WEST END RIVERS are going to be sidelined as they recover from rainfall plentiful enough to trigger flood warnings over the last few days.
The worst of the rainfall appears over. Now its further high winds to worry about, so it’s probably a safe bet to seek outdoor adventures elsewhere — maybe even indoors by taking care of some Christmas shopping.
Or maybe you just want to buy a salmon derby ticket and dream of what you’d do with a winning fish and a $10,000 first-place check.
Online ticket sales are open at www.gardinersalmonderby.org for the 2019 Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby, set Friday through Sunday, March 8-10, 2019.
Ticket prices remain at $40 ($42.50 online) for one, two or all three days of the event.
Tickets will be available in person at area retailers the first week of January.
This winter blackmouth classic is part of the Northwest Marine Trade Association’s Northwest Salmon Derby Series and a grand prize 2019 Weldcraft Rebel 20 Hardtop boat powered with Yamaha motors valued at $75,000 will be awarded to one lucky winner.
Ticket holders for the Olympic Peninsula Salmon Derby are automatically entered into the boat drawing which will be held in the fall of 2019.
Micah Hanley of Mount Vernon and Port Angeles’ Kyle Madison tied for the biggest fish last March, each catching 16.85-pound chinook. But Hanley caught his a day before Madison, the tiebreaker going to the earlier fish in the derby rulebook.
Madison went home with $2,000 for second place.
Larry Phillips of Olympia, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife Region 6 director, took the $1,000 third prize for his 16.4-pound king.
Hatchery funding
A total of $1.1 billion in funding to support the recovery of southern resident orcas was included in Gov. Jay Inslee’s initial 2019-2021 budget request released Thursday.
Included in the request is $12 million in the operating budget “to maximize existing capacity at Department of Fish and Wildlife hatcheries to produce an additional 18.6 million salmon smolts.”
The state estimates this investment will result in 186,000 additional adult returns in the near term (next three to 10 years).
Inslee also asked for an additional $75.7 million in capital investements “to keep the hatchery system operating and meet water quality standards.”
Another $17.8 million is included for voluntary habitat work by landowners and there’s also $4.7 million to “collect additional population information and develop management options for pinnipeds in Puget Sound and to increase management actions in the Columbia River.”
Inslee also said he intended to permanently double the size of the “no-go zone” for vessels around orcas to 400 yards and create a “go slow zone” with reduced speed limits within a half-mile. Fish and Wildlife would get an additional $1.1 million for public education and enforcement.
The state also expects at least an additional $43 million in federal dollars as a result of the recently renegotiated Pacific Salmon Treaty between the U.S. and Canada.
These funds would likely be used for habitat restoration projects, increased hatchery production and filling monitoring gaps called for in the treaty.
Nothing is final with Inslee’s proposal. After the next legislative session begins Jan. 14, the Senate and House will also release proposals during the 105-day session.
Anglers meeting
Wicked Lures owner James Beasley will explain and instruct how to use his company’s lures in fresh and saltwater fishing at Thursday’s meeting of the North Olympic Peninsula chapter of Puget Sound Anglers.
The meeting will be held at Trinity United Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave. in Sequim, with viewing of raffle prizes and fish stories beginning at 6:30 p.m. and Beasley speaking at 7 p.m.
Wicked Lures has options for salmon, steelhead, trout and bass and they can be viewed at www.wickedlures.com.
Jerry Wright of Jerry’s Bait and Tackle in Port Angeles, will also be on hand to sell Wicked Lures’ products.
A club business meeting which includes a financial report, government relations report, upcoming events discussions and fishing reports from members, will follow Beasley.
Refreshments, a raffle for fishing gear and a membership drawing (must be present to win) also are on tap.
The public is welcome to attend.
Anglers members also will stock the Water Reclamation Pond in Carrie Blake Park with another 400 rainbow trout.
Fishing is open to ages 14 and younger at the park.
“Fishing is great, club member Sherry Anderson said. “We are getting lots of feedback that the kids are easily getting fish and having a wonderful time.”
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
