Homer Elks King Derby OCt 3 & 4

So I just called the Homer Elks Lodge and the derby for Oct 3 & 4 is ON.

Participation by powerboaters might be down due to the ramp closures.  I am going to hit this.

Maybe we should think again about getting together for those interested.  Weekend weather sucks but I may try it on Sunday....

Man I'd be all over this but I'm on call that weekend for work.

Good luck to all participants!!!

Sounds like fun. I will be in Homer for work on the 8th and 9th, so that is when I will take the ol kayak out.

Hey Rudy, I think I'm in if the weather is doable for the Fairbanks to Homer run. I'd make a week of it and get some steelhead fishing, Seward run and such for lingering halibut in as well.

Cool, cool.  We will see how many entries we can get.  No signs of it on the general Alaska fishing boards so to be greedy, I am not even going to ask or say anything except to kayakers.  Haha.

I'll have to pass...I'll still be in California 

I'll have to add trolling in my Harding Lake repertoire today. Work the bugs out of the system. Getting prepped for the Derby.

Yup. Generally speaking you will want to cover as much water as possible.  20 to 60 ft being the norm.

I can head down after September 29th. Anyone fishing before the derby?

I'll be there the 27th weather permitting. Was planning on tomorrow but gale warning doesn't sound too fun.

I'll be headed to Kenai on the 29th or 30th, since my Dad has knee surgery #2 scheduled for the afternoon of 30th.   Kayak will be on the truck, but ... I'll be there for Dad first, and fishing second.   

IF I can get him home, and the weather is OK, then I may make it out.   It'll be a last minute call for me.    Hope the weather foreacast imprves for the derby!

For some reason my topic for this weekend report doesn't open for me. 

So,  the fishing was consistent but seemed better on the low outgoing tide.  Right as the sun was going down seemed to egnerate the most hits.

Bait was everywhere.  But I did seem to notice the most bait at around 55 to 60 ft depth.  I used a 12oz sinker, fish flash flasher and a silver horde coho killer. 

Weather seems like its trending in the right direction.  Saturday there were too many pollock to try using bait.  Sunday, there were hardly any pollock.  Not sure what I am going to run.  I have confidence in the coho killers but would rather have two hooks than one for a tournament.

Homer Derby Strategies

Ok, I am getting serious about this.  I have even booked rooms at the land end hotel so I can maximize my effort while still retaining much of my laziness attributes. 
Saturday High tide is at 7:10am.

As tide is going out, the bait tends to get pinned up directly in front of the condos.  I plan to concentrate 100% of my effort there.  There will likely be tons of Pollock as the tide goes out.  I plan to use my trusty Big Al Flash Flash flasher and chrome Silver Horde Coho Killer.  I will be with my son so I think he will be running a hoochie behind a dodger.  The reason being I think the Hoochies on  snelled gamakatsu hooks are more forgiving after hook up.  It also give me a chance to run two lures to see what might be more effective.

As the tide comes in, the bait disappears.  But there are pockets of bait and I have caught the fish.  I will likely switch at least my sons gear out to a dual hook red label herring as the tide is coming in. 

My one change might be that I will run deep six divers rather than 12 oz of lead.  The fish seemed a little deeper than I expected.  Bait was found in 55 to 60 ft of water and the fish seemed to be about half way down.  My set up worked last weekend so we will start with that but I will have a diving planers as well as my downrigger in the car ready to go. 

I need to get clarification of the rules, but the best times are ALWAYS at first light and as it gets darker.  Not sure if you can weigh all four of your fish on Sunday. 
I hope we have 4 or 5 folks out running around.  If it was a team effort, I would tell the group to spread out over the area and as soon as anyone hooks up, the other kayaks need to converge on that area and hit it hard.  When you fish these kings off a powerboat, you can go fishless all day and then all four rods go off.  There is not better fish finder than a boat or a kayak hooked up. 

Ok, who is in?!?!?!?

I'm ready to go but waiting on a shipment before I can brave the long drive from Fairbanks. Hope the weather holds.
 I've got a few tricks to try but I'm not set up with my downrigger yet so I'll have to go with 16oz banana weight and small to no flasher. Been rigging  add on trailer hooks in single and treble for the occasion since a big fish could throw the hook with the heavy weight.

Definitely hope to be fishing Friday  for a trial run if weather and sea allows.