Peninsula Daily News
and news sources
THIS SHOULD NOT come as news to anyone but today probably isn’t a good day to be on the West End rivers trying to catch that dream steelhead.
It may be a good time to catch a cold out there in the nasty elements but those steelies are hunkering down right now.
But there is very good news in the midst of all the bleak rain and blown-out rivers: spring fish are starting to show up early in both the rivers and the saltwater.
More on that later in the column.
It started raining hard, not to mention snowing and sleeting with strong winds Wednesday on the West End, and then started coming down in buckets during Wednesday night into Thursday.
Other than that, it’s nice and pleasant out on the West End.
“Some people went out [on Wednesday], and it was raining, snowing, sleeting and windy,” Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods (360-374-6330) in Forks said.
“I didn’t even want to go outside. It was awful. When it rains, it pours.”
Especially, it seems, on the West End.
According to weather forecasts, which of course a person has to take with a grain of salt, it’s supposed to rain heavy today through Sunday and finally get some sun breaks with showers Monday.
Or, at least let up some time in the 22nd Century.
Of course, it was supposed to rain hard last weekend, too, but it turned out not really that bad.
“It rained some but it wasn’t heavy rain,” Gooding said.
“Fishing was doing pretty well this past week with ups and downs that went along with the weather’s ups and downs.
“It’s doing OK. There are some big ones out there, some nice fish.”
Anglers just need to wait for the water level to go down on the rivers, and for the water to clear.
Gooding said anglers should not expect to fish before late today at the earliest, and maybe not until Saturday or Sunday, depending on when the river levels go down.
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim also said there are a lot of steelhead in the West End rivers.
“The fish are in, especially in the Sol Duc, Bogachiel and Hoh,” Menkal said.
“It’s just a matter of waiting for the water to clear up a little.”
Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles said he has heard of some big wild steelhead being taken from the rivers.
“The natives are coming in, and I heard about some fish in the 17- to 15-pound range being caught,” he said.
The rivers may be fishable by Sunday, depending on the weather, Aunspach said.
Spring fish early
The good news, and this is very good news for anglers, is that springers — hatchery chinook — already are showing up in the rivers.
And out on the saltwater, anglers have caught sockeye salmon and coho this past week, according to Menkal.
“It’s the wrong time of year for sockeye and coho,” Menkal said.
“They were hooked this past week along with blackmouth.”
More on the blackmouth later, but Menkal is excited about the springers in the rivers because they make a tasty meal.
“They are one of the best eating fish you will get,” Menkal said.
“Their oil content is superb. They are great table fare.”
Menkal will be teaching classes on how to catch those springers, as well as steelhead, starting next week.
More on that later in this column.
The kings normally start showing in April and May.
“They’re starting to come in early,” Menkal said.
Blackmouth fishing
Good-sized blackmouth are out there and are getting caught between wind storms.
The heavy rain makes fishing difficult in the rivers but it’s the wind that shuts down saltwater fishing.
“Blackmouth fishing has been a little tough lately because of the weather,” Aunspach said.
“One boat went out [Wednesday]. They didn’t catch anything, I think because they didn’t stick around long because of the weather.”
There are still plenty of blackmouth out there, both Menkal and Aunspach said.
“Some blackmouth will be caught this weekend,” Aunspach said.
“There are a lot of blackmouth, you just have to time your trips between the wind storms,” Menkal said.
“The problem is the wind, but there are plenty of blackmouth out there.”
Menkal heard about some big salmon being caught by the Yellow Buoy in Port Angeles this past week.
The fish being caught are between 10 and 15 pounds, Menkal said, and are being hooked in a lot of places, including Discovery Bay and right off Port Angeles.
There’s been enough fishing in the past week for some movement on the monthly Port Angeles Salmon Derby, sponsored by Swain’s in Port Angeles.
Still in first with a 15.12-pound blackmouth is Gary Kettel of Port Angeles while close behind is Larry Lack of Port Angeles, who caught a 15.06-pound fish.
Jeff Reynolds sits in third with one 14.4 pounds while Dale Fredickson has one 12.14 pounds.
Fishing class
Menkal is giving a new fishing class, this one on catching river steelhead and springers (spring chinook), starting this coming Tuesday.
The two-part class is scheduled for Tuesday and again Tuesday, March 27, at Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim, from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. each night.
Call 360-683-1950 for more information or to register.
Archery clinic set
A free archery clinic and demonstration will be held at the Jefferson County Fairgrounds Horse Arena, 4907 Landes St., from 10 a.m. to noon Sunday.
