THERE’S SOMETHING UNDERWHELMING about the creel checks that come out of Port Townsend.
I could probably count on one hand the number of times during the past two years that I’ve thought, “Wow, there’s a lot of fish going through there.”
More often than not, it seems, I’m left wanting.
It’s as if the anglers who dock at Port Townsend Boat Haven perpetually average one salmon for every four boats.
Hardly the sort of numbers you’d alert the local liquor board about. Unless, of course, the lack of salmon success is driving some to drink.
Unfortunately, not much has changed since Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) moved over to blackmouth season this month.
There’s few anglers and not many fish, according to Puget Sound Anglers member Jerry Johnson.
Outside of one salmon story from Thursday — one that ended with the fish spitting out the hook, mind you — he said he has heard very little out of the Quimper Peninsula fishery.
“That’s the first blackmouth activity I’ve heard in a couple of months,” Johnson said. “Every time we talk to the checker at the ramp he says he hasn’t checked in many fish. It’s pretty slow.
“My buddy and I fished several days early this week and last week out on Mid Channel Bank and never got a bite.”
Of course, part of that can be attributed to the persistent winds that have come through the area.
But that’s hardly the only thing keeping the Mid Channel set from hooking hordes of fish.
“In all the hours I’ve been out there, I haven’t seen any salmon caught,” Johnson said.
“I don’t know if it’s going to pick up. We don’t have a lot of bird activity. There doesn’t appear to be a lot of bait out there.
“That’s pretty crucial for Mid Channel Bank.”
There is a little bit of light on that dark cloud, however.
Apparently, the Port Townsend area is loaded with more crabs than a Pioneer Square dance floor.
So at least there’s that.
“We usually come in with two limits of crab, that’s still very good,” Johnson said. “There’s very little pressure.”
Hoodsport homies
Those desperate to salve their saltwater salmon urges do have an option.
The Hood Canal chum runs appear to have hit high gear, with a total of 2.399 fish reaching the Hoodsport Hatchery in the last week.
Hatchery specialist Drew Burkhard said tribal anglers were still catching plenty of fish Thursday.
“[The fish] still look good, they are in good shape,” Burkhard said. “They are a little bit smaller than what we’re used to, but they are getting a little bit bigger than the first take.
“We’re calling them about six pounds on the average, but a big male will go 12 easy and a big female will go eight.”
Burkhard was unsure how long the run would last, but it has been known to go all the way through Thanksgiving.
“We want it to go for at least two weeks, but we really don’t know,” he said.
“We’re getting good reports. They are seeing more fish above the bridge. Hopefully, they are coming south.”
One other spot available to saltwater anglers: Marine Area 5 (Sekiu).
That fishery is now open to blackmouth fishing, although few people seem to care.
River run
The fall coho is not dead but may soon be forgotten.
The Sol Duc Hatchery saw another 250 adult silvers return in the last week, while the Dungeness Hatchery reported no new fish. How many more will come after that is anyone’s guess.
What we do know is that a certain anadromous fish known to return in great numbers to a certain part of the Peninsula at a certain dark and damp time is about to make a big impact.
Yes, my dear Peninsulites, I’m talking about winter steelhead.
“I think we’re one storm away from seeing a big influx of winter steelhead into the rivers,” Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles said.
Anglers have already hooked a few steelies this month, with reports coming out of the Bogachiel, Calawah and Lyre rivers, according to Aunspach.
No doubt that will pick up in the next couple of weeks as we approach the traditional Thanksgiving weekend hatchery steelhead freakfest.
Elk steaks?
The first week of modern firearm elk season came and went to mixed reviews.
As is always the case, there were some animals taken out of West End elk country, but things haven’t been easy.
“There’s a few bulls being taken, but overall just talking to the guys, they are struggling to find something legal,” Aunspach said.
“The elk are there, and the conditions have actually been fair. It’s just that they feel the pressure and they go into hiding.
“There’s a lot of people banging out there making noise. [The elk] are going to kind of hold up a bit and feed at night until the weather changes.”
That may just happen this weekend, with a storm expected to blow through in the coming days.
“I think a storm would help, blow some more leaves off the trees,” Aunspach said.
“As it gets colder and windier and rainier [the elk] have to feed more to keep warm, so they will probably make themselves be seen more.”
Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim said he’s heard several success stories so far out west.
Among the areas that have produced animals: the Goodman, Dickey, Sol Duc and Clearwater Game Management Units (GMUs.)
Also . . .
■ Afternoon razor clam digs have been approved at Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Mocrocks beaches for today and Saturday.
A total of 12,100 digger trips were counted at Mocrocks, Copalis, Long Beach and Twin Harbors during the first set of digs in October.
The average take was 13.9 clams per digger.
■ Admiralty Audubon’s David Beatty will lead a birding trip through Fort Worden State Park next Saturday, Nov. 19.
Birders will look for feathered friends along the beach as well as the fields and forest around the park from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.
To register for the trip, email Beatty at djb38@olypen.com.
■ The North Olympic Peninsula Chapter of Puget Sound Anglers will hold its monthly meeting Thursday in Sequim.
The meeting begins at 7 p.m. at Trinity Methodist Church, 100 S. Blake Ave.
Details on the guest speaker were unavailable.
■ Winterfest returns to the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. 4th St., in Port Angeles next Saturday, Nov. 19, from 5-11 p.m.
The annual Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club fundraiser includes a prime rib dinner, live music, live and silent auctions and a showing of movies from last year’s VideOlympics outdoor film contest.
Tickets cost $45 in advance and are available at Swain’s General Store, Necessities and Temptations, Brown’s Outdoor and Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim.
Community tables of eight cost $320.
■ Washington Trails Association will gather an all-day work party at Dosewallips River Trails on Thursday.
Volunteers must pre-register 48 hours in advance. To do so, contact Washington Trails at 206-625-1367 or visit www.wta.org.
■ Brian’s Sporting Goods and More will host a free winter steelhead fishing class on successive Tuesday nights, Nov. 15 and 22.
Both classes will run from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Sequim shop, 542 W. Washington St.
Send photos, stories
Want your event listed in the outdoors column?
Have a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique, why not share it with our readers?
Send it to me, Matt Schubert, Sports Department, Peninsula Daily News, P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362; phone, 360-417-3526; fax, 360-417-3521; email matt.schubert
@peninsuladailynews.com.
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Matt Schubert is the outdoors columnist for the Peninsula Daily News. His column appears on Thursdays and Fridays.