LATELY, PART OF this job has included looking at the extended forecasts on various online weather services to see when we might get rain that will send coho down the Strait of Juan de Fuca or put water in the West End rivers.
Finally, the forecasts are delivering favorable news.
There is a chance of rain on multiple days next week in Neah Bay, Sekiu and Port Angeles.
Now, who knows how accurate those things really are, or if there will be enough rain to inspire the silvers to leave the Sekiu Salmon Resort, but let’s not let cynicism ruin potentially good news.
Even without rain, Monday is a big day for anglers who fish near Port Angeles and Sequim because it marks the beginning of the fall saltwater chinook fishery.
Same goes for Sekiu, as if they needed more salmon to catch.
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said the kings shouldn’t be affected by the lack of rain because they hang out at different depths than coho.
Silvers can be found in the top 75 to 100 feet of water, while chinook are near the bottom.
Both hatchery and native chinook are included in the fall fishery, but only one chinook can be harvested as part of the two-salmon daily limit.
Port Angeles, Sequim and the rest of Marine Area 6 are also open for wild coho Monday.
The fall salmon fishery ends Oct. 31.
Sekiu’s still rolling
Marine Area 5 remains the hot spot for coho.
Gary Ryan of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu said the silvers being caught lately aren’t huge, weighing between 5 and 12 pounds.
“But I don’t hear anyone complaining,” Ryan said.
Don’t expect Sekiu to slow down anytime soon.
“There’s still more to come, that’s the cool part of it,” Menkal said, adding that the silvers will only get bigger.
“As things progress, they start to get larger,” he said.
Ryan did say that most of the kings have moved along, so the chinook opening won’t have a major impact on the overall salmon harvest.
Last chance derby
After closing last Sunday, the Marine Area 3 (LaPush) salmon harvest reopens Saturday.
Included in the LaPush late season is the annual Last Chance Salmon Derby on Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 6-7.
Cash prizes for the derby total $1,700.
The anglers who catch the largest coho will receive $500 each.
The second-place coho and chinook will garner $200, and third place for both salmon types will take home $100.
There also will be a drawing for prizes, which will be held on the dock at the close of the derby Sunday (or at the close of the derby if inclement weather forces an early close).
Only ticket holders who are present at the drawing are eligible for the prizes.
For more information on the Last Chance Salmon Derby, visit www.forkswa.com/salmonderby.
Razor clam update
The first razor clam digs of the season have been tentatively scheduled.
Unfortunately, Kalaloch is not one of the beaches involved in the first round of digging.
Coastal shellfish manager Dan Ayres told the Peninsula Daily News that the state still hasn’t finalized a plan for Kalaloch.
He said the state is still in discussions with Olympic National Park, and that the razor clam population at Kalaloch is small, and the clams that are there are tiny.
If it does open, “It’s not going to be more than last year,” Ayres said.
Here are the proposed digging days, low evening tides and included beaches:
■ Saturday, Oct. 13, 5:41 p.m., (+0.3 ft.) — Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks.
■ Sunday, Oct. 14, 6:26 p.m., (-0.5 ft.) — Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks.
■ Monday, Oct. 15, 7:11 p.m., (-1.1 ft.) — Long Beach, Twin Harbors.
■ Tuesday, Oct. 16, 7:57 p.m., (-1.5 ft.) — Twin Harbors.
■ Wednesday, Oct. 17, 8:44 p.m., (-1.6 ft.) — Twin Harbors.
■ Thursday, Oct. 18, 9:34 p.m., (-1.4 ft.) — Twin Harbors.
These dates and beaches are subject to upcoming marine toxin tests verifying the clams are safe to eat.
Ayres said the state will announce final approval of the above plans about a week before the digging is set to start.
“We’re still in the process of determining additional fall and winter digging opportunities, but we wanted to give people a chance to start making plans for October,” Ayres said in a press release.
He added that the state will announce additional razor clam digs later next month.
Also, the state will continue to accept public comments through Tuesday, Oct. 9, on digging days and other management options for the upcoming razor clam season.
Comments can be emailed to razorclams@dfw.wa.gov, or mailed to RazorClams, 48 Devonshire Road, Montesano, WA 98563.
For more information on razor clam seasons, check the department’s website at http://tinyurl.com/razorclaminfo.
Trail work party
The Upper Big Quilcene Trail is one of seven Washington state trails that will receive maintenance work by volunteers as part of National Public Lands Day on Saturday.
The Washington Trails Association will host a work party on the trail in which volunteers will help with drainage projects.
The party will begin at the trailhead at 8:30 a.m. and end at 3:30 p.m.
No prior experience is necessary.
Volunteers should wear sturdy shoes and bring a lunch, water and work gloves.
Tools, hard hats and training will be provided.
Fly fishers meeting
The Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers club will hold its monthly meeting on Monday.
The featured speaker will be Brian Winters, director of the Elwha Dam Removal Project at Olympic National Park, who will give the club an update on the dam removal for the first time since the project began.
Following that will be a fly-tying demonstration by club member Sharon Prosser, who has promised to tie a “gorgeous and perfect damsel.”
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Campfire USA Clubhouse, 619 E. 4th St. in Port Angeles.
Fishing college
Don’t forget that Ron “The Missing” Link will be teaching three classes at Peninsula College that are devoted to the basics of river and lake fishing.
Each class will consist of weekday sessions and an all-day Saturday field trip in which Link will show you how to put your new knowledge into action and take you to some of the best spots.
The first class is tonight.
Here is the class information:
■ River Fishing — Class: Tonight from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; field trip: Saturday.
■ Fly Fishing — Classes: Thursdays, Oct. 4-18, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.; field trip: Saturday, Oct. 20.
■ Lake Fishing — Class: Friday, Oct. 5, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; field trip: Saturday, Oct. 6.
To register for these classes, call Peninsula College at 360-417-6340.
No Menkal class
Because of a low turn out this week, Menkal was able to cram both sessions of his rivers fishing class into one evening.
So this Tuesday he will take a break from imparting knowledge, and restart the class in the coming weeks.
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.