I'd have to agree on the halibut and kings. I fish out of Homer, so can't help much on the bait store or how people are actually doing that are getting launched by the tractors, but I can't imagine you'd have much trouble catching halibut within 5 miles of shore. I caught a small halibut (maybe 10 lbs.) trolling the Bluffs in about 70 ft. of water a couple of days ago, so I don't have any doubt there are at least some fish close in now.
It's funny because you'll probably find about a 50/50 mix of people that will say drift fishing is more effective vs. people saying they think anchoring is more effective. IMHO drift fishing is more effective and that's what I do probably about 90% of the time. But a lot of it is just situational. I tend to fish spots that are just more conducive to it. When you get further north in the inlet like off of Deep Creek the tidal current can be brutal and it makes doing either rather difficult. That's why you'll see so many boats troll for kings when the tide is running and then head for halibut waters when the tide is heading toward slack. It's kind of funny when you're trolling for kings you can almost set your clock by when all the boats will disappear to chase flat fish.
Yeah, if you see me up that way in the next few weeks it's only because I got lost (wink, wink, nudge, nudge, say no more).fished out of AP this weekend, fished inside for quite awhile, not by choice but mother natures choice, still SLOW for butts, but there are a few around, best hali found in about 200 feet, if you can get thru the cod.
and unlike Muttley has said there are NO KINGS YET, wink wink
