FREE IS FOR me.
I’ve based my life upon that principle for years.
Sign up for a credit card at a baseball game and get a free T-shirt? Count me in.
Run into a pack of teenagers after that same game handing out free samples of the latest chewing gym incarnation? I’ll hit up every pimple-faced product hawker in my path.
Oh, and the Sunday afternoon sample bonanza at Costco?
“Yes, ma’am, I’ll take some of that delicious jambalaya, maybe even an extra cup . . . or three.”
So the prospect of free entry into Hurricane Ridge, which will be the case the next two weekends, is right up my ally.
Ridge reward
The entrance fees were waived by Olympic National Park as a way to celebrate Hurricane Ridge Road’s reopening in late February.
It coincides perfectly with a couple of big events at the winter sports paradise, beginning with this weekend’s Brad Stenger Memorial Citizen Races.
The skiing and snowboarding races are open to the public, with the racing starting at 11 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday.
Race fees are $15 for one day and $25 for the weekend.
In keeping with the free theme, all shredders will receive a complementary T-shirt and be treated to a barbecue.
The top three racers in each age division will also be awarded medals, while the fastest boy and girl for each day earn a trophy.
The Strapless Weekend snowskate event comes to the Ridge both days next weekend.
Several other winter activities are available at the Ridge both days as well (more on this later).
For more information on each winter sports event, visit www.hurricaneridge.com.
No free lunch
Unfortunately, blackmouth anglers have to put their time in to get their reward.
The fish just aren’t jumping in the boat these days, according to Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles.
“They are working hard for them, but once they find them there’s some good fish to be had,” Aunspach said of Marine Area 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca).
“Sometimes they can get scattered around this time of year.”
There have been reports of a few big boys around.
One angler brought in an 18-pounder out of Hein Bank last weekend, while Mark and Jeff Reynolds of Port Angeles caught two 18-plus-pounders off Ediz Hook 11 days ago.
“We haven’t seen a big fish since then,” said Aunspach, who helps conduct the Port Angeles Salmon Club’s monthly salmon derbies. “A lot of [the fish] have been in that 8- to 13-pound [range], which are nice fish, but nothing [huge].
“It’s mostly been on the Hook here I think, the Winter Hole and the Humps. Jiggers, bait guys and trollers. . . all three of them are catching fish.”
Angler participation hasn’t been nearly as pronounced out in Area 5 (Sekiu).
Despite a consistent string of success, there just aren’t a lot of people willing to make the drive out to the land of female fish statues.
“It’s pretty slow,” Val Olson of Olson’s Resort (360-963-2311) in Sekiu said. “But the ones that are here are getting fish.”
The same can’t be said for Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet).
That fishery has been a relative ghost town much of the winter, and for good reason: It’s mediocre at best.
“Everything I’ve heard about blackmouth is that it’s been better out by PA,” Brian Menkal of Swain’s Outdoor (360-385-1313) in Port Townsend said.
Steelhead swan song?
Run for cover West Enders.
You just might see a stampede this weekend, of the steelhead variety.
Weather reports speak of nothing but sunshine and sensible temperatures.
Rivers throughout the rest of Western Washington are either closed or unproductive.
And, yes, there’s more than a few steelies swimming around the Sol Duc and Hoh, both of which should be in prime condition this weekend.
“I’m guessing it is going to be gang busters,” Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods (360-374-6330) in Forks said. “We are going to get bombed.”
Crowds aside, we Peninsulites have good reason to head for the rivers as well: Spring chinook have been spotted.
Not that you would want to focus solely on the springers, according to Gooding.
“This time of year, what you do is you go fishing for steelhead and you pray to God that you catch a springer,” he said. “[If you are] just targeting them, you are fishing in a pretty empty bowl.
“The tribe has caught a half a dozen or so [springers], and I’ve heard of four or five caught by sport guys, but there ain’t a crowd of them in there.”
Of course, the same can’t be said of the native steelies.
Before last Monday’s weather pattern from hell, anglers were running into quite a few on the Sol Duc (See creel numbers on Page B4).
“I haven’t seen anything great-big, 25-[pound] range or nothing, but they are getting some fish up in the 18-20 pound range,” Gooding said. “I think most of the fish have been in the 8- to 14-pound class.
“The Sol Duc has been good, and the Hoh has been good when it’s in shape. I know during the weekend there were a couple of different guides who were down there, and they did pretty well.
“Calawah has been fishing fairly decent [too], but boy, it will be dropping like a rock. It will be too skinny to [float] by the weekend.”