The event, part of the 2012 Port Townsend Library Community Read series, will be led by several nationally ranked archers and members of the Wapiti Bowmen club from Port Angeles.
The clinic is open to the public but participants must first sign a waiver.
Attendees will have the chance to learn basic skills associated with archery in a safe, professional environment and also see world-class archers in action.
Due to wet course conditions and safety concerns for the horses, the barrel racing demonstration has been canceled.
Community Read events are based off the award-winning book Winterkill by Craig Lesley, and bring local authors, artists and outdoor enthusiasts together to breathe life into the books events.
For more information, phone the Port Townsend Public Library at 360-385-3181.
Elk hunting clinic
PORT TOWNSEND — Archer, backpacker and hunter Jameson Hawn will present a free elk hunting seminar as part of the 2012 Port Townsend Community Read month-long event series.
The event will be held in the Library Learning Center next to the Port Townsend Library, 1220 Lawrence St., at 5:30 p.m. Saturday.
Hawn will focus on archery gear, methods for finding elk throughout the state, backpacking essentials as well as demonstrating how to get hunters within range for the shot of a lifetime.
“There’s nothing like a big bull elk screaming bugles out in September,” Hawn said.
“It’s something that not everyone gets to experience. I hope to show unique ways that have gotten me closer to big game species that might change other’s perspectives on hunting.”
Community Read events are based on the award-winning book Winterkill by Craig Lesley, and bring local authors, artists and outdoor enthusiasts together to breathe life into the book’s events.
For more information, phone the Port Townsend Public Library at 360-385-3181.
Clam-happy
Two more morning razor clam digs are coming up soon, starting next weekend, and in early April.
The April dig will include Kalaloch Beach for the first time this season.
State Fish and Wildlife shellfish managers have tentatively proposed two more morning digs through early April, although final approval will depend on the results of future marine toxin tests.
Proposed beach openings, along with morning low tides, for those digs are:
■■■ March 24, Saturday, (8:25 a.m., +0.3 ft.): Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks.
■■■ March 25, Sunday, (8:59 a.m., +0.3 ft.): Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks.
■■■ April 7, Saturday, (7:36 a.m., -1.2 ft.): Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Kalaloch.
■■■ April 8, Sunday, (8:23 a.m., -1.5 ft.): Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Kalaloch.
■■■ April 9, Monday, (9:11 a.m., -1.5 ft.): Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch.
Updated information on razor clam seasons is available on WDFW’s toll-free Shellfish Hotline at 866-880-5431.
Fishing symposium
Well-known sea-run cutthroat fly fishers Ron Hirschi, Jeffrey Delia and Doug Rose are hosting a “Cutts and Chum” symposium at the Tri-Area Community Center in Chimacum on March 31 and April 1.
It is a combination clinic on how to become a better saltwater cutthroat angler and a celebration of the fine springtime fishing along eastern North Olympic Peninsula beaches when chum fry are migrating.
Guest speakers and tyers include Preston Singletary, Bob Triggs, Steve Rohrbach, Chester Allen, Joe Jauquet, Roger Stephens and Leland Miyawaki.
It features slide shows on the cutthroat’s life cycle, discussions on cutthroat diet in saltwater, chum fry, numerous fly tying demonstrations, field sessions on presentation, reading the water, rigging a saltwater boat and beach seining to identify cutthroat food items.
Cost is $100. Detailed information is available at dougroseflyfiishing.com.
Clams and oysters
If steamer clams and oysters are your thing, the Hood Canal is the place to go.
One of the better public beaches for a tasty winter combo of steamer clams and oysters is Point Whitney on Hood Canal, but there isn’t a lot of time left to take advantage of it this year.
The area is the site of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Point Whitney Shellfish Lab, and both the “outside” tideland beaches and the “inside” lagoon beaches have been planted to enhance recreational opportunities.
The clam season recently was shortened so that the tidelands are open only through March 31, at which point the inside lagoon comes on line, April 1 to April 30.
Oysters, however, are legal on the tidelands through June 30, and on the lagoon year around.
Manilla littlenecks are available to diggers on both the lagoon and outer beaches, but best on the outer beaches west of the pier, near the lagoon outlet.
Native littlenecks and butter clams can be dug in the vicinity of the pier, while the best oyster picking (2½-inch minimum size) is a longer walk — toward the south end of the outer tidelands.
A kiosk at the parking area has maps and other information.
Take U.S. Highway 101 south from Quilcene about 8 miles, going up and around Mount Walker, then back down to Hood Canal.
——–
Outdoors columns run Thursdays and Fridays in the Peninsula Daily News.