By Wayne Kruse
Special to The Herald
Halibut fishing in Puget Sound and the east end of the Strait of Juan de Fuca last year was the best fishermen have seen since 2004, the year sportfishing activists persuaded the state Fish and Wildlife Department to open the season to prime spring fishing, two weeks earlier than the longtime "usual" date. And for four years, anglers tested the theory that in-Sound halibut start migrating westward, out the Strait, in early April, and that many of them are out of reach by the usual late-April opener.
The results appeared to support the theory, with apparently much better halibut fishing the rule in such spots as Mutiny Bay, Admiralty Bay, Port Angeles, and the banks on the eastern end of the Strait. Not everyone subscribes to the theory, but regardless, halibut action was so good in 2008 that recreational fishermen took too many fish.
State halibut honcho Heather Reed said the department thus had to cut the season this year, in order to lower the harvest and to stay within boundaries set by the Pacific Fisheries Management Council. Two weeks were cut off the front of the fishery, and one week off the backside, according to Reed.
"Because we have no way to monitor and/or adjust the harvest during the season," she said, "we have to do it the following year."
So the season opened this morning in marine areas 6-11, and 13, through June 5, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays, with a one-fish limit and no minimum size. All halibut must be logged on a state catch record card.
Expert halibut angler Ron Garner of Monroe, President of the Sno-King Chapter, Puget Sound Anglers, said he doesn't necessarily agree with the "migration theory," even though data shows the best fishing to be during the first month of the season each year.
"The halibut are there; finding them is the challenge," he said.
Garner suggests Partridge Bank (west and a little north of Point Partridge on Whidbey Island); Eastern Bank (Due west of Smith Island); Hein Bank (southwest of Orcas Island); Dungeness Bar (off Dungeness Spit); Dallas Bank (east of Dungeness Bar); and the area off Protection Island.
For bait, he likes black label herring, squid, Berkley Power Grubs, or large sardines. Best depth, he said, varies widely, but 120 to 180 feet would be a good average, on down to 220 feet or deeper. Lead weight of 16, 20 or 24 ounces works well, he said, adding that 32 ounces is too heavy and leads to hangups.
Mike Chamberlain at Ted's Sport Center in Lynnwood said tides are not that great this week, but that prospects are still positive. British Columbia's Constance Bank has been producing good results since early February, he said, and tribal commercial longliners had a fairly good season. He also reported good incidental numbers of halibut hooked by salmon anglers in the Port Townsend and Port Angeles areas.
Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington said incidental halibut hookups in the San Juan Islands are also positive indicators this spring.
Kids fish-in
Don't forget the Sunday (not Saturday) free kids' trout fishing day at Lake Tye, on the west side of Monroe, always a hugely popular event sponsored by the Sky Valley Chapter of Trout Unlimited. Open to youngsters 12 and under, 8 a.m. to 1 p.m., with lots of prizes. Good-sized rainbow are in a netted area at the south end of the lake, so fishing is easy, and club members are on hand to help. Bring your own tackle if possible, or there is loaner gear available for the event.
Following the kids, an adult derby will run from 2-5 p.m., entry fee is $10, with a cash prize of $250 for biggest fish and a bonus of $500 for anyone catching the special tagged trout. Planted rainbow include triploids to 10 pounds, according to derby organizer Gary Bee.
Jameson looks promising
Traditionally one of the very best trout waters in the state, Douglas County's Jameson Lake has had problems the past few years with low water levels and algae growth. Water quality has improved this year, according to state biologist Bob Jateff, and the department has scheduled maximum 12-inch rainbow plants to complement 160,000 fingerlings stocked last year. Fingerling growth has been good, Jateff said, and water clarity and oxygen levels are optimum. Some 1,500 triploids will also go into Jameson, weighing around 2 pounds each.
Jameson opens Saturday through July 4, then again during the month of October. It had been a popular destination fishery for westside trout aficionados for years, until the water problems developed. Jack's Resort on the lake's south end, a longtime area landmark, is open for business and available for information at 509-683-1095.
Local blackmouth
The weather improved, other marine areas were closed, and so surprisingly large numbers of salmon fishermen turned out over the weekend in areas 8-1 and 8-2, which remain open for chinook through the end of the month. Equally surprising was the fact that the fleet found pretty good numbers of fish, considering the timing, with state creel checks at the Port of Everett ramp on Sunday showing 52 boats with 13 chinook.
A fair number of these were nice 10- to 14-pound early kings, headed for Tulalip Bay or the Wallace Hatchery on the Skykomish, said Everett charter owner Gary Krein. He said best areas were south Hat Island, Columbia Beach, and the Bait Box, on the southeast corner of Whidbey Island.
One weekend left. Go get 'em.
Brant scoop
The 8th annual Washington Brant Foundation Special Event Day, offering everything you ever wanted to know about the small, dark sea geese, comes along May 2, starting at 10 a.m., at the Skagit County Fairgrounds. Live and silent auctions of art, outdoor gear, trips, decoys and more. Waterfowl books, decoys, Mud Buddy Boats, gun raffle of a Browning 31/2 in. BPS. Falcon Productions gun and knife show next door. Third annual Puget Sound Open Decoy Competition, cash prizes, enter until 10 a.m., judging noon to 1 p.m., many entries auctioned at 3 p.m. Special presentations on Scoter banding, waterfowl photography, and duck calling, 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The fairgrounds are at Virginia and Hazel in south Mount Vernon; take the Kincaid or Anderson Road exits off I-5. For more information, call Ben Welton at 360-466-4749; Maynard Axelson at 360-445-6681; Jason Otto at 425-422-1648; or John Otto at 425-232-9934; or go to www.washingtonbrant.org.
Hot Lake Chelan combo
Anton Jones of Darrell and Dad's Family Guide Service on Lake Chelan (1-866-360-1523) e-mailed a photo of twin, mint-bright, 10-pound, landlocked chinook caught Saturday by David Tripp and 13-year old daughter Emily, of Arlington, on a trip arranged by Emily's grandfather, Dick Thaden of Marysville. Jones said the relatively new fishery for planted triploid chinook is really taking off, and now's a good time to hit either chinook or big mackinaw, or both. Use herring or Rushin' Salmon Wobblers by Critter Gitter, fished between 100 and 150 feet, over a 200-foot bottom for the salmon, Jones said.
And while on Lake Chelan, one of Jones' better-known guides -- Joe Heinlen -- has split off and put together his own guide service, Lake Chelan Adventures, cell 509-393-9665; home 509-682-6245. Heinlen has six years experience guiding on Lake Chelan, and for triploid rainbow on Rufus Woods Reservoir.
Ammo situation
Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington said he has received a new shipment of ammunition, including a few cases of PMC .223 and a wide variety of other pistol and rifle ammo.
"I spoke with the Remington factory rep and he said that the entire production of ammunition and firearms is already pre-purchased for the year," Steen said. "They are over eight months behind on production, due to heavy demand, and this seems to be the case with the whole industry."
Some observers feel the spike in demand is due to a belief among gun owners that the Obama administration intends to press for more restrictive gun legislation.
