THERE’S BEEN NO official announcement yet from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, but after a series of planning meetings, proposed dates for the upcoming halibut season have leaked.
After meeting late last month, the International Pacific Halibut Commission adopted a quota of 970,000 pounds — up slightly from 960,000 last year — for commercial, sport and tribal fisheries, in Area 2A, also known as the states of Washington, Oregon and California.
Sport anglers in Washington will be able to catch 214,110 pounds of the flat fish, the same total as last season.
Marine Area 3 (LaPush) and Area 4 (Neah Bay) will take a big bite of that sport fishing quota, 108,030 pounds, also the same as last season.
Tentative dates for the season in each area are May 14, 16, 21 and 23.
Last year, anglers had no trouble clearing out the quota in four days.
State policy managers with Fish and Wildlife met Tuesday to hash out a halibut plan for the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
What they came up with also resembles last season, though the state believes halibut catch totals increased last season, but final totals aren’t yet available due to issues with the how those fish were counted.
Like the 2014 halibut season there will be 11 days of fishing in Marine Area 6 (Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca) and Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet), along with Areas 7, 8 and 10.
Tentative dates are May 8-9, 15-16, 21-24 and 28-30.
Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) again gets eight days of flattie fishing, with those dates looking like May 15-16, May 21-24 and May 29-30.
Westport, on the south-central coast, opens May 3 with fishing allowed Sundays and Tuesdays only.
Fishing will close once the catch quota of 42,739 pounds is achieved.
Last year, Westport had five days of fishing.
Ilwaco is the early bird, with halibut opening up on May 1, and allowed each week from Thursday to Sunday, and will close once the catch quota, believed to be the same 11,895 pounds as last season is achieved.
The limit in all marine areas in recent seasons has been one halibut daily with no minimum size limit.
Leland warming up
Ward Norden, a fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist from Quilcene, recently tested the water temperature at Lake Leland.
“Just thought to let you know that the lake has reached 43 degrees, so it is time to get serious about those big trout,” Norden said.
Area 5 back open
Salmon season will open back up again in the water off Sekiu on Monday and is set to run through April 10.
Anglers can keep chinook of a minimum 22 inches in length, and there’s no size limit for other salmon species.
A daily limit of two fish is allowed.
Razor clam digs
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife approved an eight-day clam dig starting Sunday.
Upcoming digs are scheduled on the following dates, beaches and low tides:
■ Sunday: 3:47 p.m., 0.2 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Monday: 4:37 p.m., -0.5 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Tuesday: 5:24 p.m., -0.9 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Wednesday: 6:08 p.m., -1.1 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Thursday: 6:51 p.m., -1.1 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Friday, Feb. 20: 7:33 p.m., -0.7 feet — Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks.
■ Saturday, Feb. 21: 8:16 p.m., -0.1 feet — Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Copalis.
■ Sunday, Feb. 22: 9 p.m., 0.6 feet — Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks.
Diggers can take 15 razor clams per day and are required to keep the first 15 they dig.
Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.
All diggers age 15 or older must have an applicable 2014-15 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach.
Licenses can be purchased from fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov and from license vendors around the state.
Boating safely course
The Coast Guard Auxiliary, Flotilla 42 Sequim-Port Angeles, will sponsor a boating safety class Saturday, Feb. 21.
“About Boating Safely” will be held at the Port Angeles Fire Station, 102 E. Fifth St., at 9 a.m.
This class will qualify participants for a Washington State Boater Education Card. This card is required for all boaters who are younger than 60.
This cost is $15 per person or $20 for a couple.
To register, phone 360-452-1135.
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.
