Summer salmon fishing should be great

This summer's salmon fishery is expected to be a banner season and early indicators say the fish are already cruising in local waters.

The highly anticipated opening of the ocean salmon fishery is taking center stage as a strong return of more than 1.2-million hatchery coho are forecast to return to the Columbia River, the largest since 2001.

"Any of the four ocean ports [Ilwaco, Westport, La Push and Neah Bay] will be excellent, and the fish are out there right now," said Doug Milward, a state Fish and Wildlife coastal salmon fishery manager. "Spoon feed me these words and make me eat them if I am wrong, but the guys bottomfishing can't keep the coho off their hooks, and the treaty troll fishery is still getting a good jag of fish."

The ocean sport quota is 176,400 hatchery coho and 20,500 chinook, compared to last season when it was 20,000 for coho and 20,000 for chinook.

The reason for this resurgence of coho is very good upwelling and ocean conditions. Plus, when these young coho arrived in the ocean from their natal rivers they found lots of feed and survived well.

Westport will be open Sundays to Thursdays only beginning June 28, then is open daily starting July 24. Ilwaco is open daily for salmon starting June 28. Neah Bay and La Push will be open Tuesdays to Saturdays only beginning Saturday, and then is open daily starting July 18.

Westport, Neah Bay and La Push will close Sept. 20 or until the quota is achieved. Ilwaco will close Sept. 30 or until the quota is achieved.

The daily limit off the coast will be two salmon of which only one may be a chinook. Neah Bay will also have a bonus bag limit of two pink salmon, and Westport will get an additional one pink in the daily limit.

The Strait of Juan de Fuca from Sekiu to Freshwater Bay and Port Angeles opens July 1 for hatchery chinook and coho. A huge run of pink salmon will allow anglers to keep an additional two pinks in their daily limit.

"The treaty troll fishery have been fishing just outside of Neah Bay, and they're catching fish so I wouldn't be surprised if the chinook aren't already around Sekiu," Milward said.

In northern and central Puget Sound, the catch quotas for hatchery-marked chinook has been lifted for the first times since its conception in 2007, and is open July 16-Aug. 31.

Selective fishing is where anglers catch only those salmon with a missing adipose fin, indicating they are of hatchery origin while releasing wild fish of concern.

While the fishery will be a non-quota season, if catches skyrocket then it could be shut down earlier than expected. Last year, it was open July 16 to Aug. 15 under a 7,000 chinook quota.

The inner-Elliott Bay king fishery, which is open Fridays through Mondays from July 3-Aug. 24, is by far the closest and most popular draw for Seattleites. The Elliott Bay Salmon Derby is July 18. Details: www.northwestsalmonderbyseries.com.

South central Puget Sound should offer a good hatchery-marked chinook fishery, and has ranked in the top three catch areas the past two decades. The hatchery mark rate is about 70 percent.

Another bright spot is that more than 5.1 million pink salmon are expected back to Puget Sound streams this summer, nearly 2 million more fish than the 2007 forecast.

A freshwater fishery that will be a good boost for summer anglers is the Skagit River opening for chinook July 9-Aug. 9. Fishing is open Thursday at noon to Sunday each week with a one-chinook daily limit.

"We haven't had a fishery there in a number of years, and it will certainly attract attention from anglers," said Pat Pattillo with state Fish and Wildlife's salmon policy group. "We think it is a quite healthy run and we will be well above the spawning escapement goal in the Skagit."

Other places to go

WILLAPA BAY, GRAYS HARBOR, COLUMBIA RIVER MOUTH

Many look forward to the late summer fishery at Willapa Bay, where a good forecast of about 30,000 hatchery chinook is expected. Target from the third week of August to mid-September.

Fishing at Willapa tends to be better on the incoming tides," said Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs with the Northwest Marine Trade Association. "While the bay has been discovered by anglers, I think one of the untapped areas is back out where it all started 20 years ago and that is Washaway Beach."

Floor says on the bigger tides fishing would be best at Washaway, and on softer tides advises trying Markers 2 to 26. Another problem on the bigger tidal movements in the bay is that it tends to pull more eelgrass into the fishing zone, and you can't catch a chinook with salad on your herring.

Anglers who try their luck in Buoy 10 fishery at Columbia River mouth say the third week of August is best; it is open Aug. 1-31, then goes to coho only on Sept. 1.

In Grays Harbor, the late-season chinook fishery will be closed this year, but big coho can be found October through early November; the fishery opens Sept. 16.

