Smelt have arrived in the lower Cowlitz River, so if you’re a fan of the tasty little food fish, now’s the time to get thyself down there with dipnet, waders and bucket. Particularly since the forecast for this season is for a depressed run, and the opportunity may not last long.
The fish first showed in a test dipping by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife two weeks ago, and a handful of recreational dippers on Feb. 9 took a sprinkling of fish. By last Saturday, however, state biologist Joe Hymer said the word had circulated and there was a good turnout of recreationists as far upstream as Kelso, and a number were able to harvest 10-pound limits. Hymer said commercials also hit smelt, netting more than 2,000 pounds on Sunday night from the lower Cowlitz.
Sport dipping is allowed only Saturdays on the Cowlitz, 6 a.m. to 10 p.m., through March 31. The 10-pound daily limit is roughly equivalent to a quarter of a 5-gallon bucket.
Carnival Market in Kelso (360-425-6622), once the unofficial recreational dipping headquarters in the area, no longer rents nets. Another outlet — Bob’s Sporting Goods in Longview does, however, for $8 per day with returnable deposit. The firm also sells nets, for $30 to $40, depending on size. Phone number there is 360-425-3870; address is 1111 Hudson.
Hymer said the near-term outlook for the fishery is positive, with state personnel reporting a lot of bird, seal and sea lion activity in the Columbia, downstream from the Cowlitz mouth. Main-stem Columbia water temperature was 41 degrees at Skamakowa on Tuesday, above the 40-degree minimum smelt need to actively move. Cowlitz flows at Castle Rock were 11,800 cubic feet per second on Tuesday morning, just under the long-term average for the date, and the water level is expected to remain relatively stable for the next week.
The La Conner Smelt Derby runs Saturday and, while it’s no longer what one could call a “real” fishing derby, the list of eats, treats, events and prizes generally makes for a fun family day on the Swinomish Channel. And there is still, sometimes, some pretty good smelt jigging to be had. Call 360-466-4778, or go to www.laconnerrotary.org.
Smelt jigging at Cornet Bay, on the northeast corner of Whidbey Island, has been good at times recently, off the piers in Deception Pass State Park. Incoming and high slack tides are generally the most productive.
DERBY: Anglers who fished the Discovery Bay Derby over the weekend made the right choice. Everything fell into place this year, the 32nd running of what is billed as the oldest event in Western Washington, and fishing was great, the weather was great and the percentage of fin-clipped blackmouth available was great.
Some 113 chinook were weighed in, and many more were landed, vying for the $11,000 in prizes. First place and $3,000 went to John Goldingay, of Driftwood Key, at 19.4 pounds; second and $1,500 to James Hicks, Port Townsend, at 18.6 pounds; and third, worth $750, to Jay Campbell, also of Port Townsend, at 14.9 pounds.
While the weight of the average derby fish was down slightly from last year, event organizers said, the top two places were larger.
‘NOTHER DERBY: Bill Hayes’ local Hot Plug’s Derby runs March 1-2, featuring — for a relatively small event — some pretty good money and protected water. The derby is held in Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2 only, and often produces some nice fish. Last year’s winner, for instance, was a 22-pound, 1-ounce beauty nailed by Denny Martin, worth $3,430.
The cash prize list is 45 percent of total entry fees for first, 25 percent for second, 15 percent and 5 percent for third and fourth respectively. Hayes also offers 20 additional, good-quality merchandise prizes.
Tickets are $60 per person, available at Ted’s Sport Center, Holiday Market, Camano Marine, Hook Line &Sinker, Jerry’s Surplus, and John’s Sporting Goods. For directions to the weigh-in site, the Stanwood Eagles, call 360-629-3224. For more information call Hayes at 360-387-5638 or 425-231-5640.
