Tight Lines

Ice-free upper Kenai good news for anglers: As ice clears from lakes, watch for fish to start biting

admin — Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:33:43 +0000

By Dante Petri | Peninsula Clarion

It might still look more like Christmas outside than springtime, but diehard anglers have been doing well plying the open water of the upper, and upper middle Kenai River in recent weeks.

A generally warm spring has peeled back the ice on the river and opened up the landings, allowing both shore anglers and boaters to access the Kenai’s teal blue waters surrounded by still snowy mountains.

Robert Begich, the area sportfish management biologist for the Department of Fish and Game in Soldotna said that while he’d been getting good reports from the Kenai, he had yet to hear anything from the Kasilof River to the south.

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Annual season kick off sends anglers on hunt for kings and cash in Homer

admin — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 19:06:26 +0000

The 17th Annual Homer Winter King Salmon Derby is a bit of a misnomer this year, the event will be held on the first day of spring.

That’s fitting according to the tournament’s coordinator, Paula Frisinger.

“It’s a spring breakup time thing,” she said, explaining the event has become something of a tradition for diehard anglers looking to beat the winter blues and get a line in the water.

On Tuesday Frisinger said a little over 100 people had entered the tournament, which starts at 9 a.m. on Saturday.

Competitors will cruise the waters of Kachemak Bay, trolling for feeder kings that reside in the area feasting and fattening themselves.

Mild weather a boon for ice fishing tourney

admin — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 00:12:18 +0000

: Cherelle Miller waits for a bite while ice fishing on Sport Lake during a school field trip earlier this winter. Soldotna Trustworthy Hardware and Fishing is sponsoring an ice fishing derby through the end of the month.

By Dante Petri | Peninsula Clarion

Warm weather and low snowfall this winter is helping to make this one of the best years for ice fishing seen here a while.

Scott Miller, of Soldotna Trustworthy Hardware and Fishing, said their annual ice-fishing derby is set to break a participation record this year.

The 13-year-old, month-long event has attracted over 1,200 entrants so far this year, and with more than a week to go, Miller said he expects to see another 100 to 200 people get in on the action before the end of February.

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Lurking under the ice…: Hungry pike can feed hungry anglers this winter

admin — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 17:54:46 +0000

Hungry predators lurking in area lakes are fair game for ice fishermen this time of year.

The Department of Fish and Game liberalizes ice-fishing regulations on a handful of lakes menaced by the invasive northern pike in an effort to keep their numbers in check.

Anglers are allowed to fish five “closely attended” lines in the Mackey Lakes, Tote Road Lakes, and Cisca, Derks, Sevena, Stormy and Union lakes, improving their odds.

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Fish beware: Winter offers no respite: Early season action hot on stocked lakes

admin — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 18:44:43 +0000

Any fish that thought the hard shell forming over their watery abode would protect them from the plying lines and barbed hooks of anglers is apt to be disappointed.

After a November cold snap, most of the region’s shallow water bodies froze over, kicking off the ice fishing season.

With more wintry weather in the forecast in the coming week, some of the area’s deeper lakes should soon have enough ice for give anglers even more options.

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