JUST WHEN YOU thought it was safe to go back into the water at Anderson Lake, it almost instantly became unsafe again.
After reopening a week ago, the lake has re-closed.
Apparently, the poisonous toxins have reached unsafe levels again.
This time, Anderson isn’t alone. Gibbs Lake is also closed due to record-high levels of microcystin.
When I urged you in Thursday’s column to get to Anderson Lake quickly, even I didn’t know how fast you would need to move.
It was evident after talking to Mike Zimmerman, the park manager for the Fort Flagler area and who oversees Anderson Lake State Park, and Jefferson County environmental health specialist Greg Thomason, that the lake could close again.
What wasn’t so clear is that it would happen in less than 24 hours.
I hope it was fun while it lasted.
I also hope that you are reading this before heading to Anderson Lake to catch some of those massive trout I was hyping Thursday.
For more on the Anderson and Gibbs closures, turn to the front page of today’s Peninsula Daily News.
Sound, Strait salmon
The chinook fisheries continue to dwindle.
The state Fish and Wildlife department ended the king fishery in Marine Area 9 earlier this week.
The closure, which came 12 days earlier than scheduled, is unfortunate because the chinook harvest was going so well near Port Townsend.
Zimmerman said he saw more boats on the water than he has in his 15 years living in the area. One day he counted 150 boats.
“It’s pretty disappointing to have [the state] close it this early,” Eric Elliott of Fish N Hole (360-385-7031) in Port Townsend said.
“This is the best season anyone has seen in a while.”
The state reports that among the high number of chinook being caught in Marine Area 9 were wild chinook.
Wild kings are supposed to be released, but too many of them weren’t surviving the encounter.
In an effort to preserve them, the state shut down all king fishing.
“It’s a shame to close this fishery early, but we have a responsibility to protect wild chinook salmon in state waters,” Pat Pattillo, state salmon policy coordinator, said in a press release.
The chinook closure has drastically cut the number of boats on the waters off Port Townsend.
But beach-casters are still having success reeling in coho.
To the East, coho fishing is decent in Marine Area 6 when the weather doesn’t get in the way.
“There’s good coho fishing, if you can get out,” Jerry Wright of Jerry’s Bait and Tackle (360-457-1308) in Port Angeles said. “But it’s been so windy lately.”
Wright said Yellow Can and the Shipping Lanes have been some of the best spots.
Sekiu still hot
After slowing down, Sekiu has rebounded the last few days and looks poised to have a good weekend.
“There are nice silvers coming in, and there seems to be a good number of them being caught,” Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu said.
Ryan said many anglers are catching their coho limits and catching them quick.
The only person complaining about the fishing in Sekiu was the man who left Van Riper’s a day early after limiting by 9 a.m. one morning.
“He didn’t want to sit around all day waiting until he could fish again, so he went home,” Ryan said.
Even better, the silvers in Sekiu are big. Ryan said most weigh between 6 and 11.5 pounds.
The coast
Joey Lawrence of Big Salmon Resort (360-645-2374) said Neah Bay is also seeing big coho, most weighing 7-12 pounds.
Though there are some kings being caught, silvers are the main harvest right now.
“Swiftsure is still hot for both kings and silvers,” Lawrence said. “Mostly silvers.”
He also reports that the amount of silvers in Makah Bay is increasing.
Gary Grahn of Olympic Anglers Guide Services (360-640-4819) in Forks said the fishing in Marine Area 3 is rolling along.
“There’s been some pretty good bites this week for a mix of coho and kings,” Grahn said.
He said one caught chinook weighed 35 pounds, but the silvers are “still a little on the small side for the average this time of year. There are a lot of them, though.”
Grahn reports the king count has been picking up in the last week, but advises anglers hit on the water in the morning to catch them.
“Get kings early before silvers take over,” he said. “[Coho] are so ravenous when they’re feeding.”
Besides salmon
Here’s what you need to know if the chinook closures have you looking elsewhere:
■ Tuna — Grahn and Wright both report the albacore tuna fishing off LaPush has been heating up.
Wright said he found some blue water about 38 miles off LaPush and caught many 18- to 25-pound tuna.
■ Crab — Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) said crab are still being harvested around Sequim, but it hasn’t been easy.
“A lot of guys are giving up because they’re discouraged,” Menkal said.
Zimmerman said the crabbing has been “phenomenal” near Port Townsend, especially in Port Townsend Bay and Kilisut Harbor.
■ Squid — Fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist Ward Norden said the evening fishery is doing well
“Discovery Bay is thick with squid right now and jiggers are having little trouble getting limits in the evenings,” Norden said.
“Check out the docks in Port Angeles because the squid are probably there, too.”
■ Lake Leland — If Anderson Lake is our flaky, and perhaps even volatile friend, Lake Leland has been the reliable friend.
And it continues.
Norden said Leland is unselfish with the largemouth bass and catfish right now.
Also, there’s no poison there.
The rivers
“We’re kind of in the in-between stage,” Wright said of river fishing.
When we start getting more rain as autumn rolls around, the rivers should pick up considerably.
“The Hoh is slow,” Wright said. “The Sol Duc has a ton of coho, but it’s an early morning show.”
Menkal and Norden both report good coho numbers on the Quilcene River.
But know before you go.
“If you go, pay close attention to the regulations because the regs there are unique,” Norden said.
The main rule is only fish hooked inside the mouth may be retained.
Speaking of knowing before going, Menkal will start his two-part river salmon and steelhead class Tuesday in preparation for the upcoming fall river boom.
Part two will take place Tuesday, Sept. 4.
Both sessions run from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brian’s Sporting Goods and More at 542 W. Washington St. in Sequim.
Bring a pen, chair and notepad.
For more details, call Menkal at 360-683-1950.
Kids derby recap
Christoper Evans, age 12, of Lacey overcame cloudy skies, strong currents and strong wind to win first place at the Sekiu Lions Club kids salmon derby last weekend with a 7.61-pound coho.
Tacoma’s Trent Lucas, age 7, was second and 11-year-old Sawyer Larsen of Port Angeles, earned third place.
Other winners from the Peninsula were Jada Clemmons, 9, and Gabe Barros, 5, both of Clallam Bay.
In all, 28 of the 45 anglers between the ages of 5 and 14 who entered the derby caught fish.
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 Lee Horton appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.