Outdoors

Jesse Major/Peninsula Adventure Sports Mountain bikers compete in the Bon Jon Pedal Bender west of Quilcene, the final leg of this year's Gravel Unravel, last weekend.

ADVENTURE SPORTS: Mountain bikers brave sweltering heat in Bon Jon race

More than 100 mountain bike racers from as far away as Virginia survived some tough climbs and brutal 100-degree heat in the Bon… Continue reading

Jesse Major/Peninsula Adventure Sports Mountain bikers compete in the Bon Jon Pedal Bender west of Quilcene, the final leg of this year's Gravel Unravel, last weekend.

OUTDOORS: Spot shrimp to reopen in Marine Area 6 on July 14

Recreational spot shrimp will reopen in a handful of Puget Sound marine areas, including Marine Area 6 in the eastern half of the… Continue reading

Mike Hofstetter caught this chinook while fishing in 90 feet of water off Waadah Island near Neah Bay. He used a moonjelly flasher and a cookies and cream Coyote spoon while trolling at 2.1 miles per hour with Scotty Downriggers.

OUTDOORS: Kings and Dungeness crab some of the best of nature’s bounty

Not much can compete with the satisfaction of landing, cleaning, preparing and, most importantly, eating a king that you caught yourself or a Dungeness crab… Continue reading

Mike Hofstetter caught this chinook while fishing in 90 feet of water off Waadah Island near Neah Bay. He used a moonjelly flasher and a cookies and cream Coyote spoon while trolling at 2.1 miles per hour with Scotty Downriggers.
Sekiu's Kristy King hauled in this 18-pound hatchery chinook while mooching a cut-plug herring off Slip Point on the opening day of the 2020 recreational salmon season in marine areas 5 (Sekiu) and 6 (Port Angeles). The salmon season opens off Sekiu and Port Angeles today.

OUTDOORS: Summer salmon season opens off Sekiu and Port Angeles

Tides lacking for opener

Sekiu's Kristy King hauled in this 18-pound hatchery chinook while mooching a cut-plug herring off Slip Point on the opening day of the 2020 recreational salmon season in marine areas 5 (Sekiu) and 6 (Port Angeles). The salmon season opens off Sekiu and Port Angeles today.
Anglers from left, Dave Lewis, Alea Holloway, Doug Demmrell and Josh Kilmer, all from the Port Townsend/Sequim area, caught these good-sized halibut while fishing the Pacific Ocean via Sekiu with Tom Burlingame of Excel Fishing Charters.

OUTDOORS: Halibut still the priority for anglers

Kings being caught near Neah Bay

Anglers from left, Dave Lewis, Alea Holloway, Doug Demmrell and Josh Kilmer, all from the Port Townsend/Sequim area, caught these good-sized halibut while fishing the Pacific Ocean via Sekiu with Tom Burlingame of Excel Fishing Charters.
Photo courtesy April Ryan/Pacific Whale Watch Association The humpback whale named Pop Tart for its love of breaching, surfaces in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Pop Tart and two of his siblings were recently spotted off Port Angeles with their mother, Big Mama.

OUTDOORS: Rare humpback whale sibling sighting off Port Angeles

Unlike those finicky eaters, the Southern Resident orca whales, humpback whales are showing a resurgence in the waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca,… Continue reading

Photo courtesy April Ryan/Pacific Whale Watch Association The humpback whale named Pop Tart for its love of breaching, surfaces in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Pop Tart and two of his siblings were recently spotted off Port Angeles with their mother, Big Mama.
The Port Angeles Navy JROTC Precision Air Rifle Team became the first Port Angeles High School to qualify for the Navy JROTC National Championship. The team finished fifth in the nation in the virtual event. Team members from left are, back row, Meagan McCann and Kaeden Murphy and front, Cheyenne Maggard and Jenna Sanders.

