The relationship between anglers and seals or sea lions has long been on the rocks. This year, with poor projections for returning salmon coming in nearly across the board, the water-top battlefront between angry anglers and terra-marine mammals and will be fraught with extra tension.
Scientists like to call animals like seals and sea lions pinnipeds. Fishermen like to call them a nuisance, and words far saltier, since the animals are responsible for the indiscriminate consumption of so many salmonids each year. The pinnipeds congregate in the estuary of the Columbia River and feast on the waves of salmon as they come in from the ocean. They mass around the mouths of rivers to catch incoming fish runs and follow the smelt upstream. It is not uncommon for the enterprising animals to follow fishing boats and pluck the day’s catch from the end of the line, sometimes taking the whole pole along with it.
Perhaps the most discouraging sight for fish lovers is the daunting lineup of sea lions all the way up at Bonneville Dam where they insatiably snatch steelhead and salmon as the fish attempt the awesome feat of climbing a fish ladder with their fins. The annual slaughter of federally protected stocks of salmonids may have been the last straw for fishery managers who have been undertaking management efforts, with varying degrees of success, for the last 11 years.
Many anglers don’t think enough has been done to protect the imperiled salmon runs from pinnipeds, though. Consequently, some have taken matters into their own hands by shooting the animals. Shooting marine-mammals is a felony crime, but desperate times lead to desperate measures, right or wrong. This year the war drum is banging again and threats that do not sound idle are filling the marine layer like ominous morning fog.
Aware of the growing frustrations the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recently sent out a release detailing the preferred, and legal, methods for harassing, or deterring Pacific harbor seals, Steller and California sea lions.
It is important to remember that harassing pinnipeds for the sake of harassment is not legal. Instead the measures are allowed only to protect fishing gear of catch. Anglers must be in the act of fishing with gear in the water in order to engage in any deterrence actions.
Visual repellents and noise making techniques suggested by the WDFW include boat hazing by circling the animals, pounding on the the boat’s hull, bells, horns, whistles, starter guns and pyrotechnics like bird screamers, starter pistols, horns, bells, whistles, bangers and underwater firecrackers.
Legal actions leading to actual physical contact includ sling shots, non-toxic/water soluble paint ball guns, and non-lethal ammunition like rubber bullets, sabot rounds and game stingers.
Methods of deterring pinnipeds that are explicitly prohibited include firearms with live rounds or other devices with “Injurious projectiles,” like arrows, spears, and harpoons, or hand held objects like gaffs, or nail studded bats, poles or clubs. Additionally, pinnipeds cannot be entangled in netting, snares or wire, and anglers may not strike the animals with any object, including their boat. No tainted baits or poisons are allowed.
The WDFW noted in the release that some of those options, especially the use of pyrotechnics, may not be advisable or legal depending upon the proximity of other anglers, or species protected by the Endangered Species Act. Federal, state and local ordinances may also come into play.
The department also warned that, “Regardless of method or intent, the property owner or fisher may be subject to prosecution should a marine mammal be seriously injured or killed as a result of deterrence efforts for the protection of property, gear or catch.” They added that, “Individuals attempting to deter nuisance sea lions and seals, using the above the listed potential methods are similar techniques, do so at their own risk.”
For information on the legality or effectiveness of certain pinniped deterrence techniques call marine mammal specialist Lynne Barre at 206-526-4745.
FISHIN’
Loads of rain helped to move some new fish into the Columbia River system recently and now a bout of sunny days and cold nights is working to clear up the water to improve the bite. Last week effort increased a bit with 14,517 angler trips producing 1,482 springers and 123 steelhead. It is a safe bet that those numbers will all improve significantly this week.
According to local fishing guide, Bill “Swanny” Swan, “The springers are definitely here. We are catching limits or near limits of spring Chinook.” The busy boat captain added that the kings do not seem to be in a hurry to run upriver and tend to congregate in the slackwater holding, or staging flats. “Be consistent with your trolling,” said Swanny. “If you sit on anchor it can either be very good or very tough!” Cured herring was the guide’s bait of choice.
Anglers should note that salmon, steelhead and shad fishing will be shuttered on the Columbia below Bonneville Dam on April 5.
Sturgeon fishing wasn’t much of a show last week. According to a WDFW census anglers in The Dalles brought in only one keeper fish, along with two oversize and 28 sublegal sturgeon. In the John Day Pool the WDFW again tallied just one keeper fish, with eight sublegal sturgeon getting tossed back.
The WDFW characterized walleye fishing as “good to outstanding in The Dalles and John Day pools,” last week. Weekly sampling by the WDFW noted 93 boat anglers caught 140 walleye at The Dalles, averaging 1.5 fish per rod, while 86 anglers at John Day caught 152 walleye for an average of 1.77 walleye per rod. Bass were also hooking up in both of the pools.
Heading up the ol’ tributary trail, piscatorial odds are a bit of a hit and miss this week with some rivers fishing hot for chinook and others sticking to their winter steelhead habit.
A creel sample conducted by the WDFW on the Cowlitz River last week showed 190 anglers with a total of 99 keeper steelhead and just 19 spring Chinook. One steelhead was also released. The steelhead bite was focused around the trout hatchery while the springers were pulled from disparate stretches of the river.
