Planning: Anchor River Inn King Salmon Tournament 5/14

I suppose when you say "30 ft" you mean 30 fathoms and not 30 feet.  Is that correct?

-Allen

Unlike Whittier and Seward, Cook Inlet is quite shallow. The charts I posted are in feet. Not fathoms. Last week half mike from shore was 30 feet.  one mile out was 40 feet. I hooked my king in 15 feet of water.

Unlike Whittier and Seward, Cook Inlet is quite shallow. The charts I posted are in feet. Not fathoms. Last week half mike from shore was 30 feet.  one mile out was 40 feet. I hooked my king in 15 feet of water.

Wow.  And is the fishing there typically done in 30 feet of water?

-Allen

Unlike Whittier and Seward, Cook Inlet is quite shallow. The charts I posted are in feet. Not fathoms. Last week half mike from shore was 30 feet.  one mile out was 40 feet. I hooked my king in 15 feet of water.

Wow.  And is the fishing there typically done in 30 feet of water?

-Allen

The kings run right along the shore.  I used to run a salmon processing facility very close by and the boats would never bring in kings, but the beach set net sights would just hammer them.

As for the halibut, I'd say if you jumped on most charter boats out of this area, they go 10 to 20 miles out and fish 150 to 200 ft of water.  When I ran my powerboats, we'd run 3 to 5 miles out and look for anything really over 100 ft.

In the month of May, we have a decent run of herring that are running along the shorelines getting ready to spawn.  In waters in Alaska slightly south of us, the spawn has begun.  So we should be next.  Another baitfish that is now just beginning to show is the hooligan or eulachon.  about 5 to 10 inches long, they are super oily.  We dip them by the hundreds out of the river mouths.  Now combine probably literally hundreds of millions pink salmon smolt coming down the rivers, the food is very close to shore right now.

A consultant of mine trolled several hours in shallow waters looking for kings in this area yesterday and the result was 3 halibut and two kings...all caught trolling.

Short answer is yes, we do fish them shallow this time of year and it is typical for this area this time of year.  I'd say the average depth fished for halibut on charters around the state would be more typically 200 to 300 feet deep.

add one more baitfish, the sand lance.  That's all the sculpins and my king had in their stomachs from what I, could tell. 

If you have never caught a halibut in 50ft or less, it is a BLAST!  Halibut runs as hard and long as any fish out there.  It's just when its 200 ft down and runs 20 yards, your line angle changes a bit and that's it.   Shallow, your drag will be SMOKING!

Several times in this area we have hooked the halibut "at the boat".  It would foloow the bait up and strike at the surface.  there are a few videos posted somewhere that show this type of feeding behavior in halibut around here.  It looks like somebody dumped a bunch of white garbage bags in the water.

You just LIVE to be near something like this on a yak!!!!!  But it could happen right about now with the bait fish around.


This one is in Cook Inlet where we plan to fish




Not the one I was looking for but this is in Homer.  Slightly south of where we will be

You know, I was just this last weekend watching an episode of North to Alaska with Larry Csonka and the show was on fishing for shallow water butts out of Homer.  Good stuff right there.

-Allen

So prepped my bait.  Going to use the purple and blue label herring.  I rig my herring whole without a helmet or clip.  I can rig it so it rolls fairly slowly which is what I prefer for kings.  I use a 7/0 gamakatsu up front with 12 inches or more of hangback for the second hook which is 5/0 or 6/0 gamakatsu octopus hook.  Sometimes I just let it hang back free, sometimes I run it through the herring once.

Typically deadly for silvers but can be used to make bait last longer if you are running out is to plug cut the herring but leave a little more on the head than normal.  Save the head and you can rig it on a single hook to spin just like a spinner.  Like I said, it will slay the silvers.  I prefer it to the normal body part when the silvers are aggressive.

