SATURDAY’S LOWLAND LAKE trout opener is a numbers game.
The annual rite of spring will see many thousands of anglers throughout the state descend on hundreds of lakes stocked with millions of fish.
“The fourth Saturday in April marks the traditional start of the lowland lakes fishing season, and hundreds of thousands of anglers are expected to turn out for the big day,” Larry Phillips, state Department of Fish and Wildlife inland fish program manager, said.
While many lakes on the North Olympic Peninsula such as Lake Leland near Quilcene and Wentworth Lake near Forks are open year-round, this will be the first chance this year for anglers to cast lines at Lake Sutherland near Port Angeles or Tarboo, Sandy Shore and Ludlow lakes in Jefferson County.
State fish hatchery crews have been stocking more than 15 million trout and kokanee in lakes statewide. Those fish include 3.8 million catchable trout, nearly 370,000 larger trout averaging about one pound apiece, and millions of smaller trout that were stocked last year and have grown to catchable size.
Tarboo, Sandy Shore and Ludlow, along with Silent Lake on the Coyle Peninsula near Quilcene and the catch-and-release only Gibbs Lake near Chimacum, all were stocked with rainbow trout earlier this month.
Lake Leland was stocked with more than 2,000 smaller rainbow trout in late March.
Ward Norden, owner of Snapper Tackle Company and a former fishery biologist who lives in Quilcene, keeps a watchful eye on Lake Leland.
“If you tabulate by fish planted per acre of lake, Lake leland is getting the smallest plants of all the lakes even though it has the best bank access, a handicap fishing pier, and the best launch,” Norden said.
“Leland is also getting none of the big trout. Tarboo is getting double the fish per acre plus the 6 pounders.
“Ludlow is getting triple per acre and has the poorest launch or bank access. Sandy Shore is also getting double plus the 6 pounders.
“[It] doesn’t bother me all that much since I prefer bass fishing and those neurotic silvery things are just a distraction.”
After warm temperatures this week, Lake Leland is up to 61 degrees as of Thursday afternoon.
That’s about five degrees above normal for this time of year, according to Norden.
“When the water reaches these temperatures, bank fishing slows and trollers begin catching the lion’s share of the trout,” Norden said.
“I have not yet heard of yellow perch making an appearance on stringers but that should start soon.”
The relatively warm waters also should get largemouth bass on the move.
“Normally, slowly presented jigs or Texas rigged plastic worms are best this time of year, but with water temperatures in the low 60s, jerk-baits presented moderately aggressively should get strikes,” Norden said.
One lake that won’t be open for anglers is Anderson Lake near Chimacum.
High levels of the potent nerve toxin anatoxin-a were found in a water sample taken by Jefferson County Public Health from Anderson Lake on Monday.
State parks have closed the lake to fishing, boating and swimming.
Fish stocking details for Jefferson County are available at tinyurl.com/PDN-TroutPlants.
No Clallam County lakes received trout plants this spring.
Anglers parking at Fish and Wildlife water-access sites are required to display on their vehicle the Vehicle Access Pass that is provided with every annual fishing license purchased.
Anglers who use State Parks or Department of Natural Resource areas need a state Discover Pass.
Blackmouth biting
The blackmouth bite improved dramatically in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) over the past week.
“The blackmouth season has finally started to get good,” said Brandon Mason of Mason’s Olson Resort (360-963-2311) in Sekiu.
“The bait has shown up and the fish are up.”
Mason said mornings and about an hour before high tide have produced the best results.
“The Irish Cream has been a good-working lure for spoons,” Mason said.
He also mentioned the Herring Aide Coho Killer as another lure finding success.
Glenn Teeter of Van Riper’s Resort (360-963-2334) in Sekiu said the docks are in the water and the fishing has picked up this week — or at least the number of anglers has risen.
“I don’t know if the fishing got better or the number of fishermen showing up increased,” Teeter said with a laugh.
“But the guys who are putting in the time out on the water are finding them.
“The fish harvested so far have been feeding on squid and what look like sardines. Smaller baits.”
Salmon fishing will run through Saturday, April 30 off Sekiu.
“And with [Marine] Area 4 (Neah Bay) open for lingcod, it’s a short run over for lingcod and rock fish,” Mason said.
Opener a success
The first week of lingcod fishing off Neah Bay was a resounding success for anglers.
“They did really good,” said Mike Lawrence of Big Salmon Resort (360-645-2374) in Neah Bay.
“They were finding lots of fish off Third Beach and Father and Son [rock].
Lawrence also mentioned Green Bank and Duncan Rock as sports where anglers have done well for lings.
Big Salmon Resort offers lingcod and rock fish charters for $150.
Tom Burlingame, owner of Excel Fishing Charters (360-374-2225), said this week’s warm weather made for great lingcod fishing.
“The calm ocean has something to do with it,” Burlingame said.
“The lingcod fishing is just on fire. We had limits in under two hours this week.
“I like it when I’m back to the dock at 10 a.m.”
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Outdoors columnist Michael Carman appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-452-2345, ext. 57050 or at mcarman@peninsuladailynews.com.
