Outdoors

NOAA A Steller sea lion voices his displeasure along a rocky Pacific Coast tideland.

Outdoors: Sea lion numbers, appetites grow

Makah-Western Washington University study provides data on sea lion diet

 

Port Angeles’ Kenny Riggs caught this 78.7-pound halibut on the final day of the 2016 Port Angeles Salmon Club Halibut Derby to win the $5,000 first prize. This was the last halibut derby held by the club due to reduced halibut seasons.

OUTDOORS: Salmon club eyes derby return

AS PART OF a push to grow membership numbers and reestablish some fishing traditions, the Port Angeles Salmon Club, an organization with roots dating back… Continue reading

 

Nate Treat holds up a hatchery steelhead caught while fishing on the Bogachiel River near Forks. The Quillayute, Bogachiel and Calawah rivers will have a two hatchery steelhead limit through Feb. 28. The Hoh River also will have a two-hatchery steelhead limit through Feb. 15.

OUTDOORS: Hatchery steelhead limit dropped out west

WITH PRESEASON FORECASTS of decreased seasonal wild steelhead returns, fish managers with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife have made a move they hope… Continue reading

 

Mark Elbroch/Olympic Cougar Project A North Olympic Peninsula cougar peers down from its perch in a cedar tree. Heart of a Lion, a documentary featuring the work of Olympic Cougar Project biologist Mark Elbroch, will be screened Nov. 14 at Peninsula College.

OUTDOORS: Film spotlights area apex predator

A CHANCE TO witness the most elusive alpha predator on the North Olympic Peninsula comes with the full-length nature documentary “Heart of a Lion,” set… Continue reading

Mark Elbroch/Olympic Cougar Project A North Olympic Peninsula cougar peers down from its perch in a cedar tree. Heart of a Lion, a documentary featuring the work of Olympic Cougar Project biologist Mark Elbroch, will be screened Nov. 14 at Peninsula College.
Seattle’s Dave Sivret fished for coho off of Sekiu during the wild silver opener last weekend. Coho fishing is open through Oct. 9 in Marine Area 5.

OUTDOORS: Wild coho season on through Oct. 9 at Sekiu

SEKIU PRODUCED PLENTY of silvers for the switch to a wild-retention fishery last weekend. Seattle angler Dave Sivret had plenty of success. “Headed up to… Continue reading

Seattle’s Dave Sivret fished for coho off of Sekiu during the wild silver opener last weekend. Coho fishing is open through Oct. 9 in Marine Area 5.

OUTDOORS: Razor clam digs announced

Shellfish managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife this week announced 47 tentative days of razor clam digs at four coastal… Continue reading

Gunnar Fjelstul set the state’s spear fishing record for halibut, catching this 58-pound flatfish while freediving over the weekend at Neah Bay. Fjelstul already held the state spearfish records for lingcod (31.34) and blue rockfish (5.08), both caught off Neah Bay in 2023.

OUTDOORS: Freediver spears record halibut

ANOTHER STATE FISHING record fell over the weekend, as spear gunner Gunnar Fjelstul entered the record books for the third time in as many years… Continue reading

Gunnar Fjelstul set the state’s spear fishing record for halibut, catching this 58-pound flatfish while freediving over the weekend at Neah Bay. Fjelstul already held the state spearfish records for lingcod (31.34) and blue rockfish (5.08), both caught off Neah Bay in 2023.
Jefferson County Parcel No. 991201001 at the corner of Linger Longer Road and Muncie Avenue is owned by Jefferson County and will provide about 20 parking spaces for anglers fishing the Big Quilcene River starting Saturday.

OUTDOORS: Big Quilcene River opens Saturday with changes to parking, access

EVEN WITH A rain storm forecast to approach the levels of the first big fall deluge, anglers will be hard-pressed to miss Saturday’s hatchery coho… Continue reading

Jefferson County Parcel No. 991201001 at the corner of Linger Longer Road and Muncie Avenue is owned by Jefferson County and will provide about 20 parking spaces for anglers fishing the Big Quilcene River starting Saturday.
Tacoma’s Travis Zaffino made his first trip back to Sekiu last weekend since childhood fishing trips with his dad and had good success, catching this fine hatchery chinook.