SHOOTING SPORTS: Port Angeles Navy JROTC rifilists aim is true

Port Angeles Navy Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps members have been busy honing their precision air rifle skills in recent months. Cheyenne… Continue reading

The Port Angeles Navy JROTC Precision Air Rifle Team became the first Port Angeles High School to qualify for the Navy JROTC National Championship. The team finished fifth in the nation in the virtual event. Team members from left are, back row, Meagan McCann and Kaeden Murphy and front, Cheyenne Maggard and Jenna Sanders.
Starting Saturday anglers fishing off of Neah Bay will have the chance to bring home a chinook like this one caught by Bellingham's Tyler Dockins off Mushroom Rock during the 2020 salmon opener.

OUTDOORS: Where to find the kings

Neah Bay always productive

Starting Saturday anglers fishing off of Neah Bay will have the chance to bring home a chinook like this one caught by Bellingham's Tyler Dockins off Mushroom Rock during the 2020 salmon opener.

OUTDOORS: Halibut and salmon two-fer Saturday

Anglers are about to make the jump from halibut to salmon, appropriate for salmon, a species named after the Latin word for leap. Thanks to… Continue reading

Photo courtesy of WDFW Crabbing season returns to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet and most of the Hood Canal beginning July 1.

OUTDOORS: Crab seasons and proposed extra halibut days announced

Crab seasons in most areas of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and, Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal will begin July 1. The… Continue reading

Photo courtesy of WDFW Crabbing season returns to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet and most of the Hood Canal beginning July 1.
This 75-inch, 224-pound halibut was caught by Mike Mahoney of Park City, Utah, third from left, while fishing the Strait of Juan de Fuca out of Sekiu's Van Riper's Resort. The state record for Pacific halibut is a 288-pounder caught at Swiftsure Bank in September 1989.

OUTDOORS: Free fishing weekend Saturday and Sunday with state parks access also complementary at times

National Forest access also free

This 75-inch, 224-pound halibut was caught by Mike Mahoney of Park City, Utah, third from left, while fishing the Strait of Juan de Fuca out of Sekiu's Van Riper's Resort. The state record for Pacific halibut is a 288-pounder caught at Swiftsure Bank in September 1989.
WDFW photo A day was added to spot shrimp season in Marine Area 9.

OUTDOORS: Day added for spot shrimp; Lower Hoh River to open for gamefish

The quota count is in and more shrimp fishing is on the way for many marine areas in northern and southern Puget Sound… Continue reading

WDFW photo A day was added to spot shrimp season in Marine Area 9.

OUTDOORS: Four more days of razor clam digging at Mocrocks

Shellfish managers have approved four more days of razor clam digging at Mocrocks Beach only, after marine toxin… Continue reading

Rand Pierce caught this 43-pound halibut while fishing off Coho Estates near Sekiu last Saturday.

OUTDOORS: Ample halibut quota remains

Neah Bay to remain closed through Oct. 1

Rand Pierce caught this 43-pound halibut while fishing off Coho Estates near Sekiu last Saturday.

OUTDOORS: High winds, few halibut so far

Recreational halibut anglers aren’t getting a ton of help early in the season with last week’s ocean and Sekiu opener mostly a wash due to… Continue reading

From left, Harper McGuire and Ella Schulz, members of the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association

ROWING: OPRA returns to competition

The Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association traveled this past Saturday to its first race since late 2019 on Bainbridge Island. The… Continue reading

From left, Harper McGuire and Ella Schulz, members of the Olympic Peninsula Rowing Association

OUTDOORS: McCurdy Point near Port Townsend productive over halibut opener

The far edge of Marine Area 6 may have been one of the better spots for last week’s halibut fishing opener. “Rumor has it McCurdy… Continue reading

OUTDOORS: Salmon season quota numbers available

A number of the agreed-upon 2021-22 salmon season fisheries have been posted by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife after last week’s blanket salmon… Continue reading

OUTDOORS: 2021-22 salmon seasons announced

CONTINUED LOW RUNS of wild kings and certain coho stocks will limit salmon fishing seasons despite good coho projections, state fishery managers announced. The state’s… Continue reading

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Spot shrimp season will begin in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Hood Canal on May 19.

OUTDOORS: Recreational shrimp season begins May 19

Puget Sound will open for recreational spot shrimp fishing beginning May 19, shellfish managers with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced… Continue reading

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Spot shrimp season will begin in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Hood Canal on May 19.