WDFW Announced recently the closure of salmon fishing in Marine Area 5 on odd days in the month of July which has caused some anglers to consider canceling their trips to Sekiu.
Some of you are traveling from far and wide and have had plans booked for months to enjoy the incredible salmon fishing near Sekiu that we experience each year.
This year is throwing us a significant curveball though. Usually, we are struggling because a run of salmon is showing up under the forecast that the seasons are based on, but in 2022, we have the opposite problem: Salmon are returning significantly above the forecasts. Or, what I believe is a bigger contributor: We have significantly more out-migrating juvenile chinook in the area.
This all goes back to the North of Falcon process and the forecasts showing fantastic ocean conditions and the expectation/hope for greater numbers and sizes of chinook salmon returning to the PNW.
The numbers predicted were still quite modest, however, so the quotas and seasons that have been crafted were based on these tempered more modest forecasts.
The first clue we got for the Puget Sound was the Marine Area 11 Chinook opener in early June. That opener lasted only 3 days due to the massive number of chinook being caught combined with a small quota.
Then Marine Area 4 opened up in mid-June and as a result of a very strong start, WDFW quickly reduced the chinook limit from 2 to 1 within a week of the opener. The limit reduction was soon followed by the complete closure of Marine Area 4 to preserve the chinook quota for the period when more coho will be present, as the coho quota this year throughout the ocean is significant.
To think that Marine Area 5 would escape a similar fate was probably a bit optimistic. And so, we have the story and WDFW rule change that has made its rounds of the odd-day closures in Marine Area 5.
Now, while all of this drama is playing out in Puget Sound, the Columbia River has been experiencing the exact same thing: Massive run upgrades to Chinook and now sockeye as well. For some reason, the management of the Columbia River allows the fishing opportunity for anglers to expand rather than result in early closures.
This situation in Puget Sound is extremely aggravating to anglers. When salmon runs return poorly, the season gets closed early. When salmon returns are gangbusters, the season also now gets shut down or constrained….I’ve asked this question to folks at WDFW contrasting the Puget Sound and the Columbia management approaches, but I haven’t received a reply…
In general, I process news like this from the standpoint of “How can we make the best of things?” I don’t like playing the victim and getting all worked up about something I cannot control. So I want to share with you my thoughts on what to do in response to this Sekiu salmon season shake-up situation that puts us back in the driver’s seat to have a great trip to Sekiu in July.
I’ve got two trips to Sekiu in July and I’m NOT going to cancel them. Here’s what I’m going to do instead: I’ve got three options for you to consider that I think you will find compelling.
Option 1: Go fish Marine Area 4 for Lingcod and Rockfish
I’ve got two trips in July as I’ve stated earlier and both with people who are either out of town or haven’t got to experience bottom-fishing near Neah Bay and Tatoosh Island yet. So, this odd / even split is not a big deal at all.
In fact, with the first trip, me and my longtime fishing buddy are taking our wives up here and we are pitching the odd days as “sleeping-in days” for them. And the “every other day salmon opener” has created the impetus to say “When salmon is open we should definitely get up extra early to get out there and give it our best shot since we can sleep in on the days it’s closed.”
Some of you who come up here in July don’t do much bottom-fishing, but that’s okay, I’ve posted a ton of helpful information and videos on the topic earlier this year!
Below is a reading / watching list:
Neah Bay Lingcod fishing blog post
Preparing for Ocean bottom-fishing in 2022
Option 2: Go fish Marine Area 6 for Salmon
I included the above auto updated e-regulations graphic in case WDFW changes the game in 6 after I post and forget about this blog post.
Did you know that Marine Area 6 is experiencing a similar amount of initial success as Sekiu?
Did you also know that the distance from Clallam Bay to Low Point (the westernmost boundary of Marine Area 6) is about the same distance (20 miles) as from Clallam Bay to Tatoosh Island?
Many of you have made that run to Neah / Tatoosh to fish in Marine Area 4 the past few years with the Makah Reservation being closed without balking too much. Yes, gas is more expensive now and that’s some serious fuel burn, but what does it cost to cancel? How much money have you already spent just to get to Sekiu?
And keep in mind, that run would only be on closed days. I’m going to run that far to fish bottom-fish on odd days in Marine Area 4, easily. If you don’t want to fish for bottom fish, why not run to Marine Area 6 for salmon on odd days?
Now if you live locally, or you are just camping up in Sekiu or maybe have a smaller boat, then maybe it’s better to just adjust your trip to stay near Port Angeles instead.
Option 3: Oh Canada! Area 20-1 and 20-2 open up on July 14th
If you are willing to travel across the strait in a seaworthy enough vessel (please read our guide to marine weather safety if you’re unfamiliar with the scenario), in a north-by-northwest direction, you will eventually hit the western side of Vancouver Island, Canada.
This area known as 20-1 and 20-2 is opening on July 14th…so on July 15th, who’s up for an adventure?!?
There are a number of things to know and research about a fishing trip to Canada, but below are some helpful links to get you started.
Link to DFO Canada description of tidal area 20 and Area map.
Trip planning guide by the Government of Canada and requirements for private boater entry
Canadian trip reporting guide from WDFW and a form which must be filled out
Here are the entry requirements for boats coming to the US, but I read another article stating that if you never touch the ground on the Canadian side, you do not need to clear customs / CBP on the US side during re-entry, so I don’t believe this link applies, but I’m still researching.
Wrapping up: Don’t cancel your Sekiu trip!
There are three (and maybe more) viable options for you to consider to keep your trip on schedule. I supposed another option would be to trailer your boat and head over to La Push / Marine Area 3 as well, but that doesn’t sound nearly as relaxing as the three options I mentioned.
I hope to see you out in Sekiu with a full limit of salmon this July!
Good luck and tight lines!
