Saltwater salmon seasons close from Neah Bay to Port Townsend after Sunday, however, a small area off LaPush remains open until Oct. 21.
Seasons in the Strait of Juan de Fuca — from the mouth of the Sekiu river east to Port Townsend — resume in November.
Anglers in the Strait can keep themselves busy in October by fishing Dungeness Bay, which is open strictly during that month.
Only coho may be taken in Dungeness Bay, where there is a daily limit of two silvers.
Fishing pressure has been light off Port Angeles, and Sekiu is the best spot to go before the season closes at 11:59 p.m. Sunday.
“Fishing has been great,” said Rhonda Wilson at Coho Resort in Sekiu (360-963-2333). “The wonderful thing this year is we’ve been able to say the fishing has been good and it really has been good.”
The daily limit is two coho in Marine Areas 5 and 6 — the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Wild silvers must be released in Area 6 but may be kept in Area 5.
“It doesn’t seem to be slowing down,” said Donalynn Olson at Olson’s Resort in Sekiu (360-963-2311). “Fishing is good and we’re hoping for a good weekend.”
Olson reported two 19-pound silvers and a 17-pounder caught Thursday.
Herb Rempel at Silver King Resort east of Pillar Point (360-963-2950) caught a 15-pound coho Thursday, his largest of the year.
“It was a beauty,” Rempel said. “It was a big hook.”
Most coho remaining in the Strait have hooked noses by now and are preparing to run up rivers to spawn.
The Sekiu Salmon Derby last Saturday drew an all-time high 582 entrants.
Ron Brown of Port Orchard won the derby and $2,910 with his 18-pound, 6-ounce catch.
Randy Glen of Port Orchard and Gallyn Mitchell of Enumclaw both caught 17-pound, 12-ounce fish.
Glen took second, however, because his fish was caught earlier in the day, collecting $1,164.
Mitchell claimed $582 for third place.
The derby was sponsored by the Clallam Bay-Sekiu Chamber of Commerce.
The next two Sekiu derbies are scheduled for Feb. 16-17 and April 6-7.
Some coho remain off Port Angeles, but few people have been targeting that section of the Strait.
“The rains probably moved some fish,” said Don Frizzell at Port Angeles Marine Supply (360-452-3277). “I would suspect that there’s less numbers but maybe bigger fish.
“That’s usually what happens this time of year.”
Neah Bay’s coastal waters close Sunday.
LaPush is open around the mouth of the Quillayute River until Oct. 21. The open area is inside an invisible line running from Teahwhit Head northwest to the “Q” buoy and from there to Cake Rock and east to the shoreline.
There is a daily limit of two salmon, one of which may be a chinook. Wild silvers must be released.
Darrick Meneken’s full outdoors column appears in the Friday/Saturday edition of the Peninsula Daily News. It’s on sale throughout the North Olympic Peninsula, but you can get the PDN delivered to your home or office by simply clicking on “Subscribe.”
