Two thumbs up for Port Townsend fishing
 |
|
||||||||||
The winter saltwater salmon season is garnering rave reviews around fishing holes both north and west of the Port Townsend area.
"Fishing at Middle Bank and Coyote Bank was absolutely fabulous," said Tony Floor, a state Fish and Wildlife spokesman. "I fished with Congressman Norm Dicks, and he said it was the best he had ever seen."
On Sunday, Floor and his two partners hooked and released 10 blackmouth (chinook), 8 to 12 pounds, and also kept three fish.
Other fair to good reports came from Midchannel Bank off Port Townsend, Freshwater Bay and Winter Hole off Port Angeles.
A whopping 341 anglers turned out for the Sekiu Salmon Derby, and fishing started off good on Saturday, but slowly faded by Sunday and Presidents Day.
The winning blackmouth, a 19.9 pounder, was caught by Pete Topping, a state Fish and Wildlife fish program employee in Olympia.
Topping was fishing in front of the Olson's Resort crane in 80 feet of water. On his first afternoon drift, he lost a fish estimated in the 20 pound range. He quickly went over the same drift and caught the winning fish worth $1,000.
Other derby winners: Scott Benoit of Port Orchard, 17.25-pounder, $500; Tom Grimm of Seattle, 16.90, $300; Steve Sandquist of Gig Harbor, $200; and Scott Lange of Clallam Bay, 15.40, $100. Largest sea bass: Chris White of Tacoma, 3.60, $100. Monday Bonus Salmon Derby winner: Deborah Hudgens of Lakewood, 8.78, $400.
By far the best fishing was percolating in the San Juan Islands, where the American Legion Derby in Eastsound on Orcas Island produced some hefty blackmouth.
The top two blackmouth in the derby weighed 24.7- and 24.4-pounds, and average weight of all the fish was 11.7-pounds.
"We didn't place in the derby, but fishing was pretty good in Spring Passage and everything we caught was 6 to 12 pounds," said Joe Hymer, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist. "On Saturday, three of us caught five fish, and Sunday we got eight."
Other decent island spots included Fidalgo Head, Thatcher Pass, Tide Point off Cypress Island, westside of San Juan Island and Obstruction Pass.
In northern and southcentral Sound, blackmouth prospects rated from poor to fair at best.
"I was out Saturday at Possession Bar, and hooked one blackmouth and lost it to a seal," said Keith Robbins, skipper of A Spot Tail Salmon Guide in Ballard. "From what I judged it was slow."
Just west of the bar at Point No Point, the mid-afternoon low tide change produced fair fishing. Other northern locales giving up some fish included Camano Head, Elger Bay, Greenbank and Rocky Point outside of Holmes Harbor, Hat Island and Double Bluff off west Whidbey Island.
In Southcentral Sound, despite a high angler turnout on Saturday in the Tacoma area fishing was rather lackluster although it had picked up by yesterday.
"It was slow over the weekend, but has been fair lately off the slag pile, Point Dalco (off southside of Vashon Island, Quartermaster Harbor and the grain elevator in the bay," said Art Thatchell, manager of the Point Defiance Park Boathouse in Tacoma.
Salmon fishing is open through April 10, in areas east of Sekiu in the Strait of Juan de Fuca to the Apple Tree-Point Wells boundary line in the North Sound, and Southcentral Sound.
Central Puget Sound (Area 10) opens March 1-April 10 for salmon. Hood Canal opens March 1-31.
Nibbles and bites
• Pending final testing for marine toxins (which should be known by Monday) the coastal razor clam digging at Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaoch will be open Wednesday through Saturday from noon until 11:59 p.m. each day. For details, call 866-880-5431.
• Here are latest coastal tribal steelhead netting schedules: Chehalis River, from noon Sunday to noon March 1. Humptulips River, today to 6 p.m. Sunday, and from 5 p.m. Monday to 5 p.m. Feb. 28. Quillayute River, from 7 a.m. Monday to 6 p.m. Feb. 28.
• The Washington Fly Fishing Club is hosting a beginning fly casting classes every Thursday at the Green Lake Casting Pier located on the north end of the lake from 7 p.m. until dusk. Cost for eight classes is $25 per person. Reservations required. For details, call 206-542-4623 (days).
