IF THERE IS a positive result of a slow fishery, it is an extension to the season, which means more time on the water.
That is what happened with the halibut season near Neah Bay and La Push.
Because a sufficient amount of the quota remains, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced it will reopen Marine Area 3 and Marine Area 4 for halibut fishing on Thursday, June 14.
Both areas have been closed since June 2.
State fish biologist Heather Reed said the areas are 13,306 pounds below the allocated 180,030-pound quota, which isn’t enough remaining poundage for the reopen to occur on the weekend.
“Unfortunately, we risk exceeding the quota if we were to open on a Saturday,” Reed said.
“But after the June 14 opener, we will once again tally the catch and see if we can provide another opportunity on the north coast.”
Dawn Lawrence of Big Salmon Resort (360-645-2374) in Neah Bay said the halibut fishery has been so slow that it’s a surprise that more poundage isn’t available in Marine Area 4.
“I can’t believe there is only 13,000 pounds left,” Lawrence said.
“Usually, so many are caught that the town is locked. It has been a slow year.”
Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods (360-374-6330) in Forks reports similar results in La Push, with many anglers settling for smaller fish.
The weather hasn’t helped the cause.
“In nasty weather, you want to get home fast,” Gooding said. “They aren’t worth dying for.”
As a reminder, all marine areas open to halibut fishing have a daily catch limit of one and no minimum size restriction.
Marine Area 5 halibut
Bad weather is putting a damper on the flat fish harvest near Sekiu and Pillar Point.
“At 4 a.m. [Thursday morning], it was like someone turned a fire hose on,” Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu said.
“The wind started, too, but it has slacked off.”
Sekiu also isn’t seeing many large halibut, but Ryan said there was a 110-pounder pulled in last week.
The Marine Area 5 halibut season continues through June 23 on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
Sekiu will be holding its halibut derby Saturday, June 16.
The entry fee is $15. Each person in a boat needs to be entered.
The angler who catches the biggest halibut will get $10 for each pound the prize fish weighs.
The second-biggest halibut garners $400 and third place gets $100.
There is also a $100 prize for the largest sea bass caught by a derby entrant.
Nice catch, bad timing
Lawrence reports that the largest halibut caught during Big Salmon Resort’s derby last week weighed 51 pounds.
Nice catch, especially considering the dearth of big halibut this year, but the derby winner wasn’t the biggest plywood Big Salmon Resort saw last week.
Chuck Fehring, Ron Burley and Cole Childers went out by Tatoosh Island on Thursday, May 31.
Fehring was using horse herring and ended up reeling in a 136-pound halibut.
If the catch would have come two days later, Fehring would have won the derby by a landslide.
Daddy’s girl
Gooding again delivers the best fish story of the week.
Fishing guide Bill Meyer took his 9-year-old daughter, Savannah, springer fishing on the Sol Duc late last week.
Savannah reeled in a big one.
And not just big for a 9-year-old.
“It’s the biggest one I’ve seen this year,” Gooding said.
He estimates the fish weighed 32 pounds and that Savannah didn’t weigh much more than 50 pounds.
“A 25-pounder is a nice catch,” Gooding said. “A 32-pounder? That’s a dandy.”
Where to go
Don’t forget Saturday and Sunday are Free Fishing Weekend throughout Washington.
Following up on Thursday’s column, which can be found online at http://tinyurl.com/freefish
weekend, here are two more recommendations.
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said Sequim Bay has been a hot spot for clams.
Going to the rivers for steelhead or spring chinook rivers is another good option.
“Not a lot were taken [last week], but the rivers have a lot of fish,” Menkal said.
Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles, pointing out that children are often involved in Free Fishing Weekend, recommends going to Lake Crescent for catch-and-release trout.
“Even though you can’t keep them, it’s a good time,” Aunspach said.
Go camping
The National Wildlife Federation has chosen Saturday, June 23, for the eighth annual Great American Backyard Campout.
The intent of the event is to help foster a healthy outdoor lifestyle by giving families a break from the digital world of televisions, computer screens and video games.
Campers who register on the Federation’s website will have a chance win a trip to an upcoming National Wildlife Federation TV appearance in New York or Los Angeles.
Those who register can also get helpful information to make the camping experience fun, including campfire recipes, nocturnal wildlife guides, nature activities and campfire songs and games.
For more information or to register, visit www.backyardcampout.org.
But don’t look at the website for so long that it cuts into the time you spend in the great outdoors.
Send photos, stories
Have a photograph, a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique?
Send it to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
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Outdoors columnist Lee Horton appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at lee.horton@peninsuladailynews.com.
