SALMON SUCCESS STORIES are always more fun to include than tales of woe and scarcity on the high seas.
The first two days of chinook fishing in Marine Area 6 (Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) produced mightily for anglers . . .and mighty fast too.
“Awesome, absolutely awesome,” Jerry Wright of Jerry’s Bait and Tackle (360-457-1308) in Port Angeles said of the salmon fishing on Wednesday and Thursday.
“We went out opening day and we hooked seven fish and we got our limit of hatcheries and we were off of there early.”
Wright said the bite picked up around 5 a.m. Wednesday, and he and his partner were trolling using a Wild Bill as well as Kitchen Sink Kingfisher lure.
“We started shallow at about 60 feet and moved on out to about 100 or 120 feet as it got brighter,” Wright said.
“Seemed like to me, I don’t know, but we didn’t start getting in to them until by the oil cans by the [Nippon] mill and out at the Winter Hole.”
Water conditions were smooth for the most part, with a few lumpy stretches Thursday morning, but otherwise conditions were perfect weather-wise.
And the production reflected that perfection.
“There’s tons of bait out there,” Wright said.
“The ones we cut open all had size green label herring in there.”
Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles agreed on the quality of the opener.
“Yesterday [Wednesday] was probably the best conditions you could ask for,” Aunspach said.
“Trollers did really well yesterday. There were lots of limits caught by 6 a.m.
There were strikes everywhere. There had to be 200 to 300 fish caught in our little spot.
“We limited the boat out in an hour and 15 minutes. It was a lot of fun.”
Thursday’s bite was still solid, but it appeared that the preferred methodology had changed, at least a little bit.
“Moochers seemed to do better today [Thursday],” Aunspach said.
“Trollers got some fish, too, but why the change I have no idea.”
Wright saw quite a few bait balls each day, so his thought is the fish are just hungry and will go after pretty much anything an angler will send down.
As for the size of the fish, Wright did hear of a few hatchery fish in the mid-20-pound range, with most running in the 8- to 12-pound range.
Port Angeles angler and lure designer Pete Rosko found success near the bottom at Freshwater Bay on Wednesday.
“It was an excellent opening day for chinook for many of us,” Rosko said.
“There were three of us who hooked over 30 mature chinook.
“Largest were several native kings, in the low 30-pound range, that were released.
“Almost all the fish were caught in less than 35 feet and all on Kandlefish jigs.
“Most fish were caught just off [the] bottom.”
Sekiu starts up
The bite is there in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) and the boats are coming for the holiday weekend, according to Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu.
“Its not been red-hot, but guys are finding some kings out there, and there are a few pinks around,” Ryan said.
“I think the minus tides and the full moon are effecting the fishing.
“Some guys went out [Wednesday night] on the incoming tide and had some success.”
Downriggers and flashers have been the preferred technique
“Biggest size I’ve seen is 18 or 19 pounds,” Ryan said.
“Some guys have had to release some bigger natives.
“There’s lots of bait around, too, so it should be a real strong weekend.
Fire danger closures
Olympic Resource Management, a Pope Resources company, has temporarily closed all general public access to its Hood Canal Tree Farm properties in Jefferson, Kitsap and Mason counties.
“Exceptionally dry weather conditions make for extreme fire danger that threatens private and public resources,” the company said in an email.
The closure will remain in effect until significant rainfall occurs, the company said.
Ward Norden, a fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist who lives in Quilcene, pointed out the closure’s impact on recreation.
“That means anglers will not be able to fish Horseshoe, Sandy Shore, or Ludlow Lakes for the foreseeable future,” Norden said.
“The largest impact will be Sandy Shore Lake which is the second most popular lake on the North Olympic Peninsula.”
Menkal was worried that Rayonier, which owns much of the timberland on the West End, would soon restrict access to lands it leases for recreational purposes.
“Rayonier owns lots of property on the Bogachiel River and if they say it’s too high a fire risk and shut it down then access to a lot of good fishing and hunting spots will be out the window,” Menkal said.
As of Wednesday, Rayonier’s leased lands remain open to recreational leaseholders, according to Rayonier’s Resource Development Manager for the Pacific Resource Unit George Brulotte of Aberdeen.
“The best description is it is a dynamic situation, one we are monitoring on a daily basis,” Brulotte said.
“Out in the woods our crews are monitoring the humidities everyday, which is part of standard operating procedure when you are logging. Our contract administrators check the levels and when it drops precipitously, that’s when it gets critical.”
Waters West events
Waters West, a Port Angeles fly fishing outfitter, has quite a few fly tying and casting classes and clinics set this month.
Fly tying classes are held at the store, 140 W. Front St., each Saturday from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m.
All fly tying classes are free and materials and tools can be provided.
Waters West also will offer a single-handed casting clinic at an area pond on Sunday, July 12, a spey casting clinic on Saturday, July 25 and a beginners course on Wednesday, July 29.
The shop also offers full and half-day guided fly fishing trips.
A full calendar of events is available at waterswest.com/events.
For more information, or to sign up, phone 360-417-0937, stop by the store, email info@waterswest.com or visit waterswest.com.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.