This is one of the few spots along the road system where you might catch halibut from the shore. Check out the beach, which surrounds the Land’s End Hotel, on the Homer Spit. Here, you’ll find a small parking lot, and the water's only about 100 feet away.
Fish While The Fish Feast
The main species here include halibut, pollack, sole, flounder, and Irish lord. You might also encounter sea-run Dolly Varden, which frequent the upper layer of water. In general, the farther out you can cast, the better—so low tide is the prime time to fish here.
While you can fish along this entire stretch, the most popular place is right at the three pylons, where fish-processing waste is expelled. That chums the water, drawing many varieties of bottom fish for a veritable buffet. The water here is also very deep, since the trench exists to accommodate the Alaska Ferry.
Re-Think Your Bait
Since these are all bottom fish, you’ll want bait. The most popular bait is herring, with its strong, magnetic scent—but herring can also get soft in the water, making it prone to falling off the hook. An effective alternative is a piece of salmon filet. You can buy a small one with skin (sport-caught salmon meat cannot legally be used for bait). Cut it into 1-inch pieces, and put a piece onto your hook, skin side first. That will attract fish, and won’t easily fall off, even after catching fish. You might be able to catch 10 to 20 fish before having to replace your salmon bait.
Need bait and gear? You can pick up bait, lures, and jigs at Ulmers Drug & Hardware on the Homer Spit.
Use the Right Surfcasting Gear
For either types of bait, use a surfcasting setup that consists of a 20-inch leader and a 4-ounce weight. (See our techniques section for more detail). Surfcasting rods are most efficient here, with lengths of 10 to 12 feet. That said, any medium-heavy rod (10 to 25 pounds) with a length of at least 8’6” should be sufficient. Your rod type isn’t as important as its ability to cast long distances.
