stevechin

Hi guys,

In late July, I'll be visiting the Kenai Peninsula for some salmon fishing. I really want to take in some Halibut/Lingcod/maybe rockfish fishing as well. Mostly halibut.

What do you guys recommend? Seward or Homer for a 1/2 to 3/4 day trip. I'll be based in the Kenai Keys (just a few miles east of Sterling) so it's roughly the same distance to either Homer or Seward. I've been to both cities before, but just for poking around Homer restaurants, and the Kenai Fjords tour cruise in Seward.

The fishing charter prices seem similar at both places. Plus, I can't trust the charter websites, as they both claim that "Homer is the best" or "Seward is the best."

Plus, I heard that rockfish can be caught off of a pier/shore(?) somewhere in/near Seward? That would save a lot off the charter fees.

Any suggestions/experience?

Gardyloo

Well, I'd say Seward for salmon and Homer for halibut and lingcod/rockfish, although I do know that rockfish are more problematic in Resurrection Bay (and I believe pretty low harvests allowed elsewhere.)

If you had to pick one place I'd probably go with Homer as there are various habitats around Kachemak Bay, so depending on what's in, you can adjust your plans accordingly.

Of course late July is when the Silvers start showing up big time in Resurrection Bay (the Seward derby starts in early August IIRC), and there's nothing quite like fishing for Silvers when they're hot. Halibut seems more like Olympic weight lifting by comparison. But that's just my opinion.

Either place will offer good sport.

You might want to read these ADF&G publications to see more:

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf...achemakbay.pdf
http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static-sf...ubs/seward.pdf

I don't know about shore fishing for Rockfish in Seward. Never tried it, but I'd be skeptical.

PIONEER

I generally agree with GardyLoo.

Homer is supposedly the halibut capital of the world. We haven't fished out of there, but it is an interesting place, and there are numerous photos of big halibut catches. Halibut limits have been cut in various parts of Alaska, so you might want to check how many and of what size you can keep. Same for lings.

We spent a total of about a week at a lodge on the Kenai. As you probably know, the Kenai River is known for the biggest salmon in the state, and we got our share. At the time we were there, the limit was two per person for the trip, and there was a "slot" qualification. IIRC, it was something like you could keep up to 45" but had to release anything between 45 and 55, and beyond that you could keep it. The first fish that Ms. P got was in the slot, so we released it, but thereafter we each got the limit of two fish per person (for the trip) that were <46. One complaint that I would have about the lodge that we stayed at was that they didn't freeze and pack the fish. We had to take it into town and pay an additional fee for that. I would also add that the fish meat itself, once we got it home, wasn't that great. Nothing like a coho or Chinook from the ocean. If we ever go back to the Kenai, I think it will be catch and release regardless of size.

We did go out on the ocean one day out of Seward. It seemed to be a nice day, but the seas were fairly rough, and the fishing wasn't that great, but this is a very limited sample. Seward is also a very nice place. If you go there, be sure to check out the Alaska Sea Life center.

Doc Savage

I had a great day catching halibut out of Homer. The king salmon run to the Homer Spit lagoon was interesting to observe, too, though it was definitely "combat fishing" conditions.
http://www.piscatorialpursuits.com/lagoon.htm

PIONEER

I also agree that halibut fishing is a lot like weight lifting. If you've got a fish on, that's one thing, but generally when you reel in, it's to check the bait or move to another location, and that gets tiresome after awhile. Also, I would encourage catch and release for the really big halibut (>150 lbs). These are the females that will produce the next generations. Ant their meat is not that great.

jbarm

I would agree with the others: Homer for halibut and Seward for silver salmon.

I would liken catching a halibut (or 'but as locals call it) to reeling in a piece of plywood. Not that fun imo, but great eating.

If you want fishing action, go for silvers.

jb