i believe Halibut closes at the end of this month for that area... yes you will also need your Crab Endorsement to fish for crab... Salmon would be around at that time, but you will need to check for closure points and be careful where you are fishing, you will get ticketed... there will be Pinks around, so that may provide you with a ton of fun...

not sure where you can rent traps at, but there may be places in Port Angeles or Sequim that may but im not sure...

gear, i know noone that rents gear, by gear im assuming you mean rods, reels, bait, lures, ect?

remember to stay atleast 200 yards away from the Whales, keep throttle down out to 400 yards, and dont get in the direct path of the Whales...

have fun, you will really like it here...