Early reports indicate kings are lurking off southern and northern coast and to a much lesser degree around Westport Leave a reply

By Mark Yuasa

The coastal chinook fishery opened this past weekend and success was fair to good at times off the northern and southern coast.

“It was slow for a salmon opener, and the weather wasn’t very good and effort was low,” said Wendy Beeghley, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) coastal salmon manager.

On the northern coast, anglers checked at Sekiu who fished off Neah Bay in Area 4 averaged 0.3 chinook per rod this past weekend. All the facilities including the marina and boat launch on the Makah Reservation at Neah Bay are currently closed until further notice.

“Most were fishing from Waadah Island (west into the Strait) and not many fished in the ocean,” Beeghley said. “I heard there was some coho jumping in the Strait (this could be good news when the ocean opens on June 29 for hatchery coho too).”

Nobody fished off La Push since the facilities including the marina and boat launch on the Quileute Reservation at La Push are currently closed until further notice. Rough seas also prevented anyone from traveling from Westport up into the waters off La Push.

Westport was the slowest with an average of one chinook for every 10 boats this past weekend.

On the southern coast off Ilwaco the chinook fishing just to the north of Cape Disappointment along the commercial crab buoys seems to be holding the bulk of the fish.

“It was half-a-fish per rod at Ilwaco on Saturday and a number of charters had limits,” Beeghley said. “But by Sunday it dropped and for the weekend it ended up being 0.3 fish per rod.”

The commercial troll fishery saw a slight improvement and according to Beeghley several boats had 50 to 60 kings although it wasn’t hot by any means.

Coastwide, anglers cannot fish in an area if they have a catch on board that is not legal to retain in that area. For example, it is illegal to have salmon aboard while fishing in an area closed to salmon fishing, even if you caught the salmon elsewhere. Single-point barbless hooks are required in all marine areas while fishing for salmon.

Ilwaco is open daily through June 28 with a one chinook daily catch limit and the minimum size 22 inches, all other salmon species – no minimum size and release all coho. Then Ilwaco remains open from June 29 through Sept. 30 with a daily limit of two, of which up to one may be a chinook. Chinook minimum size is 22 inches and coho minimum size is 16 inches. Release wild coho.

Westport is open daily through June 28 with a one chinook daily catch limit and the minimum size 22 inches, all other salmon species – no minimum size and release all coho. Then Westport is open June 29 through Sept. 30 (open Sundays through Thursdays only). Daily limit is two, of which up to one may be a chinook. Chinook minimum size is 22 inches and coho minimum size is 16 inches. Release wild coho.

Willapa Bay (Area 2-1) and the portion of Grays Harbor (Area 2-2) west of the Buoy 13 line also opened June 20 under the same rules as Area 2. Regulations for Areas 2-1 and 2-2 change in August.

La Push is open daily through June 28 with a one chinook daily limit and the minimum size is 24 inches, all other salmon species there is no minimum size and release all coho. Then La Push is open daily from June 29 through Sept. 30. Daily limit is two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches and coho minimum size is 16 inches. Release wild coho.

Anglers fishing in Marine Area 3 will need to access the area from elsewhere, but must follow all rules and regulations for the marine area where they’re fishing.

Neah Bay is open daily through June 28 with a one chinook daily limit and the minimum size is 24 inches, all other salmon species there is no minimum size and release all coho.Then Neah Bay is open daily from June 29 through Sept. 30. Daily limit is two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches and coho minimum size is 16 inches. Release wild coho.

Anglers fishing in Marine Area 4 will need to access the area from elsewhere, but must follow all rules and regulations for the marine area where they’re fishing.

In Marine Area 4, the waters east of a true north-south line through Sail Rock are closed to salmon fishing through July 31.

Ports are likely to be busy with more sunny days in the forecast, and Beeghley noted that port samplers in areas such as Sekiu are collecting data as anglers exit the docks. Anglers can help conservation efforts by bringing their full salmon or salmon carcasses off the boat and stopping at the marked sampling site atop the docks.

“Basically, we’re asking people to bring their whole salmon or at least the carcasses with heads intact to the checkers,” Beeghley said. “We need to scan salmon snouts as folks exit the dock area, and samplers will ask anglers a couple of questions, even if they didn’t catch fish.”

Samplers are also following protocol to help prevent the spread of COVID-19; please provide adequate physical distancing for everyone’s protection.

The coast is also open for bottomfish such as lingcod and rockfish except for halibut which opens Aug. 6.