THE PINKS ARE here in numbers too big to ignore.
Anglers can’t really avoid them, either. The schools are just too big and too thick.
Jerry Wright of Jerry’s Bait and Tackle (360-457-1308) in Port Angeles appreciates pinks, just don’t ask him to chow down on a grilled filet.
“They are a fantastic fish, really good for entertainment,” Wright said.
“They are great for kids and for folks who like to go out to catch something, but I’m really picky. I don’t mind catching them, but I’m not a huge fan of eating them or smoking them.”
If you are still looking to hook into chinook, don’t worry. Wright advised it’s still early in the season, and kings are moving along the coast of the Pacific Ocean and through the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
To that end, Wright’s third annual Jerry’s Bait and Tackle Fishing Contest is Saturday, with the final fish weigh-in and prize ceremony set for 4:30 p.m.
There are no geographical limits to the derby.
Wright just wants anglers to produce legal hatchery-bred chinook.
Tickets are $20 and can be purchased at the store, located next to the Jiffy Lube, at 2720 E. U.S. Highway 101 in Port Angeles.
And those who fail to land a fish can at least head home with a full belly.
Wright and crew will be cooking up tacos for participants.
First prize will take home 50 percent of the prize pool, second place receives 25 percent and third place gets 15 percent.
“I might hand out a prize for the biggest humpy,” Wright said.
“That’s a possibility.”
Wright also will be giving away hats and running a prize raffle.
Sekiu seeing pink
It’s not just the sunsets that are pink out in Sekiu.
Most of the salmon passing through in the last few days have been of the pink variety as well, according to Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu.
“Lots of pinks coming through here,” Ryan said.
Ryan said they were in the smaller range, 4 to 7 pounds, typical for this early in the season.
“By around about the middle of August, they should be 8 to 10 pounds,” Ryan said.
To add that much weight, these fish must have a healthy appetite.
“I’ve had a few guys say they [pinks] are taking Coho Killers right out of their hands as they are rigging up the downrigger balls,” Ryan said.
“You can jig for them, just use light tackle.
“You can try to mooch with herring to get after some kings, but the pinks they’ll bite on that, too.
“They’ll go after anything.”
Anglers can catch pinks nearly anywhere in the water column, depending on the time of day.
“You’ll see them on the surface early in the morning and then they head deeper late in the day,” Ryan said.
“One guy said he was clear down to 150 feet on the downrigger for kings and he was still getting pinks.”
Ryan enjoys eating pinks, and recommends breading and frying them like you would a trout.
“They taste great that way,” Ryan said.
“And they work great as smokers and canners as well.”
Pinks may predominate, but kings and even some coho also are in the mix.
“A lot of chinook have been around, too,” Ryan said.
“It seems like most of them have been unclipped. Kind of a big wave of wilds coming through.”
That last statement jived with what Wright has heard and seen while salmon fishing near Port Angeles.
“A good chunk of those chinook have been wild,” Wright said.
Ryan also mentioned reports of the first coho of the summer.
“A fair amount of decent silvers are starting to show up,” Ryan said.
“These have been in the 7-pound range.
“But you don’t hear anybody complaining about catching them.”
Dungeness Bay
The pink-only fishery in Dungeness Bay opened Thursday, so anglers can set a crab pot down and while away some time trying to catch their four-pink limit.
“Crabbing has been absolutely fantastic out at Dungeness Bay,” Wright said.
‘Everybody’s been doing well. I’ve heard a good spot to set is over by the lighthouse in about 58 feet of water.”
The pinks may be a tougher go because of their proximity to the Dungeness River.
A number of pinks have been seen making their way up the river, including in a video the Dungeness River Audubon Center posted on its Facebook page.
“Those could be kind of hard to catch because they are staging [for their trip upriver to spawn],” Wright said.
“When they start to stage, they become kind of lockjaw, they are thinking of going up the river and not really too hungry.
“You can troll little hoochies in there, or little pink spoons. Maybe twitch small jigs like a 3/4-ounce Sonic Bait Fish, and you might get them to commit to that.”
Port Townsend report
The opening day of chinook fishing in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) started on a good note according to Eric Elliott of The Fishin’ Hole (360-385-7031) in Port Townsend.
“Early this morning, I probably saw 10 or 11 kings come in, and I also heard that pinks were being caught,” Elliott said.
Elliott said anglers were having success at Midchannel Bank
Most of the early crowd said they were fishing at Midchannel Bank, a little ways from Point Hudson off Port Townsend.
“They weren’t especially big, but there were a few that looked to be in the upper teens, and those were some nice looking fish,” Elliott said.
“The fishermen seemed happy with them.”
Elliott also said crabbing has been consistent in Port Townsend Bay.
“It’s been good, not excellent where everybody is getting limits and the pots are crammed full, but consistent and worth doing for sure,” Elliott said.
And if anybody comes across an extra Dungeness crab or two, Elliott joked he is available to take them off your hands.
I am, too, for that matter.
Rivers report
“Some sockeye and summer coho are starting to shoot down the Quillayute River,” Wright said.
“I think the best bet would be to set up at the Richwine Bar, time the incoming tide and see if that brings anything down.
“You can twitch small pink jigs at them or toss out some spoons or spinners.”
Despite the low river flows, Wright also heard of anglers still trying to catch summer steelhead in the Calawah, and others fishing the Tall Timbers hole on the Bogachiel after last weekend’s rain.
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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.