THE STATE DEPARTMENT of Fish and Wildlife is looking out for you.
State shellfish managers are pushing back the popular spot shrimp fishery in Puget Sound and the Hood Canal one week to Saturday, May 14.
The decision to delay the opener is a result of the extremely low tides that are expected midday during the first Saturday in May — the traditional season opener and the usual date of the Kentucky Derby.
But I digress.
Low tides ranging between -1.7 feet along the Strait of Juan de Fuca and -2.5 feet along the Hood Canal are expected to render many boat ramps unusable and also create poor shrimping conditions.
“We’re pushing the season opener to May 14 to allow shrimpers to get the most out of the limited number of days that many marine areas, including Hood Canal, are open each year,” state shellfish biologist Mark O’Toole said.
Fish and Wildlife decided to announce the change this far out to give shrimpers time to change motel or moorage reservations and schedule vacation requests to the right weekend.
In past years, the department has adjusted shrimp fishing days later in the season to avoid significantly low tides, but not the season opening date.
After 2016, there will not be another extreme low tide on the first Saturday in May until 2021.
Fish and Wildlife said it will wait to announce the remainder of the shrimp fishing dates for each marine area until the final 2016 harvest quotas have been determined, likely sometime in February.
“In general, we expect shrimping opportunities in most marine areas to be similar to last year,” O’Toole said.
Hatchery steelhead
After a run of clear, crisp days over the New Year’s holiday, the grey gloom returned, albeit without much rainfall.
That bodes well for anglers looking to make something out of what had been a rough hatchery steelhead season on the West End.
Much of December was a washout for anglers, with nearly constant rain conspiring to keep rivers blown out and murky brown.
The first hatchery steelhead to crack Fish and Wildlife’s creel reports on the Sol Duc River only came between Jan. 1-3.
And even then it was just five total hatchery steelies landed by 19 anglers.
Ward Norden, owner of Snapper Tackle Company and a former fishery biologist who lives in Quilcene, recently ventured west.
“The Sol Duc is gin clear and a bit low, so lighter lines will be required on most northwest coastal rivers.
Norden recommends using leaders between 6 and 8 pounds.
Lake fishing probably won’t be productive due to the recent chilly temperatures.
“Lake Leland is still 50 percent frozen over as of [Wednesday], so the water in the lake is around 34 degrees meaning slow fishing,” Norden said.
Ridge fundraiser
Partly cloudy conditions are forecast this weekend, so Hurricane Ridge should offer up another round of fun for snow sports enthusiasts.
Those looking to unwind after a day atop Hurricane Ridge have an option Saturday night.
Longtime Port Angeles doctor Roger Oakes, a former president of the Hurricane Ridge Winter Sports Club, will present excerpts of his book Skiing in Olympic National Park at the Red Lion Hotel, 221 N. Lincoln St., at 7 p.m.
His book is a richly illustrated history of downhill skiing in the park, first at Deer Park from 1936-1957 and then at Hurricane Ridge from 1958 to present.
Oakes’ book also discusses the preservation of the Olympic Mountains through Olympic National Park and the efforts to create other ski areas in the Olympics.
Admission is by a $10 donation with all proceeds benefitting operations of the Hurricane Ridge Ski and Snowboard Area.
Food and beverages also will be available for purchase.
For reservations, phone Lindsay Fox at 360-417-5710 or email Lindsay.Fox@redlion.com.
Send photos, stories
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Send it to sports@peninsuladailynews.com or P.O. Box 1330, Port Angeles, WA 98362.
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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.