Westport, Willapa reports

Any thing going on at these secret holes ? Charter reports are very slim.

Mid 70's was much better !!!!!!! Most people under 45 don't know how good the fishing was "in the old days".......now only lot's of rules but "opportunity" to catch fewer and fewer fish.

Ya buy your license, and take your chance.....price of fish is going "up and then up some more"....... grrrrrrr

Reports from Skeena sockeye are that they suck. Reposrts on Fraser sockeye are similarly dim. A trend developing?

Man has become too efficient at harvesting while destroying habitat.
He also has found a way to get paid while not having to provide the very
resource he is being paid to provide.

Call it a trend if you must.

Plant fish!!!!!!!!!!!!

WDFW FISHING RULE CHANGE
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091
http://wdfw.wa.gov

July 20, 2017

Anglers can keep two chinook salmon off Westport beginning July 22

Action: Anglers fishing off Westport (Marine Area 2) will be allowed to keep up to two chinook salmon as part of their two-salmon daily limit.

Effective date: July 22, 2017.

Species affected: Chinook.

Locations: Marine Area 2 (Westport), marine waters stretching from the Queets River to Leadbetter Point.

Reason for action: The fishery has sufficient chinook remaining within the guideline to increase the chinook daily limit from one chinook to two without much risk of having to close early. Through July 16, anglers had caught 7.3 percent (1,553 fish) of the 21,400 chinook guideline for Marine Area 2.

Anglers fishing in Marine Area 2 have a two-salmon daily limit and must release wild coho salmon.

Other information: The changes announced today do not affect ocean salmon fisheries off Ilwaco (Marine Area 1), La Push (Marine Area 3) or Neah Bay (Marine Area 4).

The daily limit in Marine Area 1 remains at two salmon, only one of which can be a chinook, release wild coho.

The daily limits in marine areas 3 and 4 remain at two salmon, release wild coho. Release chum in Marine Area 4 beginning Aug. 1.

Information Contact: Wendy Beeghley, ocean salmon manager for WDFW, (360) 249-1215.

Here's a question for those who participated in NOF. It was my assumption that the modeled seasons were set to catch the target number in the time allotted. The target number was based on the forecasts. To increase the limit says fish are not being caught at the rate we anticipated based on the abundance we anticipated.

Isn't this lack of catching an "Heads up" that the fish may not be as abundant as thought? Or, is effort below estimated effort, which would also lead to catching fewer fish.

Sounds like the "charter boat" associations, probably with help from Phil Anderson have convinced the "powers to be" to change the NOF rules to benefit themselves.

I can see it all now.......increase the opportunity now, then if the forecasts don't make it......shut down the "in river", fishermen in October, November, and December.

The models used in NOF have 1000's of WDFW hours put into them, tribes have about the same hours......the models were used to set seasons....I say "stay the course" for 2017.........2018 models will be "just around the corner".

Conservation was the #1 plank in the plans adopted by WDFW Commission, sounds like there is a element that wants to return to MSY......miss with the MSY bit, in river and conservation take a big hit, again !!!!

Seems to me that if you are going to use a model you use it. This has been going on for years. The ocean catch is not a target; it is an allocation that must be taken. Hence, increase limits and days.

Like you say, Conservation is job 975.

Phil Anderson has been doing that for years, nothing new, but still disgusting.

In river opportunity has already taken a hit from what was set at NOF.

Thanks Region 6!

I don't fish the Humptulips at all, haven't in 20+ years.....

I'd be pissed with the increase Chinook fishing allow in the WESTPORT area, while there will be NO LEGAL wild Chinook allow in the Humptulips.

Just doesn't set well with me to cut a fishery in one area and then increase fishery in another area.....

Thanks for the info. Got first hand information today.

Sounds like someone needs a bigger boat.

Definate uptick. Been out the last 2 weekends and it's been good and even better the last 2/3 days. We had 6/8 hatch silvers today that were pushing 10# 4 kings largest 16/17. Slam bam till around noon then the bite died. If you're thinking of going book it dank. Most charter at or near limits today. Fresh report......I was actually there and not in front of a keyboard.

GH or there abouts fish moved inside. Stop on the whales it's where they live. Everybody's feeding heavily. Cool day.