By Michael Carman
Peninsula Daily News
GARDINER — Bellingham’s Brandon Leeper leapt to the top of the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby leaderboard when he weighed in a 15.7-pound blackmouth chinook at the Port Townsend Boat Haven at 11:46 a.m. Friday.
Weather conditions weren’t great for the first day of the three-day fishing extravaganza, but 86 anglers managed to put a hatchery chinook on the leaderboard. Those 86 fish averaged 8.1 pounds.
Saturday’s weather conditions worsened, with strong winds across much of the derby’s 500 square miles of fishable territory.
Organizers made an early decision to close the Freshwater Bay check-in station due to the conditions.
A total of 28 fish had been recorded as of 3:45 p.m. Saturday. The average fish size remained at 8.1 pounds.
Saturday’s largest fish weighed in at 10.4 pounds and was landed by Lake Stevens’ Sam Perry. Perry sits seventh on the leaderboard.
Port Hadlock’s Erik Vandenberg posted the other top 10 fish caught Saturday, a 10.2-pound specimen.
Fishing continues today from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The awards ceremony is still scheduled for 3 p.m. today at the Gardiner Beach boat ramp, according to derby director Kathy Watrous.
“We’ve sold more than 820 tickets for the derby but we’ve never had 250 people show up for the awards ceremony [referencing Gov. Jay Inslee’s state order mandating a halt to all activities of 250 or more people],” Watrous said.
Anglers meeting canceled
Thursday’s meeting of the North Olympic Peninsula chapter of Puget Sound Anglers has been canceled.
The meeting, part of Fish and Wildlife’s series of North of Falcon community outreach events, was intended to discuss potential Puget Sound salmon fishing seasons.
All North of Falcon meetings around the state have been cancelled in order to stop the potential spread of coronavirus.
The department will shift meetings to online or phone-based formats.
For more information, visit wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/north-falcon/public-meetings.
Big Salmon ramp shut down
Neah Bay’s Big Salmon Resort has shut down its boat launch as a result of the Makah Tribe’s move to protect it’s population by limiting or closing public access.
Big Salmon Resort posted on its Facebook page that the closure is for up to 30 days.
The lingcod season opened Saturday in Marine Area 4 west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line.
“If it lasts the full 30 days it puts us at the opening day for lingcod off Waadah Island and Seal and Sail [rocks], ” the post said.
Lingcod season opens April 16 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh Line.
Other Neah Bay-area closures for the general public: the Cape Flattery and Shi Shi Beach trails are open only to Makah Tribal members as is the Third Beach trail popular with surfers.
Razor digs
Razor clam diggers can round up their shovels, clam guns and tubes for a four-day dig beginning Friday.
State shellfish managers with the Department of Fish and Wildlife approved a dig on evening low tides after recent marine toxin tests showed the clams are safe to eat.
The approved dig is for the following beaches, dates and low tides:
Friday, 5:27 p.m., 0.4 feet: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Saturday, 6:07 p.m., 0.4 feet: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
Sunday, 6:41 p.m., 0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks
Monday, 7:12 p.m., 0.5 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis
No digging is allowed before noon when low tide occurs in the evening.
Region 6 Director Larry Phillips cautioned the public to think about the coronavirus when making plans to head to ocean beaches.
“We are approving this dig based on favorable marine toxin findings, but folks should use their own judgment and consider COVID-19 when making travel plans,” Phillips said, referencing recent announcements that razor clam festivals centered on Ocean Shores and Long Beach have been postponed.
Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby Port Ludlow’s Jayden Minish reeled in this 8.05-pound hatchery chinook off Port Townsend and was briefly atop the leaderboard on the first day of the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby.
