A CHANCE TO learn technique, shape strategy and figure out where to go and what to do while chinook fishing will be offered Tuesday at Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim.
Area angler Rick Wray will present a chinook seminar at the store, 609 W. Washington St., No. 21, next to J.C. Penney, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
“Rick is truly a local expert,” Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim.
“He’s one of the few guys who will share his knowledge like this.
“It’s such a short season that this is a great chance to learn to cure bait, cut bait, mooch, jig, troll, what time and where to fish, the type of flashers to attach on your downrigger and how read tides and times.
“He’ll let you know some secrets, too.”
Menkal recommends attendees call ahead to 360-683-1950 to reserve a spot, and to bring a notepad and a pen.
“It will be great prep for July 1,” Menkal said.
Menkal is referencing the proposed opening day of saltwater salmon fishing in Marine Areas 3 (La Push), 4 (Neah Bay), 5 (Sekiu) and 6 (Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca).
Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) opens for other salmon species besides chinook, coho and chum July 1.
The chinook season will open in these water July 16.
Beardslee trout
Port Angeles angler and lure designer Pete Rosko and his neighbor Al Brown fished the east side of Lake Crescent near the Lake Crescent Lodge on Tuesday.
Their target? Catch-and-release fishing for Lake Crescent very own Beardslee trout.
“We were flat-line trolling within 25 feet of the surface in 55 to 110 feet of water,” Rosko said.
“Surface temperature was 61 degrees with a one foot northwest chop.
“By far, the best lure was a 3/4-ounce blue-silver Sonic BaitFish trolled between 2 1/2 and 3 miles per hour on a zigzag pattern.”
Rosko said the majority of the strikes were hard, and he felt those strikes equated to an average size of 18 inches or more.
“Only a dozen Beardslee trout were brought to the boat and released out of over 50 strikes,” Rosko said.
“Barbless hooks were part of the reason, but I think a greater reason was that the fish were tearing off the hook because of their vicious strike.
“Three times we lost larger fish within sight of the boat.
“Surprisingly, the best bite was between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. under a partly sunny sky.”
Last day of halibut
Recreational halibut fishing in Marine Areas 3 (La Push) 4 (Neah Bay) is open today for one final day on the water.
Halibut catch totals through Saturday, June 11 was 95,146 pounds, leaving 12,884 pounds of quota remaining.
The state Department o Fish and Wildlife says that “is sufficient for another weekday of fishing, but not another weekend day of fishing.”
‘Best trip of my life’
Robert Rohner of Sequim had a little bit more success than I did in his first year of halibut fishing.
He caught a pair of good-sized flatties in Marine Area 5 during its Memorial Day weekend opening in late May.
Rohner opened his trip by bringing in a 65-pound halibut.
The next day he reeled in an 85-pound specimen in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
“[I] caught it north of the Sekiu River in 300 feet of water,” Rohner said.
“I was using a 10-inch Fat Squid with a glow stick using a 16/0 circle hook with whole herring.
“It took us about 25 minutes to land it after two dashes to the bottom.”
Rohner also was well-treated on his trip.
“John Beath was kind enough to fillet the fish at the Van Riper’s [Resort] fish scale for us,” Rohner said.
“Best trip of my life.”
Congratulations on the big fish, Robert.
Tuna coming on
It’s just about time for tuna fishing in waters off the Pacific Coast.
“Ocean temperatures off our coast are approaching optimum for the annual albacore tuna migration which should begin in the next week or two,” Ward Norden owner of Snapper Tackle Company and a former fishery biologist who lives in Quilcene said.
“There may already be a few out there.”
La Push is the starting point for these epic saltwater treks.
“Every year the migration approaches within 20 miles of La Push when the weather is just right,” Norden said.
Weather similar to the current June gloom we are seeing is a good sign.
“It may seem counter intuitive, but the better the weather is (sunny and warm), the farther out ocean currents move the tuna,” Norden said.
“The weather anglers need to be looking for is cooler, cloudier weather and gentle winds from the south or southwest for four or five days.
“Those winds and clouds push the warmer offshore ‘blue water’ closer to the beach.
“That type of weather is well known to bring albacore as close as 5 miles to Oregon ports like Tillamook.”
Norden said those type of conditions lead to some fun on the water.
“Once or twice a year, [Tillamook] locals in open 15-foot aluminum boats have had to limit themselves to 10 of the tuna for safety reasons in order to get back to port,” Norden said.
“Keep your eyes on the skies, listen to NOAA’s radio broadcasts. and keep your reels ready with 30-pound line. Be prepared to drop everything when the tuna call.”
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 57050 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
