Summer fishing season is heating up

Plenty of summer fishing opportunities are blossoming, and the highly anticipated ocean salmon fishery is just on the horizon.

The extreme low minus tides this week proved to be a challenge for many saltwater fisheries, although those pursuing shellfish have had very good luck.

"Things are on the slow side for salmon fishing due to the extreme low tides, but some anglers mooching are taking fish off the Clay Banks," said Scott Knox at the Point Defiance Park Boathouse in Tacoma. "We had four blackmouth [resident chinook averaging 10 to 16 pounds] come in [Tuesday], and the two biggest fish on the monthly leaderboard are 20 pounds."

Other places like Southworth and Dolphin Point off Vashon Island have been slow.

In the catch-and-release salmon areas of Central Puget Sound north of the Point Monroe-Meadow Point line, fishing has been good for coho, but slow for chinook off Kingston, Jefferson Head and Richmond Beach areas.

"We're seeing good numbers of resident coho, but not as many chinook as I'd expect around Jeff Head and Kingston," said Gary Krein, owner of All-Star Charters in Everett.

Many are waiting for the ocean salmon fishery that opens June 27 off La Push and Neah Bay, followed by the June 28 opener at Westport and Ilwaco. Westport will also reopen June 28 only for halibut.

Expectations are high for all four ocean ports, and commercial trollers report salmon are being caught right now.

The San Juan Islands, Strait of Juan de Fuca from Sekiu to Freshwater Bay and Port Angeles, Hood Canal south of Ayock Point [there's a good early pink fishery off Hoodsport in July] and Central Puget Sound all open July 1 for salmon fishing. Check the regulations for what types of fish you can keep.

The inner-Elliott Bay king fishery is sure to draw crowds when it opens July 3. The Tulalip Bay bubble king fishery has been slow.

Southern Puget Sound is open for Dungeness crabs as well as the Sekiu area in the Strait, and many other parts of Puget Sound open July 1 for crabs.

"Crab fishing pressure has been very high in South Sound, but the Nisqually and Zangle Cove [near Boston Harbor in Thurston County] have been kicking out good numbers of crab, and straight out of Zittels Marina in 80 to 100 feet of water," said Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs with the Northwest Marine Trade Association.