NEAH BAY — Salmon fishing will resume off Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) July 25 west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line with about 40 percent (2,354) of a 6,110-chinook guideline remaining.
From July 25 to July 31, anglers can keep one king of a minimum size of 24 inches as part of a two salmon daily limit. Hatchery coho must be at least 16 inches and wild coho must be released.
When the calendar flips to August, the daily limits stay the same, but anglers must send back wild coho and chum.
Salmon fishing will remain suspended east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line through July 31.
Hatchery coho will be the target when fishing resumes from Aug. 1 through Sept. 30. Anglers will have a daily limit of two salmon, with hatchery coho a minimum of 16 inches retainable. All chinook, chum and wild coho must be sent back.
Chinook retention will pause for a week off La Push (Marine Area 3) beginning Saturday and running through July 24.
The daily limit will switch to two salmon with hatchery coho a minimum of 16 inches. All kings and wild coho must be released.
When the king fishery reopens July 25, the daily limit will be one king of a minimum 24 inches and hatchery coho of 16-plus inches.
Temperature concerns
Warmer-than-usual El Nino-like conditions are being found in the waters of the North Pacific Ocean, and that could spell trouble for young salmon prospects in the open ocean, according to Quilcene’s Ward Norden.
“All along the Oregon, Washington and even Vancouver Island coasts, ocean temperatures are well into the 60s,” Norden said. “This is not good news for the young salmon that left rivers and estuaries a month ago. There is not much cold water along the California Coast to block the speedy predators like mackerel, bonito, barracuda, striped marlin and albacore from coming up here to gobble up young salmon of all species along our coast.”
Norden said he observed mackerel and barracuda landed in Neah Bay and as far inland as Possession Point. Consequently, Norden said poor to catastrophic returns of all salmon occurred in the following years.
“The good news is that the inner Straits [Juan de Fuca and Georgia] and Puget Sound are little affected by these offshore conditions,” Norden said. “Deep ocean currents keep our local waters 10 degrees or more cooler than seen from Sekiu offshore. If our resident chinook, coho and pinks stay inshore for better feeding conditions, they should do just fine.
Norden notes the Pacific can be fickle.
“It is worth noting that the Pacific Ocean can change her moods on a dime, and this all could reverse in just a few days,” he said.
“This has happened before.”
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Sports reporter/columnist Michael Carman can be contacted at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
