LAST SATURDAY’S STORM and its rainfall were enough to ease drought-related closures and reopen many North Olympic Peninsula rivers for recreational fishing.
The lower sections of the Sol Duc, Calawah, Bogachiel, Clearwater and Dickey Rivers are back on the menu for anglers, along with the Upper Quillayute, Salmon and Big Quilcene rivers.
“Conditions in some rivers have returned to normal for this time of year thanks to recent rains and cooler weather, said Ron Warren, state Department of Fish and Wildlife salmon policy lead.
“We’re seeing lower water temperatures and river flows typical for late summer in several rivers around the state.
“If those conditions continue, we’ll likely ease restrictions in other rivers in the coming days and weeks.”
Olympic National Park also reopened the Salmon River within the park’s boundaries.
All other emergency river closures remain in effect.
The following river systems within Olympic National Park are closed: Elwha, Hoh, South Fork Hoh, Bogachiel, South Fork Calawah, Sol Duc, North Fork Sol Duc, Dickey, Queets, Quinault, and North Fork Skokomish Rivers (including East and North Forks) and their tributaries and Cedar, Goodman, Kalaloch and Mosquito Creeks in the Pacific Coastal area.
The mouth and coastal section of the Quillayute River within Olympic National Park remains open for recreational fishing, as do Lake Crescent, Lake Ozette and the park’s many high country lakes.
Selective gear on Hoh
Hoh River salmon anglers are required to use selective gear and release chinook under a rule change released by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife.
This affects angling on the lower Hoh River from the state Department of Natural Resources’ Oxbow Campground boat launch downstream to the Olympic National Park boundary near the mouth of the Hoh.
The continued presence of summer chinook in the lower Hoh River necessitates extending the current protections for this depressed stock, including releasing all chinook, and requiring selective gear to discourage targeting of chinook.
These requirements will remain in place until river flows increase sufficiently to enable the summer chinook to move up river.
Selective gear rules are cited so often in the state regulations that I feel they need to be explained.
On rivers, lakes and streams operating under selective gear rules anglers must use unscented artificial flies or lures with one single-point barbless hook.
Up to a total of three artificial flies or lures, each containing one single-point, barbless hook may be used.
The use of live bait is prohibited.
Fish may be released until the daily limit is retained.
Only knotless nets may be used to land fish except where specifically allowed under special rules for individual waters.
If any fish has swallowed the hook or is hooked in the gill, eye, or tongue, it should be kept if legal to do so.
Storm benefit
Ward Norden, a fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist who lives near Quilcene, dealt with a 60-hour power outage caused by Saturday’s high winds.
One positive from the tempest: cool water temperatures returning to Lake Leland.
Norden reports the storm “turned over” the lake, with water temperature dropping 7 degrees in 24 hours, changing conditions enough to put the lake into the comfort range for trout again.
“This is almost four weeks earlier than usual, and it will get the bass feeding heavily for fall,” Norden said.
“So far, Pope Resources has not reopened their gates to access their lakes with the lessened fire danger. I hope they do sometime soon before the water cools off and the bass quit feeding.”
Mushrooms growing
All the rainfall will help spur the growth of mushroom spores around the North Olympic Peninsula.
“Time to get those netted clam bags ready to hold all those golden chanterelles, or maybe even Matsutake’s for the ambitious and athletic mushroom hunters,” Norden said.
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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.