• The Stanwood Hotel Tavern Salmon Derby and Chili Feed is Saturday and Sunday. Cost is $20. Benefits Pilchuck Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Tickets available by calling 360-629-2888 or 425-252-1176.
• Some Puget Sound rivers and streams are closing to steelhead and other game fish starting next month to protect returning weak wild steelhead runs.
Most of the Snohomish River system, including the Skykomish, Snohomish and Snoqualmie rivers, will close to all fishing March 1-May 31. This includes the March and April catch and release season on the Skykomish. Tokul Creek, a tributary of the Snoqualmie River, will close to all fishing March 1-Nov. 30.
An exception to the closure is the Snohomish below U.S. Highway 2, which will remain open for fishing (but closed for steelhead) through March 31, then closed to all fishing April 1-May 31.
The forecast for Snohomish River wild winter steelhead returning this winter is 3,800 fish, less than 60 percent of the basin's winter steelhead spawning escapement goal of 6,500.
The Stillaguamish River mainstem below the Warm Beach-Stanwood Highway will close to steelhead only March 1-May 31, and North Fork from the mouth to Swede Heaven Bridge will close to all fishing March 1-May 31. The closures include the March through May catch and release season in the North Fork.
The forecast for Stillaguamish River wild winter steelhead returning this winter is expected to be only 58 percent of escapement needs.
The Skagit River from mouth to State Route 536 Bridge at Mt. Vernon, will close to all fishing March 1-April 12. Areas from State Route 536 Bridge to the Dalles Bridge at Concrete, as well as Fisher Slough from the mouth to the State Route 530 Bridge will close to all fishing March 1-May 31. Areas from the mouth to the State Route 536 Bridge at Mt. Vernon will reopen April 13-30 for trout, Dolly Varden and other fish, but will remain closed for steelhead.
The preseason forecast for Skagit River wild winter steelhead returning this winter and spring is 5,000 fish, 83 percent of the basin's escapement goal of 6,000 fish.
The Skagit and Sauk rivers catch-and-release seasons remain open as outlined in the rules pamphlet.
The Puyallup River from the 11th Street Bridge to the Soldier's Home Bridge at Orting, and the Carbon River from the mouth to State Route 162 Bridge will close to all fishing March 1-May 31.
The preseason forecast for the Puyallup River system wild winter steelhead returning this winter is 1,320 fish, 66 percent of the basin's escapement goal of 2,000 fish.
Nooksack River system, including the mainstem, north fork, middle fork, and south fork will close to all fishing March 1-May 31.
Based on parent spawning densities throughout the basin, the forecast for the Nooksack River system wild winter steelhead returning and spawning this winter and spring is for a low return.
• The Washington B.A.S.S. Association Swap Meet is March 6, 7 p.m., at the Meadowdale Community Center. Vendors include Hook, Line and Sinker Tackle Shop, Jerry's Tournament Baits and Competitive Edge Bait Company.
Tables are available for $10 per person or $5 to share a table. Seminars will be by Bill Smith on winter-spring bass fishing, Loren Monson on fishing with plastic baits and Fritz Swanson on drop-shoting. Other Pro-Staff members on hand will include Wade McNamar, Chris Rohr and Howard Summers. For details, call 360-657-2563.
• The spring turkey hunting raffle ticket application deadline is March 10. Tickets cost $5 each and can be purchased in person at hunting license dealers statewide, by calling toll free 866-246-9453, or on the Web site at www.fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov.
The two permits allow turkey hunting from April 1-May 31, a full month longer than the standard April 15-May 15 season.
In addition, the winning hunters receive three turkey transport tags that can be used to take up to two bearded turkeys in eastern Washington and one turkey in western Washington. Raffle winners can also purchase standard turkey tags (one with a small game license and two additional tags), allowing them to harvest up to six turkeys total.
Winners will be notified by mail or by phone if they provide a phone number.
• The Seattle Poggie Club is offering salt water salmon fishing classes Monday evenings, starting April 8, from 7 p.m.-9:30 p.m., at the Lynnwood GI Joe's Store. Classes will cover gear, species, tides, currents, techniques, bait, lures and more. Cost is $50 per person, and $25 for each additional family member. For details, call 206-525-3593 or visit the Web site at www.seattlepoggies.com.
• Ryan Petzold of Ted's Sports Center in Lynnwood will be demonstrating proven techniques and patterns that catch steelhead in our local and regional rivers.
