Outdoors: Poachers caught between rockfish and hard place

Three poachers recently busted while fishing off the Seattle waterfront in Elliott Bay can claim that 39 is an unlucky number for them.

Officer Erik Olson with state Fish and Wildlife's enforcement division was patrolling at 1:30 a.m. Feb. 27 near the grain terminal at Pier 86, a popular sport fishing area, when he came across something suspicious.

"On my way home I decided to drive through the parking lot [at Pier 86], and then I noticed one parked car and there was no one fishing on the pier," Olson said. "I took a walk around, and that is when I looked down at the rock wall between Pier 70 and the grain terminal, and made contact with three individuals."

Olson said it was hard to tell who was fishing since it was so dark, so he got out his night scope and saw that the trio were indeed fishing.

"I saw them packing up their gear, so I waited for them to come to me and sat behind a bush," Olson said. "When they approached me, I stepped out and announced, 'Fish and Wildlife.' "

All three had their fishing licenses, so Olson proceeded to ask them to open their large coolers, which were loaded with rockfish.

"I escorted them back, and then I dumped all the rockfish on the tail gate of my truck," Olson said. "I had to count them five times just to make sure I had the number correct, but they had 39 rockfish. That was the same number of fish I busted some other guys back at Shilshole. What a coincidence."

Less than a year ago, Olson had cited three others with 39 rockfish, plus a perch, catfish and four juvenile salmon The trio had been fishing in a boat up against the Shilshole jetty rock wall up into the Lake Washington Ship Canal.

According to Greg Bargmann, a state Fish and Wildlife bottom-fish biologist, rockfish populations are poor in most of Puget Sound. Five Puget Sound rockfish are under review as an endangered-species petition. Virtually no commercial fishing is allowed and sport anglers are limited to one-rockfish daily.

Not only did the poachers at Pier 86 not care about rockfish's dire situation, they even tooted their horns.

"I asked each one of them what they caught, and one even bragged that if they caught six rockfish they would consider that a bad day," Olson said. "I seized all their fishing poles, and I said, 'OK, guys. Congratulations, you just tied the record of most rockfish poached for one night."

Olson decided not to cite the three poachers on the spot and will do it through the prosecutors office. He plans to file a second-degree commercial-fishing violation and ask for monetary restitution for the department this week.

One of the alleged poachers also has a history of fishing violations that included an over-limit of 56 Dungeness crabs, three undersized chinook and 15 coho caught off Everett back on July 26, 2006. The individual plead guilty and paid a $943 fine, spent a night in jail and got two years of probation in Snohomish County Court.

Notes

• Head on down to the Westport Crab Races, Feed and Derby on April 18-19 hosted by the Westport/Grayland Chamber of Commerce and the Washington Dungeness crab Fishermen's Association.

The event will feature the world class Dungeness crab races, crab-catching derby, food, live music and much more. Admission is $2. Also for a $3 entry fee people can pick a favorite crab and coach it to see which crab can make it down the chute to the finish line the fastest. Racing starts at 1 p.m. on Saturday. Details: 800-345-6223 or www.westportcam.com.

• Improve your fly-casting technique at a clinic April 25 benefiting breast-cancer survivors.

The clinic, hosted by Northwest Casting for Recovery, part of a national nonprofit organization, is 9 a.m. at Tolt-McDonald Park in Carnation.

Nationally certified volunteer fly-casting instructors will provide tips on fly casting, control and presentation, and spey casting, plus an introduction to double haul.

Fly-fishers can attend one morning or afternoon session for $50, or both for $75. Private two-hour lessons are also available from $100 to $125. Space is limited. Details: 425-868-7593 or e-mail Marilyn Vitale at marilynvitale@verizon.net.

All proceeds support a fall fly-fishing retreat for Washington breast-cancer survivors. Survivors will learn to fly-fish at no cost. Any woman who has experienced breast cancer is eligible to attend the retreat, with medical clearance from her physician. Details: 206-948-4352 or e-mail Joanne Elston at joanfish@aol.com.

Visit www.castingforrecovery.org for more information.

