FORGET ABOUT THE dolphin-free stuff.
The North Olympic Peninsula coastline has a few tuna of its own.
Schools of albacore tuna are currently swimming some 40 miles southwest of LaPush.
Those willing to make the trek out there could be handsomely rewarded.
“There was a boat that went out [Wednesday] and was into them,” Randy Lato of All-Ways Fishing (360-374-2052) in LaPush said, noting it came back with a full boat.
“It looks like another good tuna year.”
Late summer, from August into September, tends to be the best time for Peninsula tuna, which school up some 30 to 100 miles offshore, depending upon the conditions.
Anglers often catch them trolling jigs or tuna clones directly behind the boat at shallow depths.
“Everything is right on top of the water,” Lato said. “You’re cruising at seven knots, so you’re right up there.
“When you hook up, count to 15 because a lot of times you’ll hook up multiple times. Then shut it down to an idle and bring it in.”
It’s not all that uncommon for boats to come back with 30 to 50 fish, depending upon the amount of gear in the water
There is no daily limit either, so anglers can spend as much time as they want going after them.
Just keep in mind, the journey to get out there — we’re talking two hours there and back — is an adventure in itself.
Coastal salmon
Anglers need not venture nearly as far to run into some decent king action, however.
After all, the ride out to Swiftsure Bank — the go-to chinook hole on the coast — is a relative cakewalk by comparison.
After another week of salmon fishing, it appears that particular Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) fishery may be the safest bet on the North Olympic Peninsula.
“Swiftsure is the hot spot still,” Joey Lawrence of Big Salmon Resort (360-645-2374) in Neah Bay said. “There’s a few others, but it’s kind of a hit-and-miss type of deal.
“Makah Bay is starting to heat up pretty good now as far as kings. [There’s] some nice fish coming out of there, 25- to 35-pounders. Nothing really hot and heavy, but they are starting to move in there.”
Lato ran into a crazy coho bite just two days ago while fishing near the Rock Pile.
That was following a day in which an 11-year-old on his boat brought in a 36-pound king while fishing out in front of LaPush in 115 feet of water.
“It was pretty steady action, two or three on at a time [Wednesday],” Lato said. “Most of [the coho] were native fish.
“We probably released 25 and were able to keep seven. . . Then [Thursday], it was dead. Same spot, dead. We came in with one fish today, a silver.
“There’s guys that about every other boat gets kings [near LaPush], but not real heavy action. Not like up at Swiftsure.
“That’s just been on fire all the way through.”
Strait coho
Kings are no longer the thing inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
With chinook season ending last Sunday, anglers are left to concentrate on coho in Marine Areas 5 (Sekiu) and 6 (eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca).
So far, that’s been a hit-and-miss proposition for most, Chris Mohr of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu said.
“It’s not our typical third week of August coho fishery, that’s for sure.” Mohr said.
“We’re averaging probably one or two coho per boat . . . and a lot of shakers. When you’re talking 3- or 4-pound fish, it isn’t anything to write home about.”
The coho fishery in Sekiu is pretty straight forward.
Almost always, anglers are going to spend most of their time fishing out near the shipping lanes in water 35- to 60-feet deep.
Troll a hoochie and flasher and you’re bound to have some decent luck. By the time September rolls around, the silvers should be swimming pretty thick.
“The coho fishery is more of a top-water fishery than the chinook fishery,” Mohr said. “Early in the morning you might find coho at 15 feet.”
Areas near the shipping lanes tend to be a popular spot for anglers in the eastern Strait as well.
For whatever reason, the Area 6 coho fishery just doesn’t seem to be all that popular.
Eastern Peninsula
Combat fishing season kicked off earlier this week with the Quilcene River coho opener Monday.
You know you’ve got an outlaw fishery on your hands when the state feels compelled to clarify in Quilcene’s individual section of the regs book that “Only fish hooked inside the mouth may be retained.”
Yes, there isn’t a more notoriously snaggery than the Quilcene in the entire Peninsula, if not the state. Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to do the same.
Already, a good number of coho have begun showing up at the Quilcene National Hatchery.
The hatchery hotline (360-765-3334) reported approximately 200 adult coho in its traps as of Thursday. And that promises to be just the beginning.
And with Quilcene/Dabob Bay now open to coho retention as well, we could have a silver free-for-all on our hands out east.
“The trap is already plugged with coho, and are they ever fat,” longtime Quilcene angler Ward Norden wrote in an e-mail.
“The fish should be biting in the outer parts of the bay where the water will be cooler.”
The Hoodsport Hatchery also reported an additional 219 chinook reaching its traps in the past week. Something to keep in mind for those willing to head south of Ayock Point.
Given the struggles many Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) anglers have had during the past month, it might be worth a try.
