1 Reasons To Go Fishing Off Port Angeles, Neah Bay

Halibut weighing at least a hundred pounds are referred to as "barn-door-size fish," and within the past week, a few have been caught off Port Angeles and Neah Bay.

Halibut fishing at midweek is fair to good from Port Angeles to Neah Bay, including Blue Dot - a long-distance ocean hot spot for large halibut and bottomfish.

"The best halibut fishing was off Green Point, and (west) toward Crescent Beach, Whiskey Creek and Tongue Point," said Don Frizzell at Port Angeles Charters. "Most are running 30 to 60 pounds, but fishing has dropped off a little since the weekend."

On Sunday, a Fisheries checker at the Ediz Hook boat ramp in Port Angeles reported 65 boats with 14 halibut, including a 100-pounder.

Halibut fishing at Swiftsure Bank is fair to good for both private and charter anglers.

"Swiftsure Bank had a lot of dogfish, but the charters are limiting on halibut," said Tony Phillips at Far West Resort in Neah Bay. "This week's tides are a lot better, and fishing should improve."

"Charterboats are finding very good halibut fishing in the ocean off Blue Dot and 72 Square (about 35 miles west of Neah Bay). Last Friday a 108-pounder was caught at Blue Dot."

Bottomfishing remains excellent and halibut fishing is fair from Waadah Island west to Tatoosh Island.

RIVER FISHING

-- Fishing guides and anglers on the Lewis River's north fork report it fair to good for chinook, 12 to 20 pounds, with a few over 30 pounds.

On the Lewis, try at the mouth, or from the golf course up to Johnson Creek Flats, and near the fish hatchery.

The Cowlitz River near Barrier Dam and spots above the mouth of the Toutle River are fair for spring chinook and a few summer steelhead.

Cowlitz River hatchery personnel released 540 adult chinook and 39 jack chinook into the upper river May 11-15. Releases occurred at the Franklin Bridge in Packwood, and at Cora Bridge, six miles west of Packwood.

Personnel also released 120 steelhead at the Blue Creek boat launch May 13.

FISHING PROPOSALS

-- State Fisheries announced proposals to modify the commercial fishing exclusion zone north of Jefferson Head in Puget Sound, which affects an area available for sports anglers only.

The ruling was designed to reduce the impact on non-local stocks of salmon in south Puget Sound; reduce conflicts between sports and commercial fishing vessels, including cross-sound ferry traffic; and reduce commercial fishery impact on juvenile chinook salmon stocks.

The proposed alternatives include: -- All areas north of a line due west from Point Wells to the landfall on the opposite shore. This option places the western boundary at the southeast point of Apple Tree Cove, about one mile north of President Point. -- All areas north of a line from Point Wells to a temporary fisheries marker at the southeast point of Apple Tree Cove. This would provide for better enforcement of the exclusion line, but Fisheries would need to erect an on-shore marker. -- All areas north of a line projected from Point Wells to Point Jefferson. Point Jefferson is a poorly defined point, and has a shallow shelf, similar to that at President Point. -- No change. The President Point line is easiest to enforce and to see from the water, but concentrating anglers at that line causes problems with gear on the bottom.

The Fisheries office welcomes comments. A public hearing is scheduled Tuesday at 1:30 p.m. at the Harbor Center Conference Room, Port of Bellingham, 1801 Roeder Ave.

FISHING SPOTS

-- San Juan Islands - Catch-and-release rules are in effect for chinook more than 30 inches through June 15. Point Lawrence off Orcas Island, and Eagle Bluff off Cypress Island produced a fair to good bite for chinook up to 24 pounds.

-- Midchannel Bank - Fair for chinook, 4 to 10 pounds, with a few larger.

-- Point No Point - Very slow for chinook at midweek.

-- Possession Bar - Slow for chinook off the west side of the bar and near Scatchet Head.

-- Hood Canal - Recreational shrimping is good and open Saturday through Tuesday, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Limit is 7 pounds per person.

-- Jefferson Head - Slow for chinook and resident coho.

-- Shilshole Bay - Slow for chinook.

-- Elliott Bay - Slow in the bay for chinook. A few chinook and resident coho off Southworth and Allen Bank. Recreational shrimping opportunities from the Seacrest Boathouse northwest to the Duwamish Head marker should be fair. Lay shrimp pots in 250 to 300 feet of water.

-- Point Defiance - Slow for chinook off the Clay Banks and Point Dalco.

-- Skagit River system - The river is high and muddy, with a lot of spring snow and dam runoff.

-- Soleduck River - Not many anglers, but fishing is fair for spring chinook, 12 to 16 pounds, with a few larger. River is in good condition.

-- Kalama River - Slow to fair at best for spring chinook and early summer steelhead.

-- Trout and bass lakes - Kokanee fishing remains good at Shannon Lake, and Baker Lake is good for smaller kokanee. Rainbow trout fishing is fair at Wilderness, Cottage, Ki, Langlois and Green lakes. Lake Washington is fair for rainbow trout around the I-90 bridge, near Kenmore and the shorelines from Seward Park north to Leschi. For trout farther south, try American, Silver and Mineral lakes. Clear Lake, located three miles south of Sedro Woolley, and Big Lake, five miles southeast of Mount Vernon, are fair for largemouth bass.

Compiled by Mark Yuasa.