SEQUIM KIDS GET their shot at taking home some trout at Saturday’s 21st annual Kids Fishing Day hosted by the North Olympic Peninsula chapter of Puget Sound Anglers.
Fishing for kids ages 14 and younger will be held starting at 8 a.m. Saturday at the Carrie Blake Water Reclamation Pond on Blake Avenue north of Carrie Blake Park.
The anglers group has hosted the event since 2002 with assistance from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and the city of Sequim Public Works Department.
No fishing license is needed and the daily limit is the first two fish caught.
Approximately 1,000 rainbow trout weighing up to 3-plus pounds will be stocked in the pond ahead of the fun.
North Olympic Peninsula chapter members will supply rods, gear and bait as needed.
Fish cleaning also will be offered by Anglers members.
Shrimp and crab
Keith Beck, owner of Brinnon’s McKay Shrimp and Crab Gear, will provide proven tips and techniques for the upcoming spot shrimp (May 25-28 openers) and Dungeness crab seasons (early July opener) tonight in Sequim.
Beck will speak to the North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers at the Sequim Elks Lodge, 143 Port Williams Road, with a social half hour at 6:30 p.m. and Beck’s talk starting at 7 p.m.
A short business meeting, sharing of fishing reports and raffle drawings will follow after his talk.
Raffles are for members only, but visitors can become annual members on site for $25 ($35 for family memberships), including a monthly subscription to The Reel News.
Increased razor limit
Razor clam digs at ocean beaches through April 25 have been approved by state shellfish managers. Additional digs May 4-14 are tentatively planned.
On all open beaches — Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks, and Copalis — the daily limit through May 14 is 20 razor clams instead of the usual 15. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container, and all diggers must keep the first 20 clams they dig, regardless of size or condition.
• Thursday: 7:28 a.m.; -0.9 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
• Friday: 8:09 a.m.; -1.2 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
• Saturday: 8:50 a.m.; -1.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
• Sunday: 9:31 a.m.; -0.8 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
• Monday: 10:14 a.m.; -0.4 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis.
• Tuesday: 11:01 a.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks.
Back to school
Starting June 1, Fish and Wildlife will no longer offer fully remote hunter education courses. The department will continue to offer in-person hunter education courses as well as hybrid courses that combine online and in-person learning.
Online-only classes started during the pandemic and were a good stop-gap during a difficult situation.
The traditional classroom course, which is typically taught over multiple evenings and includes a field portion, is highly recommended for students seeking a valuable classroom experience.
The hybrid course combines successful completion of an online course followed by a field skills evaluation where students receive hands-on training and evaluation by certified instructors.
Per state law, all hunters born after Jan. 1, 1972, must complete a hunter education course in order to buy a hunting license. A hunter education deferral is available for hunters 10 and older who want to try hunting with an eligible licensed hunter before completing a hunter education course themselves.
Students who started but have not completed a fully online hunter education course by June 1 will be able to finish their course and become certified.
For hunter requirements in Washington, visit https://wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/requirements.
And prospective hunters can through the recently released 2023 Big Game Hunting Pamphlet at https://wdfw.wa.gov/publications/02422.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@ peninsuladailynews.com.
