9/20 Homer report

Ok.  So here's the quick run down.  TONS of kings in the 16" range.  Stopped counting at 12 but caught more.  Chunky guys... Next year should be good!

Had three legitimate big fish strikes.  Hooked two.  Landed one.

The fish were concentrated in front of the condos.  Start from the southern most and work your way north.  As you get about 2/3 of the way down the row of condos, the contour line jogs left and heads towards the buoy. 

I found fish in 30ft and 70 ft.  Mainly it was a matter of where the bait was.  A lot fewer pollock than before but still too many to use bait.  As much as I like the needle fish hoochies, I may have to upsize.  Bait and down riggers would have been a PITA.

Fish the tide as it is falling.  The current around the spit flowing out is what pins the fish right next to the condos and the "corner" where the contour jogs left.  Here's a good app.  Click the bottom left sonar wave looking thing.  Adds accuracy.  http://webapp.navionics.com/?lang=en

Here's a video.  This is a "typical" spot I catch a few fish. 

Lol...I thought I caught the first feeder king of September and Rudy decided to crush that dream. Here is my first feeder king caught trolling at WG.

Lol...I thought I caught the first feeder king of September and Rudy decided to crush that dream. Here is my first feeder king caught trolling at WG.

WG? That's AWESOME!  Makes me rethink how the baitfish are spread out.

Were you the car behind me?  Did you pas WG and turn around?

On the way back I saw two I think Ocean Kayaks turning onto K-Beach rd in Soldotna.   

Great report Rudy!

BTW Rudy - tons of birds chasing bait off of WG.

thanks for the info!!! Rudy will be planning on a trip down in oct! hope to get away one weekend!

Attempted it today...caught about 100 pollock, no kings

Lol...I thought I caught the first feeder king of September and Rudy decided to crush that dream. Here is my first feeder king caught trolling at WG.

WG? That's AWESOME!  Makes me rethink how the baitfish are spread out.

Were you the car behind me?  Did you pas WG and turn around?

On the way back I saw two I think Ocean Kayaks turning onto K-Beach rd in Soldotna.   

Yup, yup.  That was me stalking you...trying to find your secret fishing holes, but I sensed that "jig" was up when you noticed. So I bailed quickly to WG.  I wish the WG road sign is more prominent...always missing that turnoff.  Back to fishing report, I had fun trolling with outback - definitely more fun than just drifting.  I was surprised to catch halibut/salmon combo while trolling and felt like I got this technique dialed in. That was good 5minute fight from feeder king. I got three solid hits...lost one but the bait was chewed up badly. 

Still hunting for that elusive 50# plus butt...with some rig guidance from buzefishx, I feel confident I will accomplish that goal.

That's awesome!! This is why it's good to have multiple people. There's no reason WG shouldn't produce fish but my research and experience has me going to Homer! 

The fish are typically larger along the bluff and further North.  So that's a great piece of Intel. I've got enuf halibut but could use a few kings.

Mak - when you see the sign for Stariski (sp?) Creek, start looking for turn off to WG. There is a square green metal sign on right about 100 ft before turn - think it says "Whiskey Gulch Rec Area" or something similar. If you hit the bumble bee trailer on the left, you missed it.

I was thinking to myself "why don't I fish WG more in the fall?"  I realized after much thought that it's because I'm greedy. Limit is two below Anchor pt light after oct 1. Below bluff pt prior.

If it wasn't for that copper river dipnetting trip resulting in 2 kings (40# & 30#) this year, I would be targeting kings right now.  It's nice to have a proxy that gives you some freedom to fish longer and keep more.

In July, I caught another 25# king but gave it away, and last weeks king was gone in 60 minutes in BBQ. I'm attaching a picture from June dipnetting.  People asked me why the fish looked bruised and I have no answer to give them.  When I netted the fish, they were chrome and nice.  After they had been bled and sat on ice for long duration they turned slight pinkish and blotchy. When cut opened the meat was firm and in excellent condition.

Maybe high fat content makes the kings look that way?!

Lots of variables from if they were in contact with a plastic bag.  directly in contact with water. etc.  i've seen kings that most people would throw away caught in the Yukon just north of Fairbanks and they cut GREAT! Of course they had another 500 to 700 miles to go I think. 

So what do other people do when they get home...

All I can think about is fishing.  It is a disease for sure...

Latest project.....

Needlefish hoochies plus.  Checked with a few folks on the two hoochie legality.  Consensus is its ok.  Made the length the hook trails the hoochie adjustable by using bobber stops.  I think I am going to run it at least a few inches behind the back of the hoochie.  I think it's more 'bling' (krill maybe) getting chased around by baitfish.  It will also catch the short strikers.

I still love bait but this set up (minus the bling) has worked for me really well in the fall.  it's almost mandatory to have an artificial strategy that is easy if you run into a ton of pollock.  I am also going to run a Silver Horde Coho Killer as a test as I have spoken to enough folks to try and get confidence in it.  I don't see why it wouldn't work. 

At any rate, this is going to be a modification of my go to set up.  Add a tad more bling.  Hopefully it doesn't dull the action too much or scare away the fish.  Had nothing more to do so I doctored up a few Silver Horde 10"  and gibbs flashers.  The large Les Davis sized  dodgers are getting harder to find.  I have looked everywhere.  I saw a few in Seward.  Argh. 

Kings...mmmm....yummy....

nice looking set ups! I might tie something similar up, but without the spinners.

nice looking set ups! I might tie something similar up, but without the spinners.

The spinner is new stuff. The needlefish hoochies in blue have worked great for me.

I use 40lbs fluoro minimum. Keep the leader short so the dodger kicks the hoochies. Dodger/flasher needs to kick to impart action. Ie it can't be the spinning in-line flashers. At least I don't use them for hoochies.