Lakes warm up
A lazy day at the lake might be a good way to stay away from the crowds.
The water is warming up with every sunny day, and considering the balmy winter we had to begin with, it probably even had a head start this year.
So there’s a good chance lakes like Teal, Leland, Sutherland and Wentworth (all open year-round) are coming into fishing shape right about now.
“There’s a possibility that the hatches might start on the lakes, Gibbs and Leland, particularly,” Menkal said. “It should get a kick start.”
Nary a lake in Jefferson or Clallam counties has received any trout plants this year.
But that should be coming soon enough.
I’ll make sure to keep you posted.
Ridge rundown
On top of the races, just about everything will be going off at the Ridge this weekend.
All three lifts (Poma, bunny and intermediate) are expected to be in operation for the snowboarders and skiers.
Full-day lift rates are $10 for the bunny lift, $20 for the bunny and intermediate lifts and $25 for all three, including the Poma.
Half days cost $10 for the bunny, $18 for the bunny and intermediate and $22 for all three.
Snacks and ski rentals will be available at the snack bar and gift shop inside Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center.
There will also be ranger-led snowshoe walks Saturday and Sunday at 2 p.m. A $5 donation is requested from participants.
Space is limited for the 90-minute walks, so participants should register at the Hurricane Ridge Visitor Center information desk 30 minutes beforehand.
Hurricane Ridge Road opens Fridays through Sundays from 9 a.m. to dusk, weather permitting.
Always check road and weather conditions before your trip by phoning the park’s 24-hour road conditions hotline at 360-565-3131.
For information on skiing and snowboarding at the Ridge, visit www.hurricaneridge.com.
Also . . .
• Don Rice of Dungeness Kayaking will hold an introduction to sea kayaking class next Saturday and Sunday.
The cost of the class is $135, with Olympic Peninsula Paddlers Club members receiving a 25 percent discount. For more information, visit www.dungenesskayaking.com, or contact Rice at 360-681-4190.
• Starfish expert Phillip Lambert is the guest speaker at the Feiro Marine Life Center’s monthly presentation at Port Angeles City Pier this Saturday at 6:30 p.m.
Lambert is the curator emeritus at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria. He has written handbooks and guidebooks featuring Pacific Northwest invertebrate marine life.
A $5 donation is suggested but not required. For more information, or to reserve a spot, call 360-417-6254.
• Two sets of razor clam digs have been tentatively set for coastal beaches in late March and mid April.
Olympic National Park’s Kalaloch Beach is included in the digs, with openers set for March 26-27 (evening) and April 17-18 (morning).
For more information, visit http://tinyurl.com/oyekj.
• Tribal and state biologists will discuss the Dungeness elk herd behavior modification project at a meeting March 27 in Sequim.
The meeting, which is open to interested volunteers, will begin at 1 p.m. in the Guy Cole Convention Center at Carrie Blake Park, 202 N. Blake Ave.
For more information, e-mail Jesse Sandifer of the Eyes in the Woods Association at jesses@eyesinthewoods.org.
• Admiralty Audubon’s David Gluckman will lead a birding trip around Crockett Lake on Whidbey Island on March 27.
A group will take an 8 a.m. ferry from Port Townsend to Keystone before touring the lake and Ebey National Wildlife Refuge. It will return to Port Townsend on the noon ferry.
To register for the trip, contact Gluckman at 360-379-0360 or cgluckman@aol.com.
• Washington Trails Association will gather a volunteer work party at Peabody Creek Trail this Tuesday.
Volunteers must pre-register 48 hours in advance. To pre-register, contact Washington Trails at 206-625-1367 or visit www.wta.org.
• The 10th annual Port Angeles Kayak Symposium hits Hollywood Beach and City Pier the weekend of April 16-18.
The event includes on-water and off-water clinics, free demos and discounted kayak merchandise offered by numerous vendors.
Admission is $5 to the demo beach or free with a donation to the Port Angeles food bank. For more information, visit www.raftandkayak.com.
• The fifth annual Olympic Peninsula BirdFest returns to Dungeness River Audubon Center the weekend of April 9-11.
Events include field trips, presentations, a banquet, owl prowls and many other birdy activities. For more information, visit www.olympicbirdfest.org.
Send photos, stories
Want your event listed in the outdoors column?
Have a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique, why not share it with our readers?
Send it to me, Matt Schubert, Sports Department, Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362; phone, 360-417-3526; fax, 360-417-3521; e-mail matt.schubert @peninsuladailynews.com.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column appears on Thursdays and Fridays.