Brine is basically the one suggested at salmon university:http://www.salmonuniversity.com/ol_brining_herring.html

For this batch I am adding krill and fish oil.  And a whole lot more of it. I usually add most of it after I brine it and drain the water.  save the brine.  you can keep bait for a trip or two...sometimes.



 

Whoa! A 'but blitz on the surface! I'd love to see that with a 9 or 10 weight fly rod in hand!

Ok the forecast is starting to degrade but its still within my limits.  It just means it could be a early morning show and we might get blown off.  That's ok.  Gotta give it a go.  Work half day and then headed down.

PKZ140-140300-
COOK INLET NORTH OF KAMISHAK BAY AND ENGLISH BAY
400 AM AKDT FRI MAY 13 2011
.TODAY...VARIABLE WIND LESS THAN 10 KT BECOMING SW 15 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 2 FT.
.TONIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT DIMINISHING TO VARIABLE LESS THAN 10 KT.
SEAS 3 FT.
.SAT...VARIABLE WINDS LESS THAN 10 KT BECOMING SW 15 KT IN THE
AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 FT.
.SAT NIGHT...SW WIND 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.
.SUN...E WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT.
.MON AND TUE...NE WIND 15 KT. SEAS 4 FT.

You guys are getting me all fired up and I'm not even going.  I do plan to wear my lucky hat around the house this weekend in your honor.   Least I can do.  Good luck.

Thanks Deepcolor!  We better get one then!!!!

  Looks like we might only have 3 or 4 kayakers out there.Unfortunately Ak Yak Atak may not make it.Really sorry to hear that--but things do change....hint,hint.
Regardless,this is going to be a good time.Right now,at 8:45 am, there is no wind in Soldotna which is roughly 50 miles north of Anchor River.NOAA is calling for 15 kt winds on Saturday,so we will need to get on  the water right at 6:00 am,get some nice fish,and get off before the inevitable Cook Inlet winds start kicking up.
Kardinal_84 might have to catch his halibut 1st then target kings.The way I read the regs...once you have caught your one salmon limit,you must stop fishing for any other species for that day.Someone correct me if I'm wrong on that count,please......
Kard wants to catch a 50 pound butt.That would be a 48 inch long fish----in a 9ft kayak.This could/should get interesting in a hurry.I have to see this one.Fun times tommorrow............
If any stray last minute folks come down I will have an extra yak available.Bringing the wife's brand "new" Ultimate.She might rent it out--just kidding.But we will have it down there.So come on down........

I agree Mark.  It's a morning deal.  As much as I brag about being single minded and single focused, Saturday is to make our mark on the Kings.  If I get a halibut trolling close, then great.  But I am going after kings with a set up that could induce a halibut.  Once I land a king and if the weather allows, I can still catch a halibut.  I just have to be one mile off shore...ok, probably not gonna happen with with the forecast. 

I will resume by quest for Big 'Butts Sunday....or better yet at 6:30am Saturday after I land my 50 pound toruney winning king!  lol.

Hey Mark,  so can a rookie paddle the Native safely ya think?  I am thinking about picking up a inexpensive sit on top for Greta to try but am a tad concerned with the safety issue. 

See ya there!

  "Can an inexpirenced paddler do an Ultimate ?"Most definitely !!!!If Greta can handle that 17 ft blow-up last weekend she shouldn't have any problem with the
 Native.It has a twin hull--kinda like a catamaran,so stability is very good.
  I have to say---that if the water is glass flat I'm going to try to talk my wife into going out though.If it's narly I know that she won't push it.No guts--------or maybe smarter than us...If she (my wife) doesn't feel comfortable on salt,Greta is certainly welcome to use her boat.

We are good to go.  Picked up a perception pescador 12.0 for greta.  $560..not bad.  I'm a little concerend about her using a brand new kayak but that's the way she rolls.,,well I hope paddles...not rolls.  She used a rental inflatable last time and did fine!

I guess its the same yak as a wilderness tarpon 120.  Much better than the pelican ones I was looking at I think. 

We will see!