Petzold fishes steelhead year-round using conventional and fly gear and is extremely successful. The clinic is March 27, 7 p.m., at the Snohomish Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave. in Edmonds. For details, call 425-774-3631.
New fishing products
• Dean Teegarden, owner of WiggleFin, Inc. in Boise, Idaho, has invented a new fishing product that fish can't resist.
The small circle-type discs wiggling action and vibration can be used on all types of lures, flies, and baits such as herring, and anchovies and candlefish.
The WiggleFin's patent pending design is deceptively simple. The small concave plastic disc simply slides on the fishing line before the fly, lure or bait is tied on. Once in the water it provides the right amount of flow disruption to create a live motion action.
The disc also deflects hooks away from weeds and other snags and won't twist the line when trolled. Anglers can also purchase holographic prism flash decals for enhanced attraction. For details, call 208-388-8539 or visit the Web site at www.wigglefin.com.
• Fly anglers feeling in the spirit of America, can purchase a collector's limited edition Abel commemorative fly reels in two patriotic designs. The two styles available are Old Glory and Stars and Stripes, and cost about $550 apiece. Proceeds will be donated to the American Red Cross to assist families affected by the Sept. 11 tragedy in New York City and Washington, D.C. For details, call 800-848-7335 or visit the Web site at www.abelreels.com.
Fishing spots
Coastal rivers — Slow to fair for steelhead in the Calawah, Bogachiel, Soleduck, Queets and Quinault. Hoh might be fishable by the weekend.
Smelt at Everett Marina and other northern piers — Fair to good jigging for smelt at Stuart's Dock in Everett Marina. Slow to fair for smelt at La Conner Marina and Cornet Bay piers.
Cowlitz and Lewis rivers smelt — Slow in the Cowlitz, except the Lexington area where it was fair at times. Lots of birds working the Lower Grays River, and weekend dippers found some good spots (public access areas are very limited). Slow sport dipping in the Lower Lewis, but commercial netters took 70,000 pounds on Monday.
All Columbia tributaries are open Wednesdays and weekends through March 31, from 6 a.m.-10 p.m. each day.
Snohomish river system — Slow to fair for steelhead in the Skykomish, Pilchuck and Snoqualmie.
Skagit River — "More steelhead showed up this week in the mid-river sections," said Kim Weymouth at Skagit Anglers in Mount Vernon.
Stillaguamish River — Slow to fair for steelhead.
Green River — Fair for steelhead.
Columbia River — Slow for hatchery-marked spring chinook in the lower river sand bars below the I-5 Bridge, but an Oregon check showed 28 boats last week from Portland to Longview and kept three springers and released one.
Fair for steelhead in Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day pools. Sturgeon anglers averaging one keeper for every other boat from Vancouver to Kalama.
From March 3-May 13 angler will have to release sturgeon in Lower Columbia on Sundays and Mondays. Between July 25-Sept. 30 the lower river will be closed to sturgeon retention.
Cowlitz River — Fair for steelhead below barrier dam, Mission Bar and Blue Creek.
Kalama River — Slow for steelhead.
Lewis River — Fair for steelhead.
Elochoman River — Worth the long drive from Seattle for steelhead.
Trout fishing — Pass Lake near Deception Pass remains good for fly-anglers using woolly bugger leeches. Lone Lake on Whidbey Island is good for trout. Fair to good for cutthroat in Washington and Sammamish lakes. Fair for kokanee at Merwin Reservoir.
Recent plants of rainbow trout averaging a half-pound apiece: Klineline Pond near Hazel Dell, 2,000 trout; Lacamas Lake near Camas, 2,100; Ice House Lake near Bridge of the Gods, 1,000; Kidney Lake near North Bonneville, 2,000; and Little Ash Lake near Stevenson, 1,100.
In Eastern Washington, trout fishing is good at Hatch Lake in Stevens County, Hog Canyon Lake in Spokane County, Fourth of July Lake in on Lincoln-Adams county line, and the Potholes Reservoir at Medicare Beach.
Mark Yuasa can be reached at 206-464-8780, e-mail at myuasa@seattletimes.com or fax at 206-464-3255. For additional fishing news, including monthly fishing product reviews, visit the Seattle Times Web site at www.seattletimes.com.