The sixth running of the very popular Lake Stevens Kokanee Derby is scheduled for May 16. The event is sponsored by the Snohomish Sportsmen’s Club and the Lake Stevens Lions.
Event coordinator Mark Spada said adult tickets will go for $20 and will be available by the end of this week at Greg’s Custom Rods in Lake Stevens; John’s Sporting Goods in Everett; Ted’s Sport Center in Lynnwood; Triangle Bait &Tackle in Snohomish; Three Rivers Marine in Woodinville; McDaniel’s Do It Center in Snohomish; and Holiday Sports in Burlington.
Kids fish free in a separate youth division (14 and under), which has its own prize list: $100 for first, $75 for second, and $50 for third. The first-place fish must be a kokanee, but second and third may be any species caught in Lake Stevens on derby day.
Adult winners will take home $1,000 for the largest kokanee, $500 for second place, $250 for third, and $100 for fourth. The largest kokanee caught by a gamefishin.com member wins $100.
The biggest kokanee limit (up to 10 fish) wins a $500 gift card for Three Rivers Marine, and second place takes home a $100 gift card for McDaniel’s Do It Center. The biggest trout caught in the derby is worth $500 from Troutlodge.
Lingcod
The coastal lingcod season opened March 14 in Marine Areas 1, 2 and 3, and except for some lousy weather at times, it has been a blue-ribbon opener.
“Ling fishing has been getting better every year under a state rebuilding plan,” said Larry Giese, owner of Deep Sea Charters (800-562-0151) in Westport. “In fact, you could say the fishery is rebuilt now.”
Bottomfish charters usually target black rockfish in the 2- to 4-pound range until everyone aboard has a 10-fish limit, then head for lingcod habitat. The limit on lings is two fish, and some big ones are boated each season. “The yearly derby winner is usually over 40 pounds,” Giese said.
The Westport charter fleet is bottomfishing every day, weather permitting, for a price of $135 per person, which includes tackle. A one-day license is an additional $10.
The local ling season opens May 1 in Marine Areas 8-1, 8-2 and 9, and anglers are hoping for a better fishery than last year.
“We found a few big oversize lings and a lot of undersize fish, but few in the lower range of the slot limit,” said Gary Krein, owner of All Star Charters in Everett.
The smaller keepers make up the bulk of the recreational lingcod harvest in this area. Krein said the high percentage of undersize lings last year could mean a better season in 2015.
Springers
The Columbia River spring chinook fishery was scheduled to end Friday, but Washington and Oregon salmon managers were scheduled to meet Wednesday afternoon to decide whether or not to extend the season. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife biolgist Joe Hymer in Vancouver said the chances for an extension were pretty good.
Fishing has definitely improved in the lower river, Hymer said, but the peak of the fishery could still be ahead — perhaps the first week in May. Checks over the weekend ranged from fair to excellent in various sections of the lower river, with boat anglers in the gorge below Beacon Rock averaging 1.9 chinook per boat and those fishing below Portland averaging about a half a fish per boat.
Hymer said the chinook fishing below the barrier dam on the Cowlitz was pretty good over the weekend; that two or three chinook daily were coming from the mouth of the Wind River; and a check Saturday at Drano Lake counted 20 boat anglers with three springers.
The annual Spring Fishing Classic tournament out of Oregon City, Oregon, to benefit, among other things, lobbying efforts by the Northwest Sportfishing Industry Association, was held April 4 and produced some nice springers. The big fish weighed 22.65 pounds, and the winning boat turned in four chinook weighing 48.6 pounds.
Locally, Gary Krein (above) said a sprinkling of adult spring chinook have appeared on Possession Bar, but there’s only one weekend left to chase them. Krein said he boated four blackmouth on the bar over the weekend in the 5- to 8-pound range, and saw a lot of resident coho in the area. Two of his skippers nailed adult chinook early this week on the bar and at Columbia Beach — one fish at about 15 pounds and the other pushing 20 pounds. A Kingfisher spoon in Irish Cream would be a good lure choice this weekend, Krein said.
Razor clams
The current razor clam dig on the coastal beaches ends Friday with an 11:23 a.m. minus 0.4-foot tide at Long Beach and Twin Harbors. The next dig runs from April 17-24, with the best tides as follows: April 19, minus 1.3 feet at 7:39 a.m., on all beaches except Kalaloch; April 20, minus 1.5 feet at 8:25 a.m., on Long Beach and Twin Harbors; and April 21, minus 1.3 feet at 9:11 a.m. on Long Beach and Twin Harbors.
State shellfish biologist Dan Ayres in Montesano reminds diggers that as of April 1, they need a valid 2015-16 fishing license to participate in digs. April 1 marked the beginning of the new license year.
Local trout
While waiting for the opening of lowland lake trout season on April 25, remember there are a number of year-around lakes in the area that already have been planted and are putting out good fishing. They include Ballinger, Blackmans, Cassidy, Chain, Flowing, North and South Gissberg Ponds (North pond open to juveniles only), Goodwin, Ketchum, Loma, Roesiger, Shoecraft, Lost (Maltby), Martha (Warm Beach), Panther and Silver.
Hunting regs
The state Fish and Wildlife Commission meets today and Friday in Tumwater to consider, among other items, changes to state hunting rules for deer, elk, upland birds and other game species. Proposals include adding two days to the modern firearm season for mule deer, shifting to a later start for the archery elk season, and doubling the number of spring bear permits available in northeast Washington.
Proposed changes are available for viewing at http://wdfw.wa.gov/about/regulations/development.html.
For more outdoor news, read Wayne Kruse’s blog at www.heraldnet.com/huntingandfishing.
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