• The Sportsman's Warehouse in Federal Way is hosting The Fundamentals of Fly Casting Class 10 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. April 19. Instructors include Darrel Martin, certified by the Federation of Fly-Fishers and the Advanced Professional Game Angling Instructors and Michael Martin. Cost is $50. Details: 253-835-4100.

• The Eastside Puget Sound Anglers meeting is 7 p.m. Wednesday, April 15 at the North Bellevue Community Center. Guest speaker is Clay Johnson with Oak Bay Marine Groups in British Columbia. Details: 425 562-9180.

• The Washington Fly Fishing Club meeting is 5:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at the Seattle Tennis Club. Guest speaker Nathan Mantua will discuss a topic called "The Future Ain't What It Used To Be: Why climate change makes habitat recovery for salmon and steelhead even more urgent than you might have thought." Please RSVP to attend meetings. Details: www.WFFC.com.

• The C.A.S.T. for Kids Foundation is hosting two Fishing Kids events in the Seattle area during April and May. During each event, about 500 kids will get a chance to fish, and go home with a T-shirt, rod and reel, and maybe a fish or two. Cost is $5.

Each child should arrive 30 minutes before their assigned time. Kids will listen to a short talk on water safety, and volunteers will show them how to bait the hook and use the rod and reel before they start fishing.

The first event is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, April 18 at the Green Lake Park Bathhouse Theater, 7630 E. Green Lake Dr. N. The second is 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. May 16 at Seward Park on Lake Washington in South Seattle. Preregistration is required. Details: 425-251-3202 or 206-684-4075 or www.castforkids.org.

• The campgrounds at Fort Flagler State Park will remain closed until May 13 while scheduled capital improvement projects are completed. All other facilities will remain open during construction, including the retreat center, watercraft launch sites, moorage, trails and the day-use areas. Camping is available at nearby Fort Worden, Old Fort Townsend and Sequim Bay state parks. Details: www.parks.wa.gov.

• The Washington Sea Grant, Jefferson Education Association, Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding and Jefferson County Extension are co-sponsoring an outboard engine troubleshooting and maintenance workshop 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. April 25 at the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding, 42 Water Street in Port Hadlock. Cost is $60. Details: 206-543-1225 or e-mail sfisken@u.washington.edu.

• The Renton Chapter of the Puget Sound Anglers meeting is 6:15 p.m. April 18 at the Kennydale Memorial Hall, 2424 N.E. 27th St. in Renton. Phil Stephens of Mystical Guide Service is the guest speaker. Details: www.rentonpsa.com.

• The Mount St. Helens Institute offers a free Sunday Hiking Program series of 14 hikes in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest beginning April 19 through Oct. 25. The hikes range from east to difficult, and are 4 to 10 miles round-trip. Space is limited and reservations are required. While the hikes are free a $5 donation is suggested. Details: www.mshinstitute.org.

• The Western Bass Club meets every third Thursday at 7 p.m. at the Kennydale Hall in Renton. Details: www.westernbassclub.comor www.nickbarrfishing.com.

• The Washington Trails Association offers statewide trip reports and trail conditions. Details: www.wta.org.

• The Northwest Fly Anglers offers various public classes through the year. The public also is invited to club meetings on the third Thursday of each month, at the Haller Lake Community Center, 12579 Densmore Ave N., in North Seattle. Details: 206-684-7524.

• The Emerald Sea Dive Club offers year-round activities including the big buddy program and weekly and monthly dives. The club meets on the first Wednesday of every month, 7-9 p.m. at Alfy's Pizza, 4820 196th S.W. in Lynnwood. Details: 425-775-2410 or www.emeraldseadiveclub.org.

• The Seattle Audubon Society offers field trips and classes every month. Details: 206-523-4483 or www.seattleaudubon.org.

• Northend Bassmasters is accepting new members who want to learn more about bass fishing. The group meets on the first Tuesday of every month at 7 p.m. at the Crystal Creek Cafe, 22620 Bothell-Everett Highway (Canyon Park) in Bothell. Details: 206-789-4259 or e-mail Gary Millard at glmillard@comcast.net.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com