SOMETHING FROM NOTHING was salvaged when fish managers with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) is open for chum this month.
A month-long hatchery chinook fishery was planned to open last Sunday, but a higher than expected number of juvenile chinook were found in preseason test fisheries, prompting a postponement.
State Fish and Wildlife will set up a meeting in mid-November to discuss with the state’s sport fishing advisory board on where they would like to proceed on a possible hatchery-mark chinook fishery around Thanksgiving.
Much of that will also depend on the sub-legal (chinook under the 22-inch minimum size limit) encounters during the upcoming month.
Anglers have a daily limit of two chum salmon in Area 9.
Anglers should check for fishing rule changes at tinyurl.com/PDN-Fishrulechanges for more details.
The move to a chum fishery is a little curious considering the lack of access to chum stocks in Area 9.
“There’s not a whole lot of areas where you can target chum in Area 9, said Aaron Dufault, a pink/chum and sockeye specialist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
“There are not the same kind of terminal areas where anglers can target chum as in Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) or 12 (Hood Canal).”
When Dufault says terminal area, he’s referring to the mouths of streams and rivers where chum collect before heading upstream to spawn.
Fishing from shore is the typical route for most chum anglers, but that poses a problem at spots like Marrowstone Point or Point Wilson.
“Beach casting at traditional places like Marrowstone are less effective for chums because chums migrate a little too far from the beach,” said Ward Norden, owner of Snapper Tackle Company and a former fishery biologist.
“From a boat, the most effective method for chums is trolling a small herring at a depth of 30 feet on a flasher and purple plastic squid.”
Norden recommends Salisbury Point County Park just across the Hood Canal Bridge as the best bet for chum in Area 9.
“It’s a good place to intercept chums that come through in waves, three hours of dead time followed by 15 minutes of pure excitement,” Norden said.
Any stream or creek along the Hood Canal would be a good spot, but be mindful of private property.
Further south in Area 12, the Hoodsport Hatchery Zone provides ample opportunity at the mouth of Finch Creek.
Creel reports from the shore at Hoodsport showed 52 anglers caught 121 chum last Sunday, so the chum run is going strong.
Master Hunter opening
Fish and Wildlife is accepting letters of interest through Monday, Nov. 30 for membership on its Master Hunter Advisory Group.
The group, which represents master hunters statewide, advises the department on issues and opportunities affecting master hunters and the Master Hunter Permit Program.
Members serve three-year terms and new appointees will start on April 1.
Applicants for membership on the advisory group are asked to explain why they want to be a member of the group, what qualifies them to be a member, and how they can help the group achieve its goals.
Letters of interest must include contact information (phone number, email address, mailing address, county of residence) and permission for a criminal background check.
The background check comes at no cost to applicants.
The application process is open to all certified master hunters with no ongoing legal proceedings or convictions in the last 10 years under the state’s fish and wildlife enforcement code.
Letters should be sent to Tracy Loveless at Tracy.Loveless@dfw.wa.gov or to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Wildlife Program, Master Hunter Section, Attn: Tracy Loveless, 600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091.
Interested master hunters can visit tinyurl.com/PDN-MasterHunter.
Beach cleanup
The friends of Chimacum Creek will host a cleanup at Irondale Beach County Park in Port Hadlock from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. Saturday.
Participants are invited to help keep the beach free of garbage. Bring garbage bags and wear garden gloves.
Friends of Chimacum Creek is a group of neighbors and friends who adopted the Jefferson County Irondale Beach Park to help maintain it for recreational use and to keep it a proud heritage of Jefferson County .
Participants will meet at the parking lot.
For information, contact Susie Learned at 360-531-0167 or email sb@seacraftclassics.com.
Free swim at PT pool
The public can swim for free at the Mountain View Pool, 1925 Blaine St., in Port Townsend on Sunday.
A lap-swimming, water walking and deep-water exercise time for adults is planned from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
An open recreational swim for all ages is planned from 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Children age 8 and younger must be accompanied in the water by an adult.
Mushroom meetup
Found some fungi that you can’t identify?
Visit the November meeting of the Olympic Peninsula Mycological Society.
The group will meet at the Gardiner Community Center, 980 Old Gardiner Road, from 6:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday.
Bring samples to the event and members will help identify your find.
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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.
