THE CHINOOK OPENER was hot off Port Angeles and Sekiu with catch rates nearing a fish per angler in some creel check locations as strong tidal influences and ample bait fish led to excellent morning bites.
Port Angeles started out strong and improved over the weekend.
Checkers at the Port Angeles West Ramp marked 23 kings caught by 38 anglers (.61) , while Freshwater Bay was boiling with 69 anglers netting 63 kings (.91).
The West Ramp catch rate bumped up to .82 last Sunday, with 156 anglers catching 128 kings. Ediz Hook was counted as well with similar numbers: 157 anglers catching 112 chinook. Freshwater Bay cooled a bit as 101 anglers reeled in 78 chinook.
Sekiu warm
Catch rates estimated from interviews at Mason’s Resort and Van Ripers’ in Sekiu were right around the .4 to .5 area with a number of anglers mentioning catching fish early in the morning all week long.
Ocean totals
Neah Bay anglers have snapped up 17 percent (1,474) of the area’s 8,710 chinook guideline as of July 2.
More coho moved in and were snapped up last week with 294 silver counted. Only 3 percent of the 16,600 coho quota has been accounted for thus far.
Low returns out west
Lower-than-estimated chinook returns to the Quillayute River watershed require a reduction in the daily salmon limit on a number of West End rivers.
Pre-season forecast returners to the Sol Doc Hatchery are not being met, so reduced salmon daily limit is necessary to meet broodstock collection goals while providing fishing opportunity.
The daily limit has been trimmed to two salmon, including no more than one adult hatchery chinook. All wild chinook, wild coho and sockeye must be released. One one single-point barbless hook is allowed.
The rule change is in effect on these rivers: Bogachiel from the mouth to the U.S. Highway 101 bridge; Calawah River (from mouth to U.S. Highway 101 bridge); Dickey River (Olympic National Park boundary upstream to confluence of the East and West Forks; Sol Duc River (from mouth to concrete pump station at Sol Duc Hatchery and Quillayute River (from Olympic National Park boundary upstream to confluence of Bogachiel and Sol Duc rivers).
Use of bait is prohibited on the Bogachiel and Dickey rivers from July 1 through Aug. 31, and on the Sol Duc River from July 16 through Aug. 31.
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
