Now that the weather has shown signs of settling down, thus allowing one to cross Rosario Strait from Anacortes without drowning, probably, the San Juan Islands are the place to be for winter blackmouth anglers.

The fifth Roche Harbor Salmon Classic Invitational, on Feb. 8-9, dodged near-gale-force winds on Friday to end up with a pretty fair total weigh-in of 141 fish for the 335 entrants in 99 boats.

First-place money of $10,000 went to Randall Opel of Arlington, for a dandy chinook of 19.14 pounds; second, and $5,000, to Michael Bredeson of Everson, at 16.12 pounds; and third, worth $1,500, to Damon Peterson of Bellingham at 15.4 pounds. Best total boat weight, of 46.11 pounds, worth $1,500, went to Charlie Rinker, Jace Rinker, and Zack Miller, all of Bellingham.

So where did the winning fish come from? What were they caught on?

Waterboarding would not get that information out of these guys, according to derby coordinator Debbie Sandwith of Roche harbor Market (360-378-5562; market@rocheharbor.com).

"I do know that the first-place winner usually fishes Obstruction Pass," Sandwith said, "and we had several fish weighed in from Spring Pass and from off Lopez."

This popular derby fills up early -- by Dec. 7 this year -- and even though the entry fee is a little pricey, the atmosphere is great, the scenery can't be beat, and the prime rib dinner ain't half bad either. Anthon Steen at Holiday Sports in Burlington said fishing the past week or so in Area 7 has been good. He said blackmouth are spread out all over, with reports of nice catches coming in from San Juan Channel, Lopez Flats, Thatcher Pass, Fidalgo Head, Guemes Channel, Eagle Bluff/Tide Point, and Point Lawrence.

He also said fishing is certainly worth a shot farther south, around the green can outside Oak Harbor, and along the northwest Camano shoreline, at Onomac and other spots. Widow Isle has also been a good bet, he said.

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife creel checks at the Washington Park ramp, west of Anacortes, showed 28 anglers with 19 blackmouth on Saturday, and 46 anglers with 21 fish on Sunday.

Area 9 remains relatively slow, and prevailing opinion is that blackmouth have been leaving the Possession/Point No Point/Double Bluff area early on their annual migration westward, out the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Checks from ...
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