According to Swanny, “The key to catching numbers is a natural presentation so if you’re not getting bit make sure to change it up!” The guide recommends using cured eggs for bait.
Last week at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery Separator crews recovered 312 winter steelhead and 196 spring Chinook. Those numbers indicate that the scales are balancing out with more springers in the system, they are just hesitant to bit just yet. River flow at Mayfield Dam on Monday was reported at about 8,710 cubic feet per second.
The Kalama River saw put a few fish in creels last week too. According to Steve Gray, a biologist for the WDFW out of region 5, “Bank and boat anglers are catching some steelhead and spring Chinook.”
Nearby, the North Fork Lewis River saw a light angling effort last week, most likely because salmon fishing is currently closed. Steelhead angling is still allowed but the bite has slowed recently.
Looking inland to placid waters, the WDW planted Horseshoe Lake with 2,480 rainbow trout on Mar. 23. Meanwhile out at Bower Lake (Vance Creek Pond #1), the trout fishing is primed for a special spring break fishery. From Saturday, April 2 through Sunday April 10, the pond will open up to juveniles under 15-years of age, seniors 70 and older, and disabled anglers. The lake will open to all anglers on April 23.
The 2016 halibut seasons have been announced and the new regulations include special measures to keep harvest quotas in check this year after a number of quotas were depleted too rapidly in recent years. The total quota for Washington’s recreational halibut fishery this year is 214,110 pounds.
“Here and elsewhere, fishery managers are working to keep pace with the growing demand on the resource,” said Heather Reed, WDFW coastal policy coordinator, in a press release. “Strong catch rates continue to draw anglers to this popular fishery each year.”
Most of the regulations will shorten halibut seasons by a few days, including a Puget Sound fishery. At La Push and Neah Bay the halibut fishing will open for three days before closing again for an assessment of the catch.
“Last year, we scheduled four days of fishing before the catch assessment, but we had to cancel the fourth day on short notice, because the quota was taken sooner than ever before,” said Reed. “This year’s season is designed to avoid that situation.”
Out past the mouth of the Columbia River in Marine Area 1 the halibut season is set to run four days a week (Thursday-Sunday) from May 1 through Sep. 30, or whenever the quota is reached. Last year the quota was met in early June.
Beginning May 2 anglers angling nearshore in Marine Area 1 will again be allowed to harvest bottom fish like flounder and sole during the halibut fishery. Reed explained that, “We continue to look for ways to increase fishing opportunity in the Columbia River area where the catch has been below the quota in recent years.”
In Marine Area 2 (Westport) the halibut fishing will begin on May 1 with Sundays and Tuesdays open for harvest.The daily limit in all halibut areas is one fish per day with no minimum size requirement.
HUNTIN’
The wait is over for anxious hunters who’ve been chomping on their tom calls. The spring youth turkey hunt will happen this Saturday and Sunday with the statewide general spring turkey season slated to run from April 15 through May 31.
Hunters are allowed three birds in all, but only one turkey from western Washington. Some of the best places to search locally are the Willapa Hills, the woods near Cosmopolis and the rolling prairies of Yelm and Tenino.
Turkey hunting is allowed from 30 minutes before sunrise until sunset. In 2014, the last year with available data, an estimated 3,743 turkeys were harvested in Washington. Only 26 of those gobblers came from western Washington, although 436 came from the Klickitat range.
The special permit spring bear hunt will blast off on April 1. Those hunts are typically assigned to deal with problem bears causing mayhem near populated areas or damage to crops, especially timber. The deadline to apply for the hunt came and went back in February, so spring bear hunters already know who they are.
CLAMMIN’
Believe it or not, Thursday is final day of the neverending clam dig at Long Beach. I’ve been wondering how that could be possible ever since the fantastical film, The Neverending Story, came to its unexpected conclusion so many years ago. Alas, here we are, with the story over and the dig nearly done.
Fret not though friendly clam fritter enthusiasts as the WDFW has proposed a whole heap of clam digs for the month of April. A pair of digs on April 9-10 will coincide with the Long Beach Razor Clam Festival.
If approved, the new digs would cover a mix of Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks between April 3-12. The nearest round of digs are proposed for the following dates, tides and locations:
• April 3, Sunday, 4:13 p.m.; 0.5 feet; Long Beach
• April 4, Monday, 5:04 p.m.; 0.1 feet; Long Beach
• April 5, Tuesday, 5:51 p.m.; 0.0 feet; Long Beach
• April 6, Wednesday, 6:36 p.m.; 0.0 feet; Long Beach
• April 7, Thursday, 7:07 a.m.; -0.6 feet; Long Beach, Copalis, Mocrocks
Another round of clam digs have also been proposed for Long Beach from April 20-28.
All diggers older than 15 are required to have a valid saltwater license to dig clams, and last season’s licenses are set to expire with the end of March.
SNOWIN’
Weekend storms brought plenty of new snow to area peaks, including six to twelve inches of powder on Sunday alone. Since then though there has been no new fluff to speak of as bluebird skies have replaced soggy bottomed ones.
The good news is that low mountain temperatures have held that new layer in place and all of the region’s mountains are currently draped with an excellent snow base. Still, powder heads will be smart to get their fix while they can because the dry season is coming up quick.
Most slopes are scheduled to remain open daily until about mid-April.
