HOOK AND FUR By Bob Brown Halibut anglers can expect changes in this year's halibut season, even though the state's annual catch quota remains the same as last year. This year's quota for recreational halibut fisheries is 214,110 pounds. As in past years, the growing popularity of recreational halibut fishing will require adjustments in this year's season. Here as elsewhere, strong catch rates continue to draw anglers to this popular fishery. For the past four years, halibut catches in Puget Sound have exceeded the area harvest quota. To reduce angler pressure put on the fishery, this year's halibut season in Marine Areas 6-10 will be reduced from last year's 11 days to eight days this year. That fishery will run concurrently with the one in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu), where the season has been limited to eight days since 2013, said Heather Reed, coastal policy coordinator for Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). Other major changes this year will be in Marine Areas 3 and 4 (La Push and Neah Bay), which will open May 7, May 12 and May 14, then close for catch assessment. This year's fishery in Marine Areas 3 and 4 will reopen in late May if sufficient capacity remains under the quota. In Marine Area 1 off the mouth of the Columbia , the fishery is scheduled to run four days a week from May 1 until the quota is taken or September 30, which ever occurs first. Anglers fishing the near shore area of that fishery will again be allowed to retain bottom fish, such as flounder and sole as well as halibut on days when the rest of the area is closed to halibut fishing. In all marine areas open to halibut fishing, there is a one-fish daily catch limit and no minimum size restriction. Anglers may possess a maximum of two fish in any form and must record their catch a WDFW catch record card, officials said. Anglers should check the WDFW website for complete information on recreational halibut regulations and seasons.
Fishing reports
" Spring chinook catches have been a little thin in the Columbia and Cowlitz rivers and not much better for steelhead. Joe Hymer of the WDFW reported that during March 14GÇô20, Tacoma Power recovered 277 winter steelhead and 77 spring chinook and one chinook jack. Samplings of 101 boat anglers tallied 51 steelhead and four adult chinook kept and one steelhead released. Sixty-six bank anglers kept seven steelhead and five adult chinook. The steelhead were mainly caught near the trout hatchery, while the chinook were caught throughout the river. Flows were 8,630 cubic feet per second March 21. A short enforcement patrol earlier this month showed that barbless hook compliance on boats is not good, according to WDFW. Numerous tickets were issued for barbed hook and for fail to record. Several verbal warnings were given, as well. Hymer also reported some adult spring chinook with coded wire tags from the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery has recently been recovered in the Vancouver area. This is a relatively common occurrence when the lower Cowlitz gets high and turbid. After a while, the fish usually head back down river and return to the Cowlitz . " Last week, WDFW personnel sampled 1,566 lower Columbia River salmon anglers (including 562 boats) with 59 adult and two jack spring chinook and five steelhead. The entire chinook catch were caught by boat anglers while bank anglers caught the steelhead. Hymer also reported cracker shells used as a potential deterrence method for Pacific Harbor seals, California sea lions and Eastern U.S. stock Steller sea lions are no longer legal for the general public unless they have a federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosive (ATF) waver.
Bob Brown lives in Roy and is a freelance outdoors writer. He can be reached at robertb1285@centurylink.net
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