SEEMINGLY EVERY DAY another river in the Puget Sound corridor opens for hatchery coho fishing, rubbing salt in the wounds of North Olympic Peninsula anglers seeking a silver.
A laundry list of waterways including the Green/Duwamish, South Fork Nooksack, Skagit, Cascade and Snohomish have opened for hatchery coho in the past couple of weeks.
To the south, anglers can now retain small wild coho jacks on both the Chehalis and Satsop rivers. Not much, but that’s a start for Grays Harbor and Lewis County fishing.
What do North Olympic Peninsula anglers receive in the way of coho openings besides the Sol Duc and Quillayute rivers which will close after today until hatchery steelhead season opens in mid-November, and all sections of the Hoh River which shutter Oct. 10?
Nothing so far. But that may change, heavy emphasis on the may portion of that sentence.
The Sol Duc closure is particularly troubling considering the existence of a hatchery on the river and the traditional return of coho coinciding with the first big rains of the fall, usually in mid-October.
But the state Department of Fish and Wildlife and tribal co-managers are at least looking at a potential coho opening on the Sol Duc.
“There is discussion just beginning,” Fish and Wildlife District 16 Fish Biologist Mike Gross said.
“It’s early in the process as far as catches. The tribes have been doing some very small early catches and the initial catches there have been promising.
“If pulling the string is something that can be accomplished without risking escapement goals then [an opening] is something that could be considered.”
Gross further cautioned any opening would likely be conservative as far as a daily limit.
“[Coho] returns are ahead of what we expected with our forecast, both hatchery and wild,” Gross said.
“But we had that initial pulse and its pretty much dried up since.”
“I don’t want to put the expectation out there that this is something that will happen. We will need rains to push the fish into the system and for the fish to come in large enough numbers.”
So pray for rain and a large push of silvers.
Dungeness Bay fishery
I’d expect the waters of Dungeness Bay to be crowded with anglers looking for a daily limit of two hatchery coho when the monthlong silver season opens Saturday.
Waters of Dungeness Bay are open inside of a line from the Dungeness Spit Lighthouse to the No. 2 Red Buoy, then east to the Port Williams Boat Ramp.
Fishing is scheduled to be open through Oct. 31.
Gross also has oversight of the North Coast rivers, including the Dungeness, where the potential also exists for a hatchery coho fishery.
“We will be talking with the tribe and looking at catches in the [Dungeness] Bay [fishery],” Gross said.
“I hesitate to say its looking promising, but there was a pretty good initial catch in the bay that has dropped down after the first day or two. The river hasn’t seen that second push, but if we get some good rain I’m hoping we get to open that [river] fishery.
“We’ve sacrified a lot around Western Washinginton in particular, and we don’t want to waste that sacrifice, but we want to provide opportunity if we can.
“Last year’s escapements were pretty low and we don’t want to be in that position once again.”
Slow off the beach
Quilcene’s Ward Norden, a former fisheries biologist and owner of Snapper Tackle Company, said beach-bound anglers are still getting a few coho along the shores of Quilcene Bay on the Hood Canal, but not many are out fishing.
Norden said bass fishing remains good in Jefferson County lakes as lake water temperatures hang steady in the mid-60s despite the rash of recent cool mornings.
“Trout fishing is slow, but fall plants can’t be too far away,” Norden said.
Mushroom hunting
The fall rains have yet to begin in earnest, so the east side of the Olympics remains pretty dry for mushroom foragers.
“It is still too dry in the Quilcene area for good mushroom picking, but the drainages south of Brinnon have gotten more moisture,” Norden said.
“A quick trip down there [Tuesday] produced some edible boletes, a few chanterelles, and even a lobster mushroom for a fine outing after a bowl of chowder at the Geoduck Tavern.”
Norden recommends heading south of Brinnon or west of Lake Crescent to search for the best mushroom hunting.
“Since this is opening of muzzleloader hunting season in areas west of Lake Crescent, do your mushroom picking after lunch and leave the mornings to hunters like yours truly,” Norden said.
Clallam lake report
Port Angeles angler and lure designer Pete Rosko checked in with reports on Lake Crescent and Lake Sutherland.
“The fall spawning has begun for kokanee on Lake Sutherland,” Rosko said.
“Although only about 12 inches in size, the kokanee are numerous and eager to strike jigs.
Monday’s best concentration was found on the no-wake buoy line heading northwest out of the public boat ramp, the buoy line to your left as you face the lake.”
Rosko had sound advice for anglers fishing during the spawn.
“If you plan to keep kokanee, try to release all females,” Rosko said.
“How to determine male from female? Males have a developing hook-shape nose, where females do not. Since females are ripe with eggs, stroking the fish belly from front to back, will cause eggs to be released. For future generations, please gently release these females as there are plenty of males that can be retained for your five-fish limit.”
On Lake Crescent, Rosko said the fish are now widely scattered with Beardslee trout showing near surface, primarily in the top 40 feet.
“Vertical jigging, to good marks down deep, was nonexistent,” Rosko said.
“Flat-trolling appeared to be the only viable option since downrigger-use is illegal on Lake Crescent.
“Despite the size of the boat motor, a very effective way to troll this lake is on a continuous ‘stop-and-go’ This permits the lure to flutter downward through the water column when the boat is stationary which is a form of vertical jigging.
“Then, when the motor is put into gear, the lure starts swimming upwards towards the surface …a form of retrieving a cast lure.
“This technique is superior to straight line horizontal trolling since it covers more vertical water with a constantly changing lure action the trout and salmon find irresistible.
On Lake Crescent, the number one finish is blue-silver. Rosko said 1/2- and 3/4-ounce Sonic BaitFish and Kandlefish have been consistent producers because of their flutter and swimming-darting-vibrating actions.
“Unlike previous trips of a mix of rainbows and Beardslees, all trout caught on Monday were blue-backed Beardslees in the 17-18 inch class.”
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
