The fall push of hatchery coho up the Dungeness River has slowed to not much more than a trickle in the last week.
That’s the word from Brian Menkal of Brian’s Sporting Goods and More (360-683-1950) in Sequim.
“Things are slowing down on the Dungeness,” Menkal said. “A rush of fish went up to the hatchery about a week ago after the rains and I heard a lot of fish were up high and heading to the fish tank [at the hatchery].
“Whatever comes in now will be some stragglers, not a huge pile of fish at certain holes.”
Menkal hadn’t heard much, if anything, from the West End.
That may be because anglers chose to be hunters for the final days of modern firearm general deer season, which ended Thursday.
The late general season for black-tailed deer runs Nov. 14-17.
And the modern firearms elk general season opens Saturday and will run through Nov. 13.
Menkal said hunters with an elk tag will head west this weekend.
“Goodman, Dickey, Sol Duc or the Clearwater [Game Management Units],” Menkal said.
“The hardest thing about elk hunting is being really familiar with the land out west. Logging changes create new feeding areas every year while elk areas in Eastern Washington generally don’t change very much. You can hunt the same areas year-in and year-out.
“Out west clear cuts will grow up and get brushy.”
There is one benefit about hunting out west — it doesn’t take a full tank of gas to get there.
“Here you can scout it in advance,” Menkal said. “There its a day trip just to get over there and get settled in.”
Winter mode
A cool week of temperatures has had an impact on the water temperature in Lake Leland, according to Quilcene’s Ward Norden, a former fisheries biologist and owner of Snapper Tackle Co.
“Lake Leland in now in full winter mode as water temperatures drop to 43 degrees measured at the fishing pier,” Norden said. “Boat fishing gets slow this time of year unless the boat angler anchors bow-and-stern for still fishing with bait. Pier anglers are still doing well on nice-sized trout up to 2 pounds but bites are slow and soft from the now inactive trout.”
Waterfowl hunting
Norden also offered some advice for those targeting waterfowl on area waterways.
“Most of the waterfowl on the bays around the Straits [Juan de Fuca and Georgia] and Hood Canal are local birds,” Norden said. “Pintail, teal, and mallards are the dominant species, but northern birds should be moving in any day.
“You will know the northerners by the numbers of widgeon suddenly appearing. If my garden is any indication, winter is about three weeks early this fall, so the northern [birds] might already be in as you read this.
“Those Great Basin Canada geese flying around Sequim and Quilcene never decoy well, so pass shooting (firing at birds as they fly past) is the rule and that only works on very foggy mornings, in my experience.
“A tip for those waterfowl hunters on the tide flats — keep calling to a minimum for those already wise local birds. Let an artful decoy set do the work.”
Fly fishers meet
Fly fishing guide and photographer Dave McCoy will present Fishing Photography From Around the World at Monday’s meeting of the Olympic Peninsula Fly Fishers.
The group will meet at the Campfire USA Clubhouse, 619 E. Fourth St., at 6 p.m. Monday.
McCoy is owner and head fly guide at Emerald Waters Anglers in Seattle.
Salmon/steelhead fishing
Menkal will offer his two-part Introduction to Salmon and Steelhead Fishing course at his store, 609 W. Washington St., No. 21 in Sequim, from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday with part two following at the same time Tuesday, Nov. 12.
Menkal knows a ton of tips, tricks and locations to fish around the North Olympic Peninsula and offers the course for $50 per person plus tax.
“I’ll let you know where to go, when to go and what type of gear to use including rods, reels lines, lures and colors,” Menkal said. He’ll also offer maps of where to fish.
“The course is great for people who have moved up here and don’t know where to go. These salmon and steelhead are not hungry [in the rivers]. It’s not like fishing for trout or bass, the tactics are completely different.
Menkal asks attendees to RSVP to 360-683-1950.
Start the process
A reminder to start rounding up old sporting equipment in advance of the annual Outdoor Gear Swap at the Vern Burton Community Center in Port Angeles, 308 E. Fourth St., on Sunday, Nov. 10.
Gear drop off is slated from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m., with shopping from noon to 3 p.m.
Pick-up of unsold gear will follow from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Vendors and groups on site will include North by Northwest, Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area, the Olympic Peninsula chapter of the Surfrider Foundation, Sound Bikes & Kayaks, Peninsula Wellness and Performance, The PA Winter ICE Village, Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports School and more.
Admission is $5 for individuals and $8 for a family.
Proceeds support the Hurricane Ridge Ski Team and the Surfrider Foundation.
For more information, email skifox2@gmail.com.
Winterfest
Tickets are on sale for Winterfest, an annual fundraiser featuring dinner and short films that supports winter sports at Hurricane Ridge.
Doors will open at 5 p.m. Nov. 23 and Winterfest will begin at 6 p.m. and run until 10 p.m. at the Vern Burton Community Center, 308 E. Fourth St.
Tickets are $65 in advance and $80 at the door.
To buy in advance, visit tinyurl.com/PDN-Winterfest19.
Also available are community tables for parties of eight or 10. The tables are $500 or $625.
A prime rib dinner will be served, along with appetizers and an oyster bar. Live and silent auctions are planned, plus live music by Bill, Barry and Friends are on tap for the evening organized by the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Education Foundation.
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Sports reporter Michael Carman can be contacted at 360-417-3525 or mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