BASS AND BUCKS: Snohomish resident and pro bass angler Bonnie Ward will compete for a first prize of $34,500 in a major Women’s Bassmaster Tour event today, tomorrow and Saturday on Lake Keowee out of Greenville, S.C. The 18,000-acre lake is deep, clear, laced with creeks, and is known primarilly as a spotted bass water. A smaller population of heavier largemouth, however, is expected to provide the “kicker” fish which could lift a limit of spots over the hump.
Except for one competitor from New Mexico, Ward is the only real westerner on a list heavy with anglers from Louisiana, Georgia, and Arkansas.
CLAM DIG: The next razor clam dig on the coast has tentatively been set by the state for March 7-12 at Twin Harbors beach and March 8-9 at Long Beach, provided marine toxin tests show clams are safe to eat. The proposed dig will open on evening tides March 7 and 8, switching to the more popular morning tides March 9-12.
State razor clam manager Dan Ayres in the agency’s Montesano office said this dig is possible because windy weather and high surf kept crowds lower than normal during the February opening. Tides for the upcoming dig are as follows: March 7, plus 0.3 feet, 6:21 p.m.; March 8, plus 0.5 feet at 6:58 p.m.; March 9, plus 0.3 feet, 7:28 a.m.; March 10, 0.0 feet at 8:12 a.m.; March 11, minus 0.1 feet at 8:59 a.m.; and March 12, 0.0 feet at 9:51 a.m.
SKAGIT CHANGES: A depressed run of wild-stock winter steelhead expected back to the Skagit River system this year has prompted a tightening of recreational fishing regulations affecting the very popular late-season catch and release fishery on the Skagit, Sauk, and Cascade. State steelhead managers decided not to close the season entirely, but to essentially whack the end of the season and to institute “selective gear” and “no fishing under power” rules earlier than normal, depending on where you are in the watershed.
Under regulations in effect the past several years, the C&R season on the Skagit ran March 16 through April, and on the Sauk/Cascade, from March 1 through April. This winter, a steelheader trying to take advantage of a late chance at playing a big native fish will be forced to very carefully read the regulations concerning which river, and which portion of which river, he’s interested in.
For Skagit basin emergency rule changes, go to http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm.
If you figure it out, let me know how you did it.
BLACKMOUTH: Fishing remains better than decent in the San Juan Islands, according to Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington, and state creel checks bear that out. The tally at the Washington Park ramp west of Anacortes on Saturday had 107 anglers with 31 blackmouth and, on Sunday, 91 with 23.
Steen said Guemes Channel and Lopez Flats, among other places, have been productive.
Meanwhile, action in Marine Areas 9, 8-1 and 8-2 remains mediocre, at best. Checks at the Port of Everett ramp on Sunday showed 118 anglers in 60 boats with 15 fish.
HALIBUT SEASONS: Recreational halibut fishing will open April 10 in most parts of Puget Sound this year, followed by openings in May on the coast and western Strait of Juan de Fuca, according to state regional director Michele Culver. Under quotas established by the International Pacific Halibut Commission, Washington anglers will have fewer fish to chase this year — some 232,807 pounds, compared to 253,046 pounds last year.
“While there appears to be a lower abundance of fish this year,” Culver said, “populations remain near historic high levels. The stock is considered healthy and modest increases in the quota are expected in the future.”
The state’s premier halibut fishery, out of La Push/Neah Bay, will open as follows: Marine Areas 3 and 4 will start May 13 on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays until the quota is reached. Fishery may reopen on June 17 and 19 in part of Area 4B. If sufficient quota remains, fishery will reopen in all parts of Areas 3 and 4 on Saturday, June 21. The quota is 109,991 pounds.
Puget Sound and the Strait of Juan de Fuca: Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) will open May 22 through July 21. Marine Areas 6-11 and 13 (Port Angeles and Puget Sound) will be open April 10 through June 13. These fisheries will be open five days a week, closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. The quota is 59, 354 pounds.
Complete halibut seasons are available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/creel/halibut/.
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