THE STELLAR SALMON season continues in Sekiu.
The average catch was well over one hatchery coho per rod last week, with 865 anglers checked and 960 silvers caught.
“It was a real good week,” Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu said.
He said most of the harvested coho weigh between 8 and 12 pounds, and Ken Olson of Port Hadlock caught one that weighed 15 pounds.
Usually, locating coho is more than half the battle.
“They’re hard to find,” Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said.
“But once you find them, it’s easy [to catch coho]; they’ll eat just about anything.”
Sekiu has a bit of a different problem, though.
Sure, the waters are so packed with coho that the surface might soon turn a shade of silver.
But there are wild coho swimming with the hatchery fish, and it isn’t legal to harvest the wilds until Saturday, Sept. 15.
“Once you sort through them, you’ll still get your limit,” Ryan said.
If you find yourself without plans this holiday weekend, Ryan said Van Riper’s still has many openings.
Ryan said the economic downturn seems to have decreased the number of anglers heading to Sekiu this year.
Coho going East
Menkal said the silvers seem to be making their way to Port Angeles, Sequim and Port Townsend more frequently.
“They’ve blasted down the Strait,” Menkal said, adding that the recent rainfalls should only increase the coho numbers.
“It’s a little early, but that’s good because it means more opportunities to fish.”
Menkal said the fishing off the Dungeness lighthouse in Sequim and Fort Flagler in Port Townsend has been particularly productive.
He said the best way to catch silvers has been trolling in 75 feet of water with a flasher and coho killer or squid.
College classes
After taking a few years off, Ron Link will once again be teaching fishing classes at Peninsula College.
In September and October, Ron “The Missing” Link will be teaching three classes devoted to the basics of river and lake fishing.
Each class will consist of weekday sessions and an all-day Saturday field trip in which Link will show you how to put your new knowledge into action and take you to some of the best spots.
“Fishing is about being there,” Link said.
Here is the class information:
■ River Fishing — Class: Friday, Sept. 28, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; field trip: Saturday, Sept. 29.
■ Fly Fishing — Thursdays, Oct. 4-18, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; field trip: Saturday, Oct. 20.
■ Lake Fishing — Class: Friday, Oct. 5, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; field trip: Saturday, Oct. 6.
To register for these classes, call Peninsula College at 360-417-6340.
No Fin, You Win
The Sekiu Chamber of Commerce is holding a “No Fin, You Win” salmon derby Saturday, Sept. 8.
It’s a pot derby, meaning the prize money is determined by the amount of anglers who enter.
Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort said in the past the first prize has been as big as $4,500.
The buy-in is $15.
First prize is 50 percent of the pot, second place gets 20 percent and third place takes 10 percent. The remaining 10 percent goes to the chamber of commerce to help cover costs of attending fisheries meetings.
Crab ending
The crab season ends Monday.
Outside of Marine Area 9, it hasn’t been much of a season.
Summer catch reports must be turned in— whether you harvested crab or not — to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Department by Monday, Oct. 1.
“Catch reports play a major role in determining how much crab is still available for harvest during the winter season,” state shellfish policy lead Rich Childers said in a release.
Crabbers can submit their reports by mail at CRC Unit, 600 Capitol Way N., Olympia, WA 98501; or online at http://bit.ly/WkXeA.
Fly Fishers meeting
There is a slight change to next month’s Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers meeting. Due to Labor Day, it will take place Tuesday instead of Monday.
The speaker will be fish biologist Jim Karr, emeritus professor of fisheries and biology at the University of Washington, and a long-time member of the Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers.
He will give a talk titled “Fly Fishing on Saltwater Flats: Bonefish and More.”
The meeting is Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Campfire USA Clubhouse at 619 E. 4th St. in Port Angeles.
River fishing class
Part two of Menkal’s river salmon and steelhead class is Tuesday from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brian’s Sporting Goods and More at 542 W. Washington St. in Sequim.
Anglers of all skill levels are welcome to attend, even if you missed part one.
Bring a pen, chair and notepad.
For more details, call Menkal at 360-683-1950.
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 lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
