A GOOD RESPONSE poured forth for last Friday’s outdoors column on shore fishing spots near Port Angeles.
I’ll be honest, it wasn’t a flood of letters, cards, emails and phone calls; more like one note sent over asking for some good beach casting areas near Port Townsend and Sequim.
But I’ll take it and run with the idea.
The beaches near Port Townsend offer the best beach-casting locations on the entire North Olympic Peninsula.
Most of these locations even have dedicated parking areas and feature short and easy walks to the shore.
“For people who have a hard time getting around these are much easier places to go and fish, said Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim.
Menkal worked in Port Townsend for a number of years when there was a Swain’s location there, so he knows the area backward and forward.
Here are some of the most productive saltwater beaches on the eastern end of the North Olympic Peninsula.
Anglers should remember that using our state parks requires the possession of a Discover Pass, so make sure you are street legal before dropping a line.
You won’t want to come back skunked and then have to deal with a parking fine to boot.
Marrowstone Point
Located in Fort Flagler State Park, Marrowstone Point is on the far northeastern tip of Marrowstone Island.
Enter the park, turn right on Marrowstone Point Drive and follow the road down the hill to the beach and lighthouse.
Anglers can target coho right now and chinook when that species reopens in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) on Nov. 1.
A two-hour window to catch salmon can be found at this beach, which juts out into Puget Sound and provides stunning views of Mount Baker and the Cascades, and a prime view of the busy shipping channel.
“The best time is an hour before high tide to an hour after,” Menkal said.
“You are looking for all that water to come in against the beach because the fish will come in real close.”
I’ve fished this spot with friends who have rigged up with Buzz Bombs, which Menkal said are what the majority of people are going to employ.
“You can use a 1-ounce dart, crocodile spoons a pixie spoon,” Menkal said.
“Anything that looks like a little baitfish is very, very good to use.”
Menkal said using a cut-plug herring or a herring strip is another method to try.
Herring strips have flash and can mimic the action a salmon seeks.
If using herring, just be careful on the cast.
“You can’t throw it too hard,” Menkal said.
“If you fling it too hard the hooks will pull through the herring and it’s over.”
Portage Canal
Cross the bridge over to Indian Island and take the first right to South Indian Island County Park just off state Highway 116.
Coho and even some kings will run through here, as well as sea-run cutthroat.
This also is a productive clamming beach to the east around the jetty, so an enterprising angler could kill two birds with one stone if the seasons line up and there are no restrictions in place.
High tide produces the best results on the Indian Island side, while Menkal said low tide is a better time to fish the beach on the mainland side off Old Ferry Road.
“They used to pull in some good-sized kings at the ferry landing,” Menkal said.
Watch for private property on this side.
Anglers also could drive a few miles down Oak Bay Road to Oak Bay County Park to try a cast or two out into the bay.
Point Wilson
Head into Fort Worden State Park and drive all the way to the parking lot at the lighthouse.
Salmon returning to central and southern Puget Sound waters must pass through Admiralty Inlet, with Point Wilson positioned squarely in the middle.
Like Marrowstone Point, Point Wilson produces an hour before and after high tide.
For lighter bait, which will work as well here as Marrowstone, Menkal recommends a medium-heavy spinning rod, of a length of about 8½ feet.
You can rig it up with a 12- to 15-pound test line for salmon.
The bonus here, Menkal said, is you can use the same rod and rig to fish for coho on the Dungeness River or on the Sol Duc, Bogachiel or any other West End river.
“That type of setup is really versatile,” Menkal said.
The Dungeness, as it happens, will open for salmon, trout and other game fish Wednesday.
The opening extends from the mouth to 11.3 miles up the river at the hatchery intake pipe.
Menkal recommends using a much lighter or limber rod if using the cut-plug or herring strip method.
Gibson Spit
Parking for this spot is available at Marlyn Nelson County Park at the end of Port Williams Road near Sequim.
Due to the October flip-flop of Dungeness Bay and Sequim Bay — Dungeness Bay being open during October while Sequim Bay is closed — make sure you are fishing on the Dungeness Bay side of the beach.
“It’s prime time to try that spot,” Menkal said.
“A lot of salmon are milling around in that area.”
The water creates an eddy off of Gibson Point, so Menkal suggests a later tide.
“That is where you’d want to fish a fast-flowing outgoing tide,” Menkal said.
“The eddy catches the bait fish and moves them around, and bigger fish will sit off the point and wait for them like pizza delivery.”
Salmon, steelhead
Last weekend’s deluge helped push salmon up the West End river systems, so what better time for an introduction to salmon and steelheading course, a two-part class that Menkal will offer this Tuesday and again Tuesday, Oct. 14, at 6 p.m.
Menkal will cover all the gear you’ll need, where and when to hit each river, alternative fishing locations and when the different runs are expected on each route.
“October is really a great month for fishing,” Menkal said.
Park says no-go
Olympic National Park announced there will be no razor clam season at Kalaloch due to a low clam population.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife put out its proposed fall/winter clamming schedule last week and confirmed details Thursday.
Visit tinyurl.com/PDN-ClamSchedule.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
