WARM BEVERAGES AND plenty of patience will be sought-after commodities Saturday morning for the annual Kid’s Fishing Derby at the Lincoln Park Ponds in Port Angeles.
Dress the kids in waterproof gear as the forecast calls for rainy weather and potentially high winds, i.e. typical fishing conditions on the North Olympic Peninsula.
Children between the ages of 5-14 are welcome to fish for free, although they are required to register prior to dropping a line in the ponds.
The thrill of landing a child’s first fish on a line — and hopefully beginning a life-long angling connection is what club members are hoping to witness.
“The Kid’s Derby is a fishing opportunity for 5- to 14-year old kids using conventional fishing spinning gear with worms, bait, or lures,” OPFF member Chuck Whitney said.
“Fishing starts at 8 a.m. and fish caught will be measured and prizes awarded immediately after fishing by Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers.”
Prizes will be fishing gear with six prizes awarded for each of five age groups (5-6, 7-8 etc.).
The park ponds are closed to fishing until the derby by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
Fish and Wildlife pumped 1,500 smaller rainbow trout from the Sol Duc Hatchery along with 50 larger rainbows into the ponds Wednesday, so those fish should be ready to bite.
This event is put on by the Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers, city of Port Angeles Parks and Recreation Department, Kiwanis and Fish and Wildlife.
Happy casting.
Beath busy
Halibut season is on deck and expert angler John Beath of Carlsborg will be a busy man next week with presentations set in Port Townsend on Tuesday and Sequim on Friday.
Beath will speak at Tuesday’s meeting of the East Jefferson Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers at the Port of Port Townsend offices, 333 Benedict St.
The meeting begins at 6:30 p.m. and Beath, who also builds rods and lures, will speak at 7 p.m.
Refreshments will be served.
The public is invited to attend.
RSVP for halibut
Expert angler John Beath will hold a free halibut seminar at Brian’s Sporting Goods and Moore, 609 W. Washington St. No. 21, at 6 p.m. Friday, April 13.
“Not many anglers will open up and provide the kind of information that John will offer,” Menkal said.
“He’ll cover a number of techniques, including anchoring, using bait, fishing Canadian waters and more. It’s a great way to learn those techniques, where to go and how to do it.”
Menkal asks that those interested in attending RSVP to the store at 360-683-1950.
Salmon session goes well
A plenary session between tribal fishing interests, recreational anglers and Fish and Wildlife staffers was held Tuesday as part of the North of Falcon salmon season setting process.
The session was held after recreational interests asked to open the process to the public in response to a contentious, drawn-out negotiating process between the co-managers in 2016 .
All the heavies were represented and spoke at the meeting: Ron Warren, Fish Program Manager with Fish and Wildlife; Lorraine Loomis of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission and the Swinomish Tribe’s Fishing Department; Ron Garner, president of Puget Sound Anglers and former Fish and Wildlife staffers now advocating for recreational fishing interests.
In a Facebook post, Garner said the session was productive.
“Yesterday’s meeting was one of the best NOFs I have attended,” Garner wrote. “The sport, commercials, and tribes all understand the problems we have today in saving our chinook. We understand better than most what the problems are and how to fix them. We were all on the same page and know that it is going to take all of us to fix this problem and turn it around.”
A detailed recap of the session, including some comments from Russ Svec of the Makah Tribe, was written by Northwest Sportsman writer Andy Walgamott, and is available at at tinyurl.com/PDN-NOFSession.
Solid blackmouth season
Anglers are having success finding chinook in the waters off Port Angeles, Port Townsend and Sekiu.
Recent fish checks:
Port Townsend Boat Haven Marina ramp – Nine boats with 16 anglers caught 12 chinook Tuesday; 11 boats with 22 anglers Sunday caught 10 chinook; 24 with 52 Saturday caught 20.
Port Angeles Boat Haven — One boat with two anglers caught their limit of four chinook Tuesday
Ediz Hook boat launch – 26 boats with 44 anglers caught 28 kings last Saturday.
Mason’s Olsons Resort — Nine boats with 20 anglers brought in 15 kings last Saturday while fishing in Marine Area 5.
ODT open house
An open house about the Olympic Discovery Trail-Eaglemount Route project is set for 6 p.m. Thursday.
The public is invited to the free presentation at Jefferson Transit Authority, 64 Four Corners Road.
The open house is presented by the Peninsula Trails Coalition with Alta Planning & Design, and Jefferson County Public Works Department.
For more information, email info@olympic discoverytrail.org.
Second Sunday swim
The public is invited to Mountain View Pool’s free swim Sunday.
The pool will be open to adults for laps, water walking and exercise from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m. at the pool, 1925 Blaine St.
From 2:15 p.m. to 5 p.m., the pool will be open to all ages.
An adult must accompany children younger than 8 in the water.
For more information, call 360-385-7665.
18K Indonesian islands
The Olympic Peninsula Paddling Club’s monthly meeting will include a presentation by Burt Jones and Maurine Shimlock at 7 p.m. Wednesday.
The pair, owners of Secret Sea Visions, will present “Indonesia: Currents, Reefs, and 18,000 Islands” at the Sequim Library, 630 N. Sequim Ave.
The duo will talk about West Papua, Komodo National Park, and the Banda Sea to answer the question: “What makes Indonesia so special, the heart of the Coral Triangle, and the most biodiverse tropical reef area in the world?”
For more information, call 360-461-7008, email info@olympicpeninsula paddlers.com or visit www.olympicpeninsulapaddlers.com.
