THE THIRD TIME at the salmon negotiating table was not the charm for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribal co-managers.
The two groups met again Wednesday and the result was the same as at the North of Falcon meetings and another meeting near Shelton earlier this month: no deal was reached for salmon seasons inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
“We had one last round of negotiations in hopes of ensuring salmon seasons in Puget Sound this year,” Fish and Wildlife Director Jim Unsworth said.
“Regrettably, we could not agree on fisheries that were acceptable to both parties.”
The department proposed salmon fisheries that allowed anglers to harvest chinook while protecting coho, which are expected to return in abnormally low numbers this year.
The state’s proposed fisheries met conservation goals that Fish and Wildlife and the tribes had previously agreed upon, Unsworth said.
The two sides will now go it alone in their efforts to secure approval from NOAA Fisheries on separate fishing plans.
If there is some small silver lining to this mess it can be found in a statement Unsworth made about hatchery fish production.
“We want to work with the tribes to address long-term resource management concerns, such as restoring habitat and increasing hatchery fish production,” Unsworth said.
“The breakdown in this year’s negotiations demonstrates the need for a change to the process of setting salmon-fishing seasons.”
But how long are recreational anglers willing to sit by and allow state-operated, taxpayer-funded hatcheries to produce fish that will never be caught in sport fisheries?
That’s just another in a multitude of questions concerning salmon management in our great state.
Seasons close, open
Beginnings and endings are the distinguishing characteristic of North Olympic Peninsula fisheries this weekend.
Wild steelhead retention on West End rivers, as well as many of the rules that have regulated steelhead fishing, will end or change for good Saturday.
Spring chinook fishing will continue after Saturday on the Quillayute and Sol Duc rivers.
“Guys are starting to catch some springers in the rivers,” said Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles.
“That fishery is never big, hot or crazy, but the guys who put the time in are finding some bites.”
And from what I gather, the fun really begins with a bite from a springer, a strong, explosive fish that will spin and twist and do everything it can to spit the hook and leave one rueing their misfortune.
Blackmouth anglers also have through Saturday to target chinook in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu), as well as Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal).
“I talked to some guys just today, and Sekiu has been very slow,” Aunspach said.
“They were fishing over the weekend and were saying maybe every third boat had caught a fish.”
Starting Sunday, anglers from Sekiu, Port Angeles (Marine Area 6) and Port Townsend (Marine Area 9) can fish for lingcod through June 15.
In all three marine areas the daily limit is one lingcod of a minimum length of 26 inches up to a maximum of 36 inches
Aunspach said the ling fishery is difficult from Port Angeles eastward.
“That’s a tough fishery here with very limited places to find these fish,” Aunspach said.
“It’s a tough endeavor because of a lack of fish.
“They are in specific places and if you don’t know where to look, you’ll be skunked.”
Aunspach mentioned some locations near Port Angeles that possess the structure lingcod crave for habitat.
“The Rock Pile has lingcod, so does 31/36,” Aunspach said.
The Rock Pile is 7½ miles north of Ediz Hook, while the 31/36 bank is 6 miles northwest of Ediz Hook.
Aunspach also mentioned the area near the wreck of the The Diamond Knot near Salt Creek County Park.
“That’s a super tough spot to fish because of the structure,” Aunspach said.
He told me there are so many rocks in the productive fishing spots there that anglers might need a couple of sets of eyes to keep watch on the boat and the fishing line.
“Guys have caught lingcod at Freshwater Bay in there along the kelp, but you might have to fish two or three times,” Aunspach said.
“I know some guys that have gone out 10 times for lingcod and only come back with two or three fish for the entire season.”
He also mentioned that Port Angeles Harbor holds lingcod, but there’s a catch.
“They are down there, but the problem is there are so many old logs and trouble along the bottom that you just end up snagged more often than not,” Aunspach said.
Aunspach has some advice for anglers.
“If you truly want a bottomfish, a lingcod, don’t slow down until you get to Neah Bay or LaPush,” Aunspach said.
Halibut fishing seminar
Expert angler John Beath will offer a free halibut seminar at Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim tonight.
Anglers will learn where to go, what to use and how to target halibut during the short season in May.
The seminar will run from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
The store is located at 609 W. Washington St. No. 21, next to J.C. Penney, in Sequim.
Phone Brian Menkal at 360-683-1950 to reserve a spot.
Attendees should bring a chair, a pen and a notebook.
Send photos, stories
Have a photograph, a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique?
Send it to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
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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.
