THE UPCOMING SALMON and crab seasons might be the major focus of anglers throughout the North Olympic Peninsula, but there are still plenty of fishing opportunities before those fisheries kick off.
Bob Gooding of Olympic Sporting Goods (360-374-6330) in Forks reports the Sol Duc River still has spring chinook.
Gooding also said a few sockeye have been showing up in the Sol Duc, and that there might already be some summer-run silvers there, too.
And summer-run steelhead are still being caught in the Calawah and Bogachiel rivers.
Near LaPush, the lingcod fishing has been solid.
Many anglers have been having success on the lakes recently.
“Guys are doing great at catching trout on the lakes — Sandy Shore, Gibbs, Sutherland,” said Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles.
In the shadow of the halibut season, shrimping has been consistently solid near Sequim.
Last week, Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim told me that the recent strategy for success has been, “The deeper the better.”
Upcoming salmon seasons
The salmon season opens Saturday, June 22, with a hatchery chinook fishery in Neah Bay and LaPush.
The following Saturday, June 29, the fishery expands to include wild chinook at hatchery coho, and it will remain open until Sept. 22 — unless, of course, the predetermined quota is surpassed prior to that date.
The four-day salmon opportunity that was open during the northern coast’s halibut season wasn’t spectacular, but it did reveal that the kings have started rolling through.
Sekiu (Marine Area 5), the Port Angeles portion of Marine Area 6, and Hood Canal (Marine Area 12) will open to chinook on Monday, July 1.
The rest of Marine Area 6 — east of the tip of Ediz Hook to a straight line between Partridge Point and Point Wilson — is not open to chinook fishing. It will open to other salmon species on July 1, but coho and pinks typically don’t show up until later in the summer.
Admiralty Inlet (Marine Area 9) opens to chinook on Tuesday, July 16.
The dates for crab season is less confusing, for the most part.
There is one oddity, though.
The harvest is open Thursdays through Mondays beginning July 1 throughout the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.
But, since July 1 is a Monday, crab gear must be removed by the end of the day.
Crab season begins at 7 a.m., so the best harvest tactic is probably to drop your pot during the 7 o’clock hour.
Archery tournament
The Wapiti Bowmen Archery Club of Port Angeles is sponsoring a tournament for traditional archers at its facility (374 E. Arnette Road in Port Angeles) Saturday and Sunday.
At the tournament, traditional shooters (no compound bows) will be able to shoot at 30 3-D full-size targets.
All traditional shooters are invited to participate. Registration begins a 7:30 a.m. both days.
Breakfast and lunch will be served at 7 a.m. for a cost of $5, and raffles will be held for a Bear Encounter Compound Bow and a Rinehart 18-1 Spot Target.
For more information, phone Walt at 360-531-2153, or Steve at 360-460-9132, or visit the club’s website at www.wapitibowmen.us.
Puget Sound Anglers
This month’s meeting of the North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers will focus on how to catch king and coho on the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
The salmon season on the Strait and Hood Canal opens Monday, July 1.
Club members will provide demonstrations of equipment, advice on fishing areas, and methods of saltwater salmon fishing.
The meeting takes place Thursday, June 20, at 6:45 p.m. at the Trinity United Methodist Church (100 S. Blake Ave. in Sequim).
Day of trails
The fourth annual Longest Day of Trails 10K Run and 15-mile Bike Ride will take place Sunday, June 23, on the Larry Scott Memorial Trail in Port Townsend.
The out-and-back 10K run begins at 9 a.m., and costs $20 if you register by Thursday, June 20. Day-of-race registration will be $25.
Ribbons will be awarded to the top three finishers in each age and gender division immediately after the race.
Each place also will receive a live seedling.
Water and refreshments will be provided for all participants.
The start and finish area is at the water in the Port Townsend boat yard.
Runners should park at the Park and Ride across from Safeway on Lower Sims Way.
The 15-mile bike ride covers the entire length of the trail. To participate, gather by the trail entrance at 4 p.m.
This main goal of the event is raise money for trail caretakers the Jefferson Trails Coalition and the Pacific Northwest Trails Association.
These trail organizations provide maintenance of some sections of the trail, and are constantly working to promote the completion of the Olympic Discovery Trail and the Pacific Northwest Trail across the North Olympic Peninsula.
For more information or to register, email longestdayoftrails@gmail.com, or visit www.tinyurl.com/LongDayPT.
Adventure talks
The first Basecamp Adventure Talk will be tonight from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Red Lion Hotel Port Angeles (221 N. Lincoln St.).
Today’s talk will be “Olympic Changes Over Space and Time,” by Carolyn Wilcox, owner of Experience Olympic Tours.
These weekly adventure talks will touch on many of the various adventure options available on the Peninsula.
Speakers will include ecologists, tour guides, storytellers, film makers, historians, fishermen and mountaineers.
The talks are free and open to the public, and light hors d’oeuvres are included. Happy hour Basecamp drink specials will also be offered.
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.