Bottomfish update
Strait saltwater anglers ought to keep a close eye on what’s happening in Neah Bay.
The state’s recently released draft management objectives and alternatives for fisheries on the eastern edge of Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) have the potential to make waves.
The proposals, which concern the area between Sekiu River and the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, were posted on Fish and Wildilfe’s website (http://tinyurl.com/25gen55) Thursday.
Possible changes are the result of Fish and Wildlife’s new Puget Sound Rockfish Conservation Plan, designed to protect depleted rockfish populations in the area.
There will be three public meetings on the subject held next week, including one in Port Angeles. The public comment period lasts through Dec. 4.
Comments can be submitted by e-mail to Ami.Hollingsworth@dfw.wa.gov or by mail to: Ami Hollingsworth, 600 Capitol Way, N. Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
Fish and Wildlife staff will also take questions and comments at the following three meetings:
• Monday – Seattle: The University Branch of the Seattle Public Library, 5009 Roosevelt Way NE., from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
• Tuesday – Port Angeles: Department of Social and Health Services Office, 201 W. First St., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
• Thursday – Olympia: Room 175 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. SE., from 7 p.m. to 9 p.m.
The state Fish and Wildlife Commission, a nine-member citizen panel that sets policy for the department, will also hold a public hearing on the draft proposals at its Dec. 2-4 meeting in Olympia.
The commission is expected to take action on the proposals in February.
Archery warm up
Archery hunting season is right around the corner.
The Wapiti Bowmen’s annual bow hunter warm up, set for this Saturday and Sunday, is the perfect opportunity to stretch out those archer’s muscles.
Participants will take on a challenging outdoor course at the Bowmen’s club headquarters, located at 274 Arnette Road in east Port Angeles.
There will be a total of 30 targets, set at different distances, for archers to shoot at each day.
Prizes will be awarded to archers who compete both days, with a Rinehart 3D target going to the top shooter.
Second place wins a Bear Bow donated by Swain’s General Store.
Per day shooting fees are $12 for adults ($20 both days), $8 for youth ($12 both) and $5 for cubs ($7 both). Raffle tickets can also be purchased for $5.
Registration is open from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday. It will reopen at 7 a.m. on Sunday, with all scorecards due by 2 p.m. Breakfast and lunch will be served both days.
For more information on the event, call club president Pete Joers at 360-681-2972 or send an e-mail to joersclan@msn.com.
Also . . .
• Healthy summer coho continue to show up the Sol Duc Hatchery.
As summer river fisheries go, this run can be productive during low light periods. You might even run into a summer steelhead or two.
• I received another report of a black bear being taken down in the Clearwater area earlier this week.
Those looking for bear will have the forest all to themselves for another couple of weeks before archery deer and forest grouse seasons begin Sept. 1.
• Olympic National Park officially announced Hurricane Ridge Road will open to seven-day-a-week access this winter.
Community members throughout Clallam County rallied to raise the $75,000 needed to help cover increased maintenance costs. The National Park Service provided $250,000 in public funds to also help make it happen.
• The Washington Native Plant Society will hunt for rare plant species during a foray into Point Wilson today.
The plant walk lasts from 12:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m., with the focus on a pair of species (Convolvulus soldanella and Honckenya peploides) that sporadically show at the park.
For more information, including where to meet, contact Fred Weinmann at fweinmann@cablespeed.com or 360-379-0986.
• The Coastal Conservation Association-North Olympic Peninsula Chapter will hold its monthly meeting in Sequim on Thursday
Among the topics up for discussion are Peninsula salmon, steelhead, halibut, rockfish and recreational crabbing management issues.
The meeting will run from 6:45 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave.
For more information on the association, visit ccapnw.org.
• Olympic Peninsula Audubon Society will lead a two-day field trip to see migrating shorebirds at Ocean Shores on Aug. 28-29.
The trip is free, although lodging is each participant’s responsibility. For trip details, contact Bob Iddins at 360-681-2840.
• The Quilcene Fair will hold its fourth annual Antler Show on Sept. 18.
Hunters from across the Peninsula are welcome to come display their trophies, with two official Boone and Crockett measurers on hand to provide official scoring.
There will also be a special bird hunting display this year, open to any area hunters who had a bird or two preserved.
Those wishing to provide a display can contact Mari Phillips in Quilcene at 360-765-0688.
• The LaPush Last Chance Salmon Derby comes to the coast Oct. 2-3 this fall.
Participants will see a reduced entry fee this year ($25), with cash prizes awarded to the largest ($500), second largest ($250) and third largest ($100) salmon submitted. There will also be a $100 reward for the largest bottomfish.
Tickets can be purchased at Swain’s General Store, LaPush Marina, Forks Outfitters and the Forks Chamber of Commerce office. For more information, call 360-374-2531.
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.