I must admit that the The Fishing Hole has jumpers. The only problem is they are tiny smolt and it would take a major batch of them to fill a sauté pan. Besides they are really, really hard to fillet and you'd probably take some wicked heat from onlookers if you used a public fish table to clean them.

I have heard that the boat people have been nailing cohos by using a plug-cut herring (the head removed with an angled, beveled cut to make it spin) trolled behind a 2- to 4-ounce crescent sinker.

The best method seems to be a plug-cut herring trolled behind a dodger or flasher fished off a downrigger using a 10- to 12-pound lead ball on a cable, with the angler's line attached by a clip that allows the line to pull free when a fish strikes. Sixty feet is a nice depth in open water and 20 feet down along the shoreline works. If it's not that deep, you're in for a lot of excitement.

Other fishermen are getting nice hits using red and green color combos of artificial hootchie squid behind a flasher with a filleted strip of herring trailing on the hooks.

If you are lucky enough to have a fish-finder and spot a ball of bait fish (look for a flock of seabirds surface-feeding for a clue), troll through them about 5 feet below the mass because salmon are stealth hunters and attack from behind and below their target fish.

For those of us who mainly fish from land, chanting is working just as well as any other method that I know of right now. I guess we could try trolling the shoreline, but keeping up a 3 1/2 to 4 mph trot along a rocky beach would flat wear out a truck full of Nikes and have our spouses looking into institutionalism or serious meds for our bods. Trust me, I know about these things.

Emergency Orders

and Regulation Reminders

The areas upstream of the two-mile regulatory markers on the Anchor and Ninil-chik rivers and Deep and Stariski creeks open Sunday to fishing for Dolly Varden and steelhead/rainbow trout through Dec. 31. Salmon may not be targeted or harvested upstream of the 2-mile regulatory markers.

The tanner crab bag and possession limit of four within the confines of Kachemak Bay and Cook Inlet remains in effect. The required but free permit for them is available at the Homer, Soldotna and Anchorage Fish and Game offices.

Once again this week I shall refrain from mentioning much about spiny dogfish because I favor a nuclear option but fear the wrath of PETA people, who probably think they would make cute puppies, should be adopted and walked on a leash. The daily bag and possession limit for these beasts was increased to five per day and there is no longer an annual limit and recording requirement for them. That's a start.

The marine waters of Kachemak Bay are now open to snagging, except in the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon area because smolt are hard to whack with a treble hook the size of a beer can.

Fresh Waters

The lower portions of the Anchor River and Deep Creek are open to sport fishing except for king salmon including jacks.

This is cool. Silvers are starting to show up, so try fishing near the river mouth during high tide for a better shot of tying into some. Fishing should improve in mid-August.

Expect fair fishing for Dolly Varden and boring fishing for pink salmon in all streams. The latter is a good thing.

The Ninilchik River is open to sport fishing, including the harvest of hatchery kings downstream of the two-mile marker but expect sucko results. Hatchery fish are defined as fish missing their adipose fin which is the fleshy fin on the back just in front of the tail that looks like it has suffered a minor owee.

Wild king salmon may not be removed from the water and must be released immediately. Wild king salmon have their adipose fin and are deeply grateful for it.

Don't forget that steelhead trout hooked in the Anchor River, Deep Creek, Stariski Creek and the Ninilchik River must not be removed from the water and are required to be released immediately.

Pink and chum salmon are starting to arrive in Kachemak Bay streams. Try Humpy Creek for chum salmon and Tutka Creek for pink salmon because that's where they are. Pretty simple, huh?

Salt Waters: Halibut

Halibut fishing remains fair to good out of Homer, Anchor Point and Deep Creek. Most anglers have been catching their bag limits because it's not a tough thing to do if you keep 'buts the size of tea-cup poodles. Halibut landed over the past week averaged just under 15 pounds. How far under? From what I've seen on the cleaning tables, they would make a flounder grin. I must admit though that the weather has been so bad that you would have had better luck trying to fish off the stern rail of a cruise ship.

Herring is the most popular bait, but octopus, squid and salmon heads take exception to this and are pondering an in-vogue discrimination suit.

Salt Waters: Salmon

Silver salmon are reported being caught at the entrance of the Nick Dudiak Fishing Lagoon on the Homer Spit (sobriety tests have not yet confirmed these findings), also outside of Seldovia and near Deep Creek.

Trolling success for king salmon has been tragic to laughable at Bluff Point and amusing around Ninilchik.

Trolling success for king salmon has been insipid around Point Pogibshi and poor to pathetic in other Kachemak Bay locations.

Good numbers of pink salmon have been reported in Tutka Bay. I think we should send a band over there just to celebrate fish arriving somewhere in countable numbers.

Lingcod is open to harvest. Many anglers target these fish near the rock piles and pinnacles by Elizabeth Island and Kennedy Entrance. There is a minimum size limit of 35 inches and a bag limit of two per day and two in possession. A gaff may not be used for any fish intended for release.

Dolly Varden are making things interesting off the end of the Homer Spit. Small flashy lures are working well and don't seem to attract the pollock that prefer sneaking up on dead stuff that has an IQ smaller than theirs.

Personal Use

The China Poot personal use dipnet fishery will continue through Aug. 7. Fish are still wandering around. Try early in the morning for best results unless the tide is out; then you'll just look stupid.

Shrimp, king crab and Dungeness crab fisheries in Cook Inlet are closed because there are not enough to sustain a fishery. Personal use (Alaska residents only) shrimping is open in the North Gulf coast and a free permit is required. Both permits are available at the Homer and Anchorage Fish and Game offices.

Homer Halibut Derby Standings

(As of July 27 )

Mark Hilts of Grand Rapids, Minn., continues to be the jackpot leader with his 273.2-pound halibut caught July 13 with Magic Waters Charters Captain Peter Karwowski aboard the Sorceress.

July money fish are:

First place ($1,000): Hilts;

Second place ($750): Curt Gilbert of St. Auburn, Wash., who caught a 255-pounder July 19 with Spirit Charters Captain Mike Swan aboard the Beausoleil;

Third place ($500): Cheryl Goeke of Mesquite, Nev., who caught a 250.6-pounder July 1 with Big Bear Halibut Charters Captain Jim Craddock aboard the Bear Force II;

Fourth place ($250): Miles Hash of Meridian, Idaho, who caught a 216.4-pounder July 25 with Ivory Queen Charters Captain Eric Lehm aboard the Ivory Queen.

The Lady Angler for July is Goeke.

Nick can be reached at ncvarney@gmail.com if you have some great fishing tips or just want to rail because you have pet spiny dogfish and feel leash laws shouldn't pertain to them.