DELAYS AND CLOSURES have once again limited fishing opportunities for the recreational angler.
Monday would have marked the resumption of the winter blackmouth fishery in Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), but the 2017 opener for those maturing chinook likely won’t come for another month or more.
The reasoning for the delay? Preliminary estimates and fishery projections indicate that reopening Monday would lead to an early closure of Area 9 by reaching the allowable limit of total chinook encounters earlier than the April 15 closure date.
Delaying the opening to mid-February or early March will allow the state time to determine a reopening date that will give anglers opportunity later into the spring.
The Edmonds Public Fishing Pier is unaffected by this rule change.
Bottom fishing closed
Out west, bottom fishing has been closed in Marine Areas 1 through 3 and Marine Area 4 (west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line).
Fish and Wildlife took this action because the Pacific Fishery Management Council adopted changes to the recreational bottomfish seasons along the Washington coast as part of its groundfish biennial management cycle for 2017-18.
The recreational bottomfish season is currently open year round in coastal marine areas, although the state said rough ocean conditions in winter results in minimal fishing effort from mid-October through mid-March.
Now, the coastal recreational bottomfish fishery will run from the second Saturday in March through the third Saturday in October each year, aligning with the recreational lingcod season in Marine Areas 1-3.
It also aligns the recreational bottomfish season with the recreational lingcod season in Marine Areas 1-3, and preserves recreational fishing opportunity in more heavily fished months.
For 2017, this means the season will run from March 11 to Oct. 21, 2017.
The winter closure does not include surfperch when fishing from the beach, so those heading to points south for razor clamming along the beach (or Kalaloch in early March) can still bring along a fishing rod.
Marine Area 4B east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line will remain open year-round for bottomfish.
Bottomfish species include Pacific cod, Pacific tomcod, Pacific hake (or whiting), walleye pollock, all species of dabs, sole and flounders (except Pacific halibut) lingcod, ratfish, sablefish, cabezon, greenling, buffalo sculpin, great sculpin, red Irish lord, brown Irish lord, Pacific staghorn sculpin, wolf eel, giant wrymouth, plainfin midshipman, all species of shark, skate, rockfish and rattail.
Free days in state parks
The state Parks and Recreation Commission announced that Sunday and Monday, are the next state parks free days.
Visitors are not required to display the Discover Pass for day visits at state parks on those days. The free days are to honor the birthday of Martin Luther King Jr.
Olympic National Park also will waive admission fees Monday.
Hurricane Ridge is scheduled to be open on the holiday, according to the Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area calendar.
As always, phone 360-565-3131 for an up-to-date report before heading up the hill.
Anglers meeting Thursday
Dennis Tilton will the guest speaker at the next North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers meeting Thursday in Sequim.
The chapter will meet at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave., with a 6:30 p.m. social half-hour and raffle-prize viewing. The meeting will begin at 7 p.m.
Tilton is a member of the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary and will present the basics of Digital Selective Calling as well as the set-up and licensing requirement options for VHF marine radios in the Puget Sound area and how to apply for a Maritime Mobile Service Identity number.
He also will cover the automatic identification system technology that many fisherman are finding a helpful component of on-board electronics.
Tilton has been associated with the Coast Guard Auxiliary Flotilla 42, Port Angeles, for the past three years and has served as the Communication Officer for the flotilla and division 4, responsible for the inspection and licensing of Coast Guard Auxiliary fixed and mobile stations and is an instructor for the About Boating Safety course.
Refreshments, a raffle of fishing gear and a $50 membership drawing (must be present to win) also are planned.
The public is welcome to attend.
