THERE AREN’T ENOUGH hours in the month of December for all that must be accomplished.
Gift shopping, quality time with friends and family and other holiday engagements all keep the clock spinning.
This is especially true for committed steelhead anglers itching to hit West End rivers.
And after a run of clear and cold days provided a solid start to the winter steelhead season, El Niño’s influence again is being felt in the form of steady rainfall.
This makes the fishing forecast turn as grey and gloomy as the skies above.
That’s the case for freshwater fishing, with rain coming every day for the foreseeable future.
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim has some advice for those wanting to scratch that fishing itch.
“If it’s really high then sit it out,” Menkal said.
“But there are moments you can find if you check out the real time water data charts. And if it starts dropping down in the morning then you start doing the plunking.”
Those charts reflect the status of many rivers and streams in Washington and are available online at tinyurl.com/PDN-WaterCharts.
Menkal said steelhead congregate close to shore in high-water situations.
“They will be right next to the bank on higher water,” Menkal said.
“Fish will be close to the bank, and many times they’ll come in right up to the mouth of feeder streams.”
The water flowing in to larger bodies of water is usually cleaner, Menkal said, allowing for fish to access clearer water and to avoid silt clogging their gills.
He also cautioned anglers to watch their footing along shore after periods of heavy rain.
“Water saturates those banks and you don’t want to slip in with the current,” Menkal said.
Before the recent run of ugly weather, Menkal and Peninsula Daily News’ finest wilderness gossip columnist, Pat Neal, hit up the Bogachiel River.
“Pat Neal and I got out there on Sunday and it was 18 degrees,” Menkal said.
“We got two hatchery steelhead, two coho and also had several other hits on.”
The pair was even able to pull off a rare feat — plunking at the Hatchery Hole on the Bogachiel.
“We drifted past and saw 15 cars in the parking lot and only three bank anglers at the hole,” Menkal said.
“Normally there’s too many guys up on the bank fishing to be able to plunk but they all must have gone to the Calawah [River].”
Menkal said the fish were biting on a variety of gear.
“They all hit something different. Two hit on different plugs, one steelhead took a jig and my last coho took a pink and silver spinner,” Menkal said.
“While Pat was putting the plug in I was throwing spinners on the side.”
Salmon fishing is now closed on the Bogachiel, but the coho season has been extended through Tuesday, Dec. 15 on the nearby Sol Duc River.
“The coho were super bright and fresh in from the ocean,” Menkal said.
“It was awesome, especially this late in the season.”
So double whammy potential exists for Sol Duc River anglers, hatchery steelhead and hatchery coho.
Or take care of the Christmas shopping if nature conspires against you.
“These are the days you go out and do the Christmas shopping, or tie your leaders and get ready for a day when you can fish.
“Strategize your time.”
Crabbing going strong
Dungeness and red rock crab season wraps Thursday, Dec. 31.
“Crabbing has been really good out here [near Sequim] too,” Menkal said.
“People are raving about it.”
Ridge road open
Hurricane Ridge Road is scheduled to be open this weekend, but ski operations are unlikely to begin Sunday, the first day of scheduled operations.
The Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area Facebook page said Thursday that 2 feet of snow is needed to begin operations.
The ebb and flow of snow and rain storms this fall has depleted much of the early accumulations, leaving patchy areas of snow visible on Hurricane Ridge webcams.
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.
