METEOROLOGISTS AREN’T SCHEDULING rain on the North Olympic Peninsula for a few more weeks, so outdoor activities are limited for the time being.

Saltwater salmon fishing is limited, too, but in the good way — it isn’t difficult to reach the daily catch limit.

And with harvesting native silvers becoming legal Saturday, limiting out a boat will be even easier.

“Port Angeles and Sekiu are just hot,” Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said.

“Guys can’t miss.”

The beach casting is still going strong near Port Townsend, particularly at Fort Flagler and Point Wilson.

But the salmon fishing essentially ends there, on the beach.

“There haven’t been that many boats going out,” Eric Elliott of Fish N Hole (360-385-7031) in Port Townsend said.

“It seems like once they closed chinook, people stopped caring.”

Menkal said the coho being caught are getting bigger, consistently weighing 10 and 11 pounds, but the “teeners” are waiting for rain before they shoot down the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

The salmon fishery — for both kings and silvers — is still open on the coast, but the number of anglers fishing has dwindled significantly since Labor Day.

“There’s fish around, but nobody to catch them,” Joey Lawrence of Big Salmon Resort (360-645-2374) in Neah Bay said.

In Marine Areas 3 and 4, the salmon season ends Sunday, Sept. 23.

But the LaPush late season area reopens Saturday, Sept. 29 through Sunday, Oct. 14.

Last chance derby

During that late-season push, the annual Last Chance Salmon Derby will take place in LaPush.

The derby is sponsored by the Quileute Tribe, the City of Forks, and the Forks Chamber of Commerce.

Cash prizes totaling $1,700 and merchandise will be awarded to derby ticket holders.

The angler who catches the largest coho will receive $500, second place receives $200 and third place 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 on your computer.

Rivers update

The West End rivers still are too low and clear.

“You’ve got to want to go pretty bad and not have high expectations al all [to fish right now],” Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods (360-374-6330) in Forks said.

Gooding said most anglers are waiting until rain raises the rivers to optimal levels.

“You don’t want to go when it’s bad,” Gooding said. “I mean, do you want to play golf in the sun or in a raging rain storm?”

Then again . . .

“Most fishermen aren’t that bright,” Gooding added.

The Quilcene River continues to be a bright spot on the rivers scene.

Menkal said the rivers are still “loaded” with anglers, and that they are still catching many fish.

He also reports that one of his customers said the tribal fishers who showed up last Thursday have pulled out.

If that’s true, recreational anglers who don’t mind big crowds can still have big days.

Hunting slow

The dry weather is also having a negative impact on hunting.

Gooding has gone out with his dogs a few times, and it has been difficult to avoid making a scene.

“Crunch, crunch, crunch,” Gooding said is what he and his potential prey heard.

Quilcene antler show

The fourth annual Quilcene Antler Show will take place this weekend at the Quilcene High School gym.

Hunters from all over the Peninsula are invited to bring their trophies to display and listen to talks given by local guides and taxidermists.

There also will be four seminars, including a taxidermy lesson, a flint knapping demo, a hunting dog demo and a bullet casting demo.

This column’s favorite fishing tackle wholesaler, Ward Norden, will present a 30-minute seminar on lead bullet casting basics for rifle and handguns.

He will also answer any outdoors-related questions at a table throughout the antler show on Saturday.

According to Norden, there also will be a “trail cam trophies” display.

Everyone is invited to post interesting photographs taken with their trail cams.

Just print the photos and use tacks to include them on the display.

Norden has some impressive cougar photos for the display.

The antler show is in conjunction with the Quilcene Fair, and a gun and knife show put on by Falcon Gun Shows.

Entrance to the antler show requires a $1 donation, and if you go to the antler show first, you can get a dollar off admission to the gun and knife show.

A shuttle has been arranged for travel between the antler and gun shows.

Hours for the antler show are noon to 5 p.m. on Saturday and 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

For more information, contact Mari Phillips at 360-765-0688 or visit quilceneantlershow.org.

Anglers club meeting

Jerry Wright and Pat Neal will be the guest speakers at Thursday’s meeting of the Puget Sound Anglers North Olympic Peninsula Chapter.

Wright is the owner of River Rock Outfitters (http://riverrockoutfitters.net) and Jerry’s Bait and Tackle in Port Angeles.

Pat Neal (http://www.patnealwildlife.com) is a renowned local guide who writes a weekly column for the Peninsula Daily News.

Both will speak about fishing for steelhead and salmon on the rivers of the Peninsula.

The meeting begins at 6:45 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church at 100 S. Blake Ave. in Sequim.

For more information, call 360-582-0836 or visit www.pugetsoundanglers.org.

Sekiu derby results

Jon May of South Carolina was the winner of last weekend’s “No Fin, You Win” salmon derby in Sekiu.

May pocketed $1,133 dollars for his 10.02-pound coho.

Sheri Arrigoni of Renton was a close second with a 9.99-pound salmon, winning $453.

Third prize went to Iry Jones of Snohomish, who caught a 9.67-pound salmon and received $227.

In all, 151 anglers from all over the country participated in the derby sponsored by the Clallam Bay/Sekiu Chamber of Commerce.

Menkal class

Part two of Menkal’s river salmon and steelhead class will be held Tuesday.

The session lasts from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Brian’s Sporting Goods and More at 542 W. Washington St. in Sequim.

Anglers of all skill levels are welcome to attend, even those who didn’t attend the opening session. Just bring a pen, chair and notepad.

For more details, call Menkal at 360-683-1950.

Back to school

In September and October, 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.

Here is the class information:

■ River Fishing — Class: Friday, Sept. 28, from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.; field trip: Saturday, Sept. 29.

■ Fly Fishing — 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.

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.