SAN JUAN ISLANDS

The challenge in salmon fishing the island chain is the diverse geography, and knowing where the fish hang out, but this will definitely be the sleeper spot when it opens for kings on July 1.

The eastern half seems to produce the better catches like Blakely, Cypress, Lopez and Fidalgo.

Also try Rosario Strait, Thatcher Pass, The Caves below Tide Point, Point Lawrence, Hummer Hole in Sucia Pass, Presidents Channel, Haro Strait, the north end of Orcas Island at Point Doughty and Thompson Point near Parker Reef.

DECEPTION PASS, HOPE ISLAND, SKAGIT BAY, PORT SUSAN, PORT GARDNER

In August, these areas are up-and-down for coho, but one option for kings is the Tulalip bubble fishery, which is open Fridays through Mondays of each week.

The pink fishery will be a huge draw in August at places like Possession Point, the Shipwreck, Browns Bay up to Mukilteo and beyond.

CENTRAL, SOUTH-CENTRAL SOUND

The Central Sound early coho fishery in July is best at Jefferson Head and Point Monroe.

In August, the Sinclair Inlet chinook fishery should get rolling. Hatchery kings should be around in good numbers from late July to August off Dolphin Point on the north side of Vashon Island, Point Robinson, south of the Southworth Ferry Landing, the Tacoma area, Redondo Beach, Dash Point, Gig Harbor and Point Dalco.

Shore-bound anglers can also find some decent salmon fishing by tossing jigs off the piers at Edmonds, Seacrest at West Seattle and at Terminal 86 in the Elliott Bay.

Chum returns are on the high end again this year for most of Puget Sound and Hood Canal, which should generate a good fishery this fall and early winter in the bays and estuaries.

HOOD CANAL

The canal's western shoreline from Ayock Point down to Lilliwaup and Hoodsport comes alive for kings at the end of July and the first week of August. The coho fishery perks up in mid-August around Quilcene Bay.

A huge fall chum run draws a lot of anglers from Hoodsport to just south of Potlatch State Park. Look for the run to peak by Thanksgiving.

SOUTH SOUND

Good chinook forecasts are being predicted for the Deschutes, Nisqually and the Chambers Creek hatcheries. Target kings in late July and August at Point Gibson, the entrance to Chambers Creek, the Nisqually Delta off green buoy, and the mouth of McAllister Creek and Ketron Island.

• The Edmonds Laebugten Salmon Chapter of Trout Unlimited meeting is 6:30 p.m. Wednesday at the South County Senior Center, 220 Railroad Ave., in Edmonds. Gary Krein, owner of All-Star Charters will discuss summer chinook fishing in Areas 9 and 10, and crabbing. Details: 425-218-0654.

• Through this month, The North Face Company is hosting free educational events and community activities in the Seattle area to honor National Camping Month, an initiative to encourage and inspire people of all ages to get outdoors.

The free events being held this month include The 10 Essentials; Nutrition for Hiking and Running; Local Climbs; Triathlon 101; and Get Down! An Introduction to Tents and Sleeping Bags. Details: www.thenorthface.com.

• The National Park Service has announced three fee-free weekends this summer.

At Mount Rainier and other national parks, all park entrance fees, including commercial tour entrance fees, will be waived on the following dates: July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16.

These fee-free weekends are in addition to the usual fee-free days: National Public Lands Day, which falls on Sept. 26 this year, and Veterans Day, Nov. 11.

The waiver does not include other fees, such as fees charged for camping, reservations, climbing, or use of concessions. Details: www.nps.gov.

• The City of Woodinville Parks and Recreation is holding an eight-week evening classes on the Basics of Fly Fishing with Dick Lange, an Alaskan Outfitter, July 2-Aug. 27, and a Basic Fly Tying 101, July 1-Aug. 19 at the Carol Edwards Center, 17401 133rd Ave. NE in Woodinville.

Cost is $39 for Woodinville residents and $44.85 for nonresidents, plus $15 for course manual. Details: 425-398-9327 or www.ci.woodinville.wa.us.

• The new nonprofit Cascade Musky Association is looking for members. Cost is $25 or $35 for a couple/family membership. Details: www.cascademuskyassociation.com or www.wafish.com.

• The Washington Fly Fishing Club meeting is 5:30 p.m. on the third Tuesday of every month at the Seattle Tennis Club. Please RSVP to attend meetings. Details: www.WFFC.com.

• The Mount St. Helens Institute offers a free Sunday Hiking Program series of 14 hikes in the Gifford Pinchot National Forest now through Oct. 25. The hikes range from easy 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 offer 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 SW 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