Winter King Salmon

Winter King Salmon

One my top questions that I receive on the boat every year (other than ‘how deep is the water’) is ‘do You live in Alaska year round?’ The answer is simple but is always met with a bit of shock and wonder! The answer is “Yes,” which is then followed by “well, what do you do all winter?”  That, my fellow anglers is the good part…I keep Fishing!  Although the halibut start migrating out of our local Homer waters in early October, our Winter King Salmon fishery is well under way. In fact, it builds all winter long culminating with Homer’s Annual Winter King Salmon Tournament on the third Saturday of every March. This 27 year old tradition usually draws in close to 1,500 anglers each year competing for big prize money and bragging rights! The salmon we are catching throughout this season are referred to as Feeder Kings. They are here fattening up on Kachemak Bay’s rich waters and they will later return to their home to spawn in rivers from British Columbia all the way down to California. Winter King Salmon limits are generous allowing 2 Kings per day that do not go toward an angler’s annual limit. Cruising the bay in the comfortable heated cabin aboard the Artemis taking in all of the beautiful snow capped mountains and glaciers makes for a trip in itself. Add some fresh Salmon and you’ve got yourself one awesome Alaskan winter day.