KEEP ONE EYE on the sky for potential lightning strikes, and one peeled for submerged logs if you are steelhead fishing by drift boat on the West End this weekend.
Thunderstorms are in the forecast for this afternoon for the Forks area, so take heed and take flight if you hear thunder or see a strike.
The National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service discovered in a 2013 study that 64 percent of lightning deaths since 2006 occurred while people were participating in leisure activities, with fishing topping the list at 26 deaths.
A lightning strike is a small likelihood, yes, but it’s not worth the risk as there will always be another day of fishing on the calendar.
Last Saturday, a Forks-based fishing guide piloted himself and his client into a submerged log on the Sol Duc River underneath the Mora Road bridge near Forks, causing the drift boat to capsize.
The guide and client were dunked in the waters. Other anglers rescued the guide, and the client swam to shore.
Take care out there and wear your flotation devices.
Pressure up on rivers
Anglers took advantage of calmer weather last weekend to hit the West End river systems for steelhead.
The second-highest number of anglers (145) of the entire season were on the Sol Duc, with 95 wild steelhead and one straggler of a hatchery fish caught.
Action was high on the Bogachiel/Quillayute rivers, with 94 anglers hitting into 30 wild steelhead.
The Calawah, not typically as renowned as its neighbors, had the best fish-to-angler average, with 51 wild steelhead landed by 42 anglers.
Blackmouth hot
Bob Aunspach of Swain’s General Store (360-452-2357) in Port Angeles missed out on one of the best blackmouth days of the year last Sunday.
“Myself and another fishing buddy went out on Saturday night in different boats and each caught a fish, but Sunday when it was the best in weeks, I didn’t go because I had a cold,” Aunspach said.
Ediz Hook fish checks showed 33 blackmouth were caught by 36 anglers in 21 boats last Sunday.
Puget Sound Anglers member Dave Dewald fished Freshwater Bank that day and landed a 6.6-pound blackmouth using an Irish flag No. 3 spoon with a white QCove flasher.
He was out again Monday and brought up a 7½-pound chinook caught on a cookies and cream 3.5-inch spoon with a black and white tail wagger using a redrum QCove flasher.
Coming back toward Port Angeles, Dewald set up shop trolling in 120 to 130 feet of water near the Nippon mill. He was just about to swap the cookies and cream spoon for the Irish flag, and was bringing his line up via his down rigger when the line went taut and a fight ensued.
Dewald came out the winner against an 11½-pound hatchery chinook.
Then the winds picked up and knocked most boats off the water.
“The winds have been pretty tough the last few days,” Aunspach said.
March fish ladder
Swain’s stepped up and is continuing an area tradition: the monthly salmon and halibut fish ladder.
For the months of March, May, July, August and October, Swain’s will tally up submitted fish for a shot at gift cards ranging from $25 to $100 for fourth through first places.
All anglers need to do to pick up a fish ladder ticket is drop by Swain’s with four cans of food for donation to the Port Angeles Food Bank.
“The Port Angeles Salmon Club had to drop it, but it was too good of a thing to let pass,” Aunspach said.
“It’s not about what they win, it’s about bragging rights. And the best part is we are helping such a great cause.
“I think we weighed up something like 238 pounds of food for March to donate.”
Jeff Reynolds took the top prize for March with a 17.1-pound blackmouth.
James Kang was second at 15.4 pounds, Craig Rice third with a 13.14-pound chinook and John Miller was fourth at 13.05 pounds.
Free day at state parks
Saturday marks a “free day,” in which state Discover Passes are not required to visit a state park.
This free day, which is one of two set for this month, celebrates spring.
The other, Wednesday, April 22, is held on Earth Day.
A Discover Pass is still required to access lands managed by the state departments of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife on these days.
Left out a weekend
I blundered in my outdoors column Thursday and left out a weekend of halibut fishing in Marine Areas 6 and 9.
The halibut fishery will be open Friday and Saturday, May 8 and 9; Friday and Saturday, May 15 and 16; Thursday through Sunday of Memorial Day weekend, May 21-24; and Thursday through Saturday, May 28-30.
May 15-16 were omitted from the column.
My apologies for the mistake. The 11-day season already is short enough.
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.
Razor clam digs
Clam diggers will have to do two things to have a legal chance at a limit of razor clams: make sure to have a valid 2015-16 shellfish and wake up early, because all the digs are all set before noon.
Upcoming digs are scheduled on the following dates, beaches and low tides:
■ Saturday: 7:23 a.m.; 0.6 feet — Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Copalis.
■ Sunday: 7:57 a.m.; 0.3 feet — Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks and Copalis.
■ Monday: 8:32 a.m.; 0.3 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Tuesday: 9:09 a.m.; 0.1 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Wednesday: 9:48 a.m.; 0.1 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Thursday: 10:32 a.m.; 0.2 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
■ Friday, April 10: 11:23 a.m.; 0.4 feet — Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
Send photos, stories
Have a photograph, a fishing or hunting report, an anecdote about an outdoors experience or a tip on gear or technique?
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.
