorage in the harbor for the PBs. Launch ramp is free to the end of March.

Last year there were 1006 anglers and 110 kings entered. Accounting for a handful of lucky anglers that entered two fish last year, this year's total fish entries may be well below 100, especially as spread out as the fish have been this winter. So maybe that is in the kayak's favor. I won't make it. I have a rifle clinic to go to that day.
The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Take a Kid Fishing and Hook'em For Life!  ~KK~


kardinal_84

  • Sturgeon
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  • Perseverance Pays!
  • Kayak Fishing Southcentral Alaska
  • Location: Anchorage, AK
  • Date Registered: Mar 2011
  • Posts: 4216
I am actually more excited from the perspective that any decent fish can place high this year.  Last year was a tough year and I know at least 3...maybe 4 were caught from kayaks.

If it gets boring, we are going to switch up techniques and hope to land a few chickens as well.  Cod and pollock should not be an issue this year in K-Bay so we may do some mooching. 

We are registered!
Personal Chauffeur for Kokatat & Hobie Fishing Team member, Ryu .

Personal fishing sites of Alaska Kayak Angling adventures of my son and I. I am NOT a guide.
guidesak.blogspot.com
AlaskaKayakFisher.com


Klondike Kid

  • Lingcod
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  • Location: Kenai Peninsula, AK
  • Date Registered: Sep 2016
  • Posts: 488
I see AKfishon, you and Ryu were on the board for kayak fish with AKfishon with the top kayak and Ryu with the top Youth fish. Hey, THAT'S not bad at all. Two out of three kayak fish entered made honors.

I do hope the cod/pollock survey and forecast is spot on. If so it could mean a whole lot less predation on the juvenile dungies and tanners. If we can just catch a break and get a couple of low predator number years and get the recruitment age classes big enough to where predation is not such a factor we might have some light at the end of the tunnel. Except the sea otter problem. Grrr.

I don't know how the participation numbers will turn out this year. Anchorage/Valley sound like a deeper snowfall this winter and that might stiffle some boat owners from wanting to dig out for the run down. Just going by last year's numbers removing the double entry anglers to one fish, there could easily be only 80something fish entered this year. If so, your odds are getting very favorable since you have 10 money spots, plus 10 more prize spots. Heck that is 25% of all the catches in an 80 fish tournament. Creating odds of 1 in 4 chance for a prize if you catch a fish. Then the specialty White king, youth, kayak prizes and strickly by the numbers the odds are actually looking very good.

I wish you all the best of luck for the poly fleet. You all need to create an ID that doesn't shout KAYAK so when you call in your catch you don't call attention to your honey hole and end up having the area swarmed by those who have been skunked or are heading in and decide WTH lets drop in on those lucky paddlers.

Oh I might add the following photo of a king belly contents from a few weeks ago taken at the Bluffs. Better toss a few in your bait sack....just in case.  :o

The early bird gets the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.

Take a Kid Fishing and Hook'em For Life!  ~KK~


AKFishOn

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  • Location: Kodiak, Alaska
  • Date Registered: Dec 2015
  • Posts: 271
It ought to be interesting this year. I actually hooked into a second last year and lost it pretty quickly when it swam right at me and I couldn't reel fast enough. Switching from my Trevala jigging rod to a longer salmon rod this year in hopes the longer, more flexible one will stay loaded up to compensate for my slow reflexes. Look forward to seeing the fleet out there again this year!
"If your hands ain't bleeding, you ain't fishing hard enough!"


AKFishOn

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  • Location: Kodiak, Alaska
  • Date Registered: Dec 2015
  • Posts: 271
Registered!  Who else is in?
"If your hands ain't bleeding, you ain't fishing hard enough!"


AK Trapper

  • Perch
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  • Location: Wasilla Alaska
  • Date Registered: Mar 2017
  • Posts: 64
AKFishOn,
Unfortunately, I volunteered to run the Alaska Frontier Trappers Association booth at the Outdoorsman's Show this year 23rd through 25th before I realized it's the Homer Derby weekend.  I'll have to catch up at the next big gathering... and I still need to dig the snow away from the shed door to get my kayak out for pre-season checks.  Hard to think about open water fishing when there's still 30" of ice on the lakes around here but I wish everyone luck and a safe day on the water!

Jonathan
   


AKFishOn

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  • Location: Kodiak, Alaska
  • Date Registered: Dec 2015
  • Posts: 271
Looks like nine kayaks registered so far.  Marine forecast is shaping up. Come on folks, let's give them oil burners a run for the money! 
"If your hands ain't bleeding, you ain't fishing hard enough!"