Slaying Silvers

• ‘Spitacular’ tourney kicks off promising season of cohos
By Sean Pearson
Homer Tribune

With a silver salmon tournament beckoning you, and the prediction of record numbers of late-run cohos returning to the sparkling waters of the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon, there’s really no reason for you not to land a few slippery silvers this year.
It’s not that the acrobatic cohos are getting any slower on the draw. In fact, you’re sure to see plenty of jumps, spins, flips and flashes  — now, you’ll just see more of them.
“We’re expecting a huge return of late-run silvers this year, because we planted almost three times what we would normally plant,” said Alaska Department of Fish and Game Nicky Szarzi. “If the numbers hold up like they should, we should see a run in the neighborhood of 18,000 to 24,000 late-run silvers.”
But that doesn’t mean you have time to just sit back and wait for them to arrive.
Kick off your late-summer fishing fun by taking part in this year’s Homer Silver Salmon “Spitacular.” Running August 4-12, the nine-day fishing extravaganza offers two different divisions of competition via fishing from both land and boat. Sponsored by the Homer Chamber of Commerce and Homer Senior Citizens, Inc., the tournament also offers daily prizes for kids and senior citizens.
It isn’t the first time the seniors have had their hands in this kettle of fish, as they were involved in hosting the derby some 10 years ago.  
Homer Senior Citizens, Inc. administrator Fred Lau reportedly wanted his organization to become involved in the fundraiser and public awareness event again to promote the funding of programs needed by seniors in an under-funded organization.
As a nonprofit, Homer Senior Citizens has a membership of 300. Many of those members help by volunteering at the Fishing Hole, selling tickets and weighing fish.
And if helping out senior citizens still doesn’t get you excited about facing off against a spectacular silver, obviously something is wrong.
With the early run of silvers peaking right about now, and the scheduled titanic invasion of late-run silvers sometime within the next week, the apex of the run should start cresting around Aug. 10.
And while a good showing of silvers this year will point to the benefits of stocking the late-run silvers last year to the tune of $25,000, Szarzi said it is still too early to really gauge whether the silver smolt-stocking program is a success.
The State of Alaska, the municipality of Homer, English Bay Corporation, Friends of the Fishing Hole, private individuals and local businesses contributed to stock the late-run silvers in 2006, and those funds were matched by the Cook Inlet Aquaculture Association to round out the total to 100,000 late-run silver salmon smolt. In 2006, 250,000 extra late-run silver smolt were stocked that will return this year.
Approximately 8,000 silvers are expected to return to Seldovia beginning in mid-August.
Tickets to compete in the “Spitacular” are available today through Aug. 12 at the Homer Chamber of Commerce Visitor Center, Homer Senior Center, Halibut Derby Headquarters and at charter offices. The fishing area for the tournament stretches from the Nick Dudiak Spit Fishing Lagoon and coastal spit, to the water south of the Coast Guard marker at Anchor Point.
For more information, contact the Homer Chamber of Commerce at 235-7740, or Homer Senior Citizens, Inc. at 399-1328. Information is also available via the chamber Web site at www.homeralaska.org. Entry Fee for the “Spitacular” is either $10 daily, or $60 for the entire tournament.
Finally, if you just can’t stand anymore saltwater, fresh water fishermen who want to hunt the silver salmon from the banks should look for pockets of slack water and areas close to the banks where the water runs slow. Alaska silver salmon do not like fast water.
“Things are right on track in the streams,” Szarzi said. “Best chances on the Anchor River are usually around first light, depending on water clarity, and fishing on the incoming tide.”
“You fish with the incoming tide, because that’s what brings the fish in,” she explained.
It sounds so simple, and yet…

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