HALIBUT, LINGS, KINGS and rockfish make for quadruple-whammy potential this weekend off LaPush and Neah Bay.
Those fishing today can vie for their first king of the summer salmon season, and go after both halibut and salmon Saturday.
Lingcod and rockfish are the other opportunities, with lings open through mid-October and rockfish available year-round.
“Saturday will be great. You can go for salmon early and then go hatch halibut before moving in to catch a ling or go after sea bass [rockfish],” Joey Lawrence of Big Salmon Resort (360-645-2374) in Neah Bay said.
“Good time to be out here filling up the freezers.”
The halibut season opener off Neah Bay on Thursday was busy, busy, busy, according to Lawrence.
“This seems like one of the biggest openers we’ve ever had out here,” Lawrence said.
“I think there’s probably 300 to 400 boats that took off this morning.”
A good-sized halibut was landed in the early hours of the fishery.
“We weighed in a 126-pounder this morning,” Lawrence said.
“That one was caught by David Lewis off the Garbage Dump in 350 feet of water. He used a spreader bar and a big chunk of octopus.”
Lawrence’s son Michael mentioned Lewis’ two passengers also hooked and landed halibut in the range of 60 to 80 pounds.
The Garbage Dump is a large area of fishing territory northwest of Neah Bay but within site of shore, making it a prime spot for those fishing in smaller boats.
Those with vessels large enough to venture out into the open ocean were doing well at the 72 Square.
“We had an old-timer just stop by that got into some pretty big lings out there with his group,” Michael Lawrence said.
“He also was getting halibut around 40 pounds or so.”
Rigging-wise, B2 Squid jigs are popular, according to Jake Peters of Snow Creek Resort (360-645-2284) in Neah Bay.
“Those plastic B2’s are a big seller. Large frozen herring and squid are popular, too.
“Squid stays on the line, you can barely get the damn thing off the hook even if you are a fish.”
Marine Area 5’s (Sekiu) halibut fishery is open today Friday and Saturday, and again Thursday through Sunday, May 21-24 (Memorial Day weekend), and Friday and Saturday, May 29-30.
Kids fishing in Sequim
The 13th annual Kids Fishing Day presented by Puget Sound Anglers’ North Olympic Peninsula Chapter is set for 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday.
Children 14 and younger can participate in a free day of fishing in the pond just north of Carrie Blake Park in Sequim.
A total of 1,500 trout will be stocked for the big day, including some big ones up to 5 pounds.
A special pool for toddlers also will be stocked.
Club members will have some poles and bait for youth, but children are welcome to bring their own fishing supplies.
The Sequim Public Works Department and state Fish and Wildlife Department help put on this event.
Dig your own dinner
For the second year in a row, state Fish and Wildlife Department biologists Camille Speck and Doug Rogers will share their secrets for successful clam harvesting at Oak Bay County Park, off Oak Bay Road near Port Hadlock, at 12:15 p.m. Friday, May 22.
The Digging for Dinner event will teach attendees more about different types of clams, where to find them, how to harvest safely and sustainably and the basic rules and regulations.
“Digging clams is a lot of fun and great for families to do together,” said Jefferson County Beach Watcher Coordinator Cheryl Lowe.
“We want people to learn how to do it the right way, to understand the direct connection between clean water and shellfish safety.”
Bring a state shellfish license, bucket or net bag, boots and digging tools to the event.
Registration is required at tinyurl.com/PDN-DigForDinner.
This public event is free, but a $5 donation per family will help support future marine education programs.
For more information, visit www.jeffersonmrc.org.
Anglers to meet
Commander Brian Edmiston, the Executive Officer of Coast Guard Air Station/Sector Field Office in Port Angeles, will speak at the North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers’ meeting Thursday.
The meeting will be held in Sequim at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave., at 6:45 p.m.
Edmiston will discuss Coast Guard search and rescue capabilities, area response assets, helicopter hoisting and recreational boating safety, followed by a question and answer session.
For more information, visit tinyurl.com/PDN-PACoast or www.uscgboating.org.
For information on Puget Sound Anglers, visit www.psanopc.org
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 Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