OUTDOORS: Chinook off the board in Sekiu

THE PLUG WAS pulled on the Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) hatchery chinook season with three days left on the board by the state Department of… Continue reading

Tacoma’s Travis Zaffino made his first trip back to Sekiu last weekend since childhood fishing trips with his dad and had good success, catching this fine hatchery chinook.
Tacoma angler Lorin Bell found bluefin tuna success on a Pacific Ocean trip earlier this month.

OUTDOORS: Water water holds tuna treasure trove

CALM BLUE OCEAN water right around the 60-degree mark on the thermometer is what bluefin tuna anglers are seeking right now off of our coastline.… Continue reading

Tacoma angler Lorin Bell found bluefin tuna success on a Pacific Ocean trip earlier this month.

AREA SPORTS BRIEFS: Marine Area 6 closes Monday to salmon fishing until Saturday

All salmon fishing in the eastern part of the Strait of Juan de Fuca closes temporarily today (Monday). The Washington State Department of… Continue reading

Enumclaw's Ryan Voight caught this large hatchery chinook while fishing out of Van Riper's Resort in Sekiu.

OUTDOORS: Anglers snapping up the salmon

Area 9 opens Thursday

Enumclaw's Ryan Voight caught this large hatchery chinook while fishing out of Van Riper's Resort in Sekiu.

OUTDOORS: WDFW updates shrimp seasons

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife updated its shrimp seasons this weekend, canceling the scheduled July 18-19 opening for all shrimp species… Continue reading

Seattle angler Paul Thompson caught this hatchery king while fishing off of Neah Bay.

OUTDOORS: Ocean salmon season starts with 1-salmon limit

Switches to 2 per day July 4

Seattle angler Paul Thompson caught this hatchery king while fishing off of Neah Bay.
Crab season begins in marine areas surrounding the North Olympic Peninsula on July 3. (Annie Johnson/WDFW)

OUTDOORS: Recreational crabbing season to open July 3

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Puget Sound summer crab seasons that will begin July 3 in many marine areas. “Crabbers… Continue reading

Crab season begins in marine areas surrounding the North Olympic Peninsula on July 3. (Annie Johnson/WDFW)
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife completed the purchase late last month of the Sekiu boat ramp. (WDFW)

OUTDOORS: WDFW completes purchase of Sekiu boat launch

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has finalized its acquisition of the Sekiu boat launch property in Clallam County along the northern… Continue reading

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife completed the purchase late last month of the Sekiu boat ramp. (WDFW)

AREA SPORTS: Flodstrom hits .400, earns All-Lonestar Conference honor

Angelo State’s Ethan Flodstrom earned a spot on the All-Lone Star Conference Baseball second team as well as the conference’s All-Academic… Continue reading

Olympia’s Jonathan Wood caught this hatchery chinook while fishing off of Sekiu last weekend. The hatchery chinook limit in Marine Area 5 rises to two fish today <ins>Friday</ins>.

OUTDOORS: Blackmouth chinook limit upped to 2 off Sekiu

SO MANY BLACKMOUTH chinook remain on Marine Area 5’s (Sekiu) sublegal encounters guideline that the daily limit will rise to two hatchery chinook beginning today.… Continue reading

Olympia’s Jonathan Wood caught this hatchery chinook while fishing off of Sekiu last weekend. The hatchery chinook limit in Marine Area 5 rises to two fish today <ins>Friday</ins>.
Marine Area 9 opened for migratory king salmon fishing Monday and Peninsula Daily News Brothers Brad (left) and Bruce Monrad from Concrete show their hatchery chinook catches during an outing in Marine Area 9's Admiralty Inlet off Port Townsend.

OUTDOORS: Salmon season structure unveiled, final approval in the works

ONE OF THE largest pink forecasts in history is set to return this summer and state fishery managers will bump up limits in response. Anglers… Continue reading

Marine Area 9 opened for migratory king salmon fishing Monday and Peninsula Daily News Brothers Brad (left) and Bruce Monrad from Concrete show their hatchery chinook catches during an outing in Marine Area 9's Admiralty Inlet off Port Townsend.
John Beath Charter captain John Beath displays a halibut caught in waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca off Port Angeles on Thursday, the opening day of halibut season in the Strait and Puget Sound.

OUTDOORS: State buys Sekiu boat launch

HALIBUT SEASON OPENED inside the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound on a brisk, sunny spring day Thursday with anglers noting both the… Continue reading

John Beath Charter captain John Beath displays a halibut caught in waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca off Port Angeles on Thursday, the opening day of halibut season in the Strait and Puget Sound.