HORDES OF HALIBUT anglers poured onto the North Olympic Peninsula last weekend for the fishery’s opening day on the Eastern Strait of Juan De Fuca and Admiralty Inlet.
Conditions were ideal with temperatures around 70 degrees, ample sunshine and light breezes aiding anglers’ efforts at bringing halibut onboard.
Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles had a blast out on the water, except for one small detail . . . he went home emptyhanded.
“Those first two days went real smooth,” Aunspach said.
“It was beautiful weather, and there definitely were some fish around.
“It really couldn’t have gone any better. Well, it could have for me personally, because I didn’t catch one, but it was beautiful.”
Aunspach said that typical afternoon westerly that blows through the Strait didn’t kick up until mid-afternoon Saturday, after most boats had headed in for the day.
“It seemed like east of Ediz Hook produced more over the two days,” Aunspach said.
“Holes like Green Point, Dallas Bank, the 31/36 Hole, all were pretty good bets.”
Aunspach said the 31/36 Hole is located about 5 or 6 miles north of Ediz Hook and the Rockpile.
“That’s a popular spot because there’s a lot of area to work,” Aunspach said.
A check at Ediz Hook ramp in Port Angeles last Friday counted 163 boats with 362 anglers landing 129 halibut and one lingcod; and Saturday 124 boats with 286 anglers caught 85 halibut and five lingcod.
At the Port Angles West ramp, 51 boats with 133 anglers caught 44 halibut last Friday; and 83 boats with 215 anglers caught 64 halibut Saturday.
John Wayne Marina at Sequim on Friday had 69 boats with 166 anglers catch 40 halibut; and Saturday 76 boats with 198 anglers brought in 44 halibut.
A check last Friday at the Port Townsend Boat Haven showed 19 halibut and nine lingcod brought in by 104 anglers in 45 boats; while Saturday counted 21 halibut and 10 lings landed by 126 anglers in 62 boats.
Further west, at the Freshwater Bay boat ramp, 29 boats with 54 anglers Friday got 22 halibut; and 24 boats with 51 anglers Saturday caught 18 halibut.
“I’ve heard of a couple big fish caught over by Protection Island,” Aunspach said.
“There’s a rumor a guy got a 200-pounder.
“We had a 71-pound fish on the board [this month’s fish ladder at Swain’s] but he didn’t have the right license so the top three right now are 57, 47 and 46 pounds.”
Herring reigns as the prime halibut bait.
“The three main baits were herring, octopus and squid,” Aunspach said.
“There were probably some salmon belly and tuna belly used as well.”
Angler pressure should dip Friday with the opening of halibut season in Marine Areas 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay) today and again Saturday.
“This week with the ocean fishery going on, I bet you’ll see about half as a many [boats launching out of Port Angeles],” Aunspach said.
“The real big boats will got out toward LaPush and Neah Bay.”
The halibut fishery off LaPush and Neah Bay is open Thursdays and Saturdays through Saturday, May 23, provided the halibut allotment has not been met.
If there is available quota, the fishery will re-open June 4 and/or June 6.
That reopening, however, is unlikely based on previous years’ success.
Jake Peters of Snow Creek Resort (360-645-2284) in Neah Bay said anglers heading west should run into plenty of bottom fish, as well as halibut.
“Lingcod and bottom fishing has been steady,” Peters said.
“There’s not a lot of great size, but people are consistently meeting limits and there’s been quite a bit of bycatch of halibut out there that folks have to send back.”
Peters was busy helping early arrivals get squared away with gear and offering tips when I spoke to him Wednesday.
“I’ve tried to call the halibut commission and ask why this season is only four days,” Peters said.
“They’ve told me this area is really the Mecca for halibut with the convergence of the Pacific Ocean and the Strait, the structure underneath, the amount of baitfish.”
Ocean salmon season also opens Friday and continues Saturday off LaPush and Neah Bay.
The early salmon season has dates of Friday and Saturday, May 22-23 and will open seven days a week from May 30 through June 12.
There is a two-salmon limit, plus an additional two pink salmon per angler.
Minimum size is 24 inches for chinook and anglers should release any wild chinook and all coho.
In Area 4, salmon fishing is closed east of a true north/south line running through Sail Rock, and inside the area bounded by a line from Kydaka Point to Shipwreck Point.
“There aren’t a lot of salmon out here right now,” Peters said.
“I think most will fish for halibut and a ling and then pick up their sea bass [rockfish] limit.”
Marine Area 5’s (Sekiu) halibut fishery will open Friday and Saturday, and again Thursday through Sunday, May 21-24 (Memorial Day weekend), and Friday and Saturday, May 29-30.
No more razor clams
Razor clam digging will remain closed on Pacific Ocean beaches for the remainder of the razor clam season because of elevated toxin levels, state shellfish managers announced Wednesday.
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife canceled two openings that were tentatively scheduled to start this month, one Friday and another Friday, May 22, due to high levels of domoic acid.
Fish and Wildlife canceled three days of a four-day dig earlier this month due to elevated toxin levels.
Domoic acid, a natural toxin produced by certain types of marine algae, can be harmful or even fatal if consumed in sufficient quantities.
Razor clams absorb domoic acid into their fat cells and can retain it there long after the ocean water is free of toxins, said Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager for Fish and Wildlife.
“Based on the most recent test results that show increased levels of domoic acid, razor clams will not be safe to eat for the remainder of this month,” Ayres said.
“We’re disappointed to close early, but it has been a remarkable season for razor clam digging in Washington.”
Shellfish managers estimate diggers harvested 5.7 million clams since the season began last October.
Diggers had more opportunities to hit the beaches than any season since 1989, Ayres said.
Shrimping slow in PA
“Shrimping has been terrible out here on the [Port Angeles] harbor,” Aunspach said.
“There probably hasn’t been more than a couple dozen caught in total.
“It started off like this last year and got better, but right now it seems to be pretty quiet.”
Derby tickets
Anglers can pick up a $40 Port Angeles Salmon Club Halibut Derby ticket at three North Olympic Peninsula locations.
These outlets are Swain’s General Store and Jerry’s Bait & Tackle in Port Angeles, and Brian’s Sporting Goods and More in Sequim.
Fishing will be contained in Marine Area 6, between Low Point to the west and the Dungeness Spit to the east.
Fishing hours are daylight to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 23, and daylight to 2 p.m. Sunday, May 24.
A total of $20,000 in cash prizes will be up for grabs, including $5,000 for the winner.
Anglers can launch their boats for free thanks to the Port of Port Angeles.
The weigh-in will be held at the West Boat Haven ramp and docks, and all fish must be brought in by water.
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 5152 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
