2017 Homer Winter King Salmon Tournament Rules Posted

The Homer Winter King Tournament has their rules pages active now and registration will open online on March 1st.

http://www.homerwinterking.com/tournament.php?id=15

2015 total Cash & Prizes hit $180,000 for the one day event.
2016 total Cash & Prizes hit $162,000 for the competition.

They will also be posting Live Results of the weigh-ins as the leader board changes. Plus they will be posting the Kayak Division leader board fish as anglers weigh-in their catch.

Notable Changes this year:

 1.   No boat numbers will be assigned. Boats no longer need to call when they are entering or leaving the harbor. You are responsible for safe departure & return to the harbor.
 2.   No Skunk Bets

I think the deep snow and cooler weather will probably reduce the number of participants this year. The last two El Niño winters were exceptional. But fewer participants means greater odds of making a pay day! That could be an advantage for the Poly Fleet Team.

Good Luck!

Thanks  for posting KK!  Weather, work, and personal issues are all conspirign against me.  It seems to happen once every 4 or 5 years.  I haven't wet a line since Thanksgiving!  UNREAL!

But we will e trying hard and as KK posted, I don't mind at all if the weather is ugly.  I think the odds get better as long as we can fish!.

Thanks  for posting KK!  Weather, work, and personal issues are all conspiring against me.  It seems to happen once every 4 or 5 years.  I haven't wet a line since Thanksgiving!  UNREAL!
But we will be trying hard and as KK posted, I don't mind at all if the weather is ugly.  I think the odds get better as long as we can fish.

I hear ya. But with this 2017 crappy weather cycle of: If its sunny its below zero, If its cloudy and warm its snowing like a b*tch! It's one of those winters you really don't miss many actual opportunities unless you are a local that can jump on a moment's notice.  I had seven below zero this morning at first light.

Indeed the fewer power boats out there the less competition and depending on the wind direction which can provide havoc for the PB'ers, it might be friendly to the kayak fleet around the Spit. Of course there would be "company" no doubt. Ha. But at least the competition would be on an even keel~! No pun intended....well maybe.

With Kat having an entourage of 9 sea lions the other day apparently focusing on a local food supply I wonder if it was caplin or hoolies starting to show up.

Derbies: My buddy's son-in-law caught and released a rainbow at Skilak yesterday that taped at 24 1/2".  Unfortunately he wasn't signed up for the Trustworthy ice fishing derby and that CnR size fish would have taken the $250 Trustworthy Gift Certificate prize on the last day of the event. But my buddy did have the biggest whitefish so he's in the running for one of the big prizes in the drawing. Can't win unless you are entered. I wonder how many hundreds of thousands of dollars have been "lost" by anglers catching winning fish in the past 50 years all over Alaska without having entered the contest wherever it was held. The Ship Creek King derby is a good example too of unfortunate bad luck or timing for someone every year. And for a free derby at that there is really no excuse not to sign up. So I'll be there for that one pedaling around! Gonna hound dog y0gee and possé this year.  The prizes are too good not to compete.

I had lunch at Land's End yesterday. Beautiful day...for looking at the water out the window. Wind was kicking out of the north and it was colder than, well it was colder than I care for.  I didn't walk the beach. I didn't see any sea lions from my vantage point. I did see a humpback not far of the spit. There must be some bait around.

Me and John are going in the morning to see what's swimming around. Of course after not fishing for 2 months we are struggling to find all of our gear.

Me and John are going in the morning to see what's swimming around. Of course after not fishing for 2 months we are struggling to find all of our gear.

As I switch from one sport to another with the changing seasons, It's always a challenge to assemble my gear for the new sport the first time I go out during a year. 

I think I'm going to give it a shot, too.  I bought a new old kayak that I'm itching to try out. 

Me and John are going in the morning to see what's swimming around. Of course after not fishing for 2 months we are struggling to find all of our gear.

Anything swimming down there, Jake?


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I have tried that last few years but I am going to pass unless the temp and weather can seduce me.
My last few months have been in recovery from open heart surgery, 7 bypasses and the cardiods cleaned of Velveeta. Bad genes and not so much bad diet. I will see all you folks if I get down there.

I have tried that last few years but I am going to pass unless the temp and weather can seduce me.
My last few months have been in recovery from open heart surgery, 7 bypasses and the cardiods cleaned of Velveeta. Bad genes and not so much bad diet. I will see all you folks if I get down there.

Holy cow AKRod, you went in for some serious remodeling. But with a punch list like that I'll bet you are going to feel like a new man once you start pounding the water again. I know a bit about that open heart stuff, my dad was one of the first to receive a pig's heart valve at Stanford U. medical center in the late 1970s. (He was quoted as saying "It's hard to eat bacon now!")  5 days out of the hospital and he was out in the front yard pruning the chinese cherry plum trees with a set of pruning shears.  Stick with your recovery and exercise program and you'll be ready soon enough.

With more and more Alaskans jumping on the band wagon of kayak fishing I'm sure there is going to be a lot of enthusiasm for creating many more get-together events and friendly competitions during the "normal" fishing season....whose line seems to be blurred more and more each year. Kardinal_84's record of catching a king in 14 consecutive months from his kayak is going to be a mark that may never be beat....well, until Ryu gets his driver's license.    Us old timers won't have a chance. Unless we can get another record-breaking El Niño event in the future.

I'm in Soldotna, 80 miles from Homer. Was 13 below zero here at the homestead this morning. With just 2 weeks to the derby and a lack of Pineapple Expresses in the forecast it might be a very chilly competition.

Ok.  This long hiatus is really starting to drive me nuts.  I actually went to a fitness club last night with the kids.

Just registered my son and I for the derby.  I even secured rooms at the Lands End Resort.  They allow cancellations up until the Wednesday prior so we should have a better picture by then. 

It sounds like the fish are currently close to the spit.  I am hearing enough about it that it is starting to concern me about the amount of traffic we might encounter.  I may go out and buy long bike flags to somehow put on our kayaks. 

I saw a few others Kayaks registered.  I have to admit.  I am almost hoping for marginal conditions to thin out the competition....of course a nice 40 degree/ zero wind day would be nice too....


 

Well Rudy, you might get your wish~!

GOOD THING KAYAKS LAUNCH FROM THE BEACH.

Continued cold North winds have started to lock up the Homer harbor with ice. Forecast is Homer won't see above freezing temps until next Sunday with North winds every day bringing more arctic blast and 20 knot breezy conditions.  If the harbor continues to deteriorate with ice formation (we are only 12 days from the tournament) there will be a good possibility the event date could be pushed to the last weekend in March. Just speculating at this time but we are starting to see the odds increasing on that scenario.

Today's harbor.  Homer hit 7°F this morning. I had -13°F just 80 miles north of them.  24" to 30" of lake ice depending on location.  Looks like its going to be a VERY LATE ice out on our lakes this year for open water fishing. That leaves saltwater as the only avenue for getting the hull wet until maybe mid-May for most lakes.  Better start thinking saltwater kings and halibut to get your Spring fix.

When we went this Saturday there was quite a bit of ice but still fishable and we went back down Sunday and the rough water blew most of it out but the harbor is full of it

Another plus of fishing from a yak is if you get cold, beach her and head to the truck for a warm up. Then right back out!

Another plus of fishing from a yak is if you get cold, beach her and head to the truck for a warm up. Then right back out!

Actually if you take Kardinal_84's tactic and get a beach front condo at Land's End, you can come inside, heat up a bowl of soup, get some hot coffee or chocolate and then head out for the finale.  I was quite interested in doing this but LE doesn't allow pets in the rooms so that was a deal breaker.  I think the cheapest rooms were $89 as I recall. That's per room sleeping 3 or maybe 4.  Pretty good deal really.