First Week in April, Pacific Northwest

On Mar 23, 5:18*am, DaveS wrote:
On Mar 22, 1:17*am, riverman wrote:

I have a visit to the Great Northwest (based out of Seattle) from
April 5-9. What's fishable then? I don't want to haul a bagload of
gear, so it can't be gear intensive (camping gear, boats, waders etc).
I'm looking for some venue that might be good for shore casting, and
drive-in access. I'm good for things far from Seattle...from the
morning of the 5th to midday on the 9th my goal in life is to ramble
with SWMBO and show her the beauty of the region.

Hello Riverman,
Best of times worst of times . . .
On the Westside the coastal rivers steelhead action is peaking. Open
through April 30 I believe. Bogachiel, Hoh, Queets, Calawa, rivers,
all around Forks and all have water accessible by car and guides in
Forks/Port Angeles. April is 'dump-the-hatchery-crap-before it dies-
month for low-land lakes month in Washington. Trout mostly closed cept
for the Yak. I am going over to the Eastside tomorrow to fish for
steelhead on my little piece of water, but the Touchet closes April 15
and its the tail of the "run." *There is always some action on the
Columbia and the lower Snake but I am not the guy who knows.

My advise is to do the Olympic Peninsula grand loop, out of Seattle,
cross Puget Sound via ferry, up to Port Townsend, Port Angeles, Forks,
Quinault, Moclips/Copalis, Aberdeen etc, with fish/sights stops as
present themselves. This time of year is also razor clam season, iffy
and reg specific but if they are on menu I recommend em.

I am going to be out on the Dungeness Spit caretaking *the Dungeness
lighthouse with some friends from the 3rd thru the 9th. The spit is
the first or second longest spit in the US, and the lighthouse is a
great hike out 5 miles and back. Major birding area and good chance to
see marine mammals. Beach fishing? Consider the hike. I will keep some
cold beers ready and give you and SWIMBO the nickel tour of the
lighthouse. Access is via the town of Sequim (don't even try to
pronounce it.)

Most salt fishing is further up the coast of the Straight of Juan de
Fuca, out of Sekiu/Clallam Bay and Neah Bay on the Makah Rez (great
musee designed by a friend). The Ozette lake road takes you to the
Lake (forget it) and the trailhead to the unroaded coast and the site
of ancient Makah whaling village via a 2-3 mile plank trailway).

Olympic Park itself is pretty pristine. However the Nat and State, and
private forests on the Peninsula have been and are cut pretty heavily.
Folk with a delicate appreciation for industrial forestry can
sometimes be horrified at the scale so be forewarned.

Dave

Dave:
Thanks for the suggestions. I know the Olympic loop well...used to
live in Seattle and spent lots of time in the peninsula, hiking/skiing
Hurricane Ridge, etc. I think I have the first canoe descent of both
the Queets and Hoh from headwater to tidewater way back in 1982. Lots
of bushwhacking involved, but these were in my pre-fisherman days so I
don't know about the fish runs.

I might take you up on the lighthouse visit....I've turned plenty of
rocks for Dungeness clams, and have dug for razorbacks and made
chowder on the beach on a driftwood fire. That might be a nice few
days cruise. Good to know that there are abundant opportunities to
fish there. I think I'll bring my 5wt, arrange a guide for a day, and
do the drive around.

And any old hack can pronounce "squim". I've always been partial to
"Tlingit", "Cle Elum" and "Mukilteo" :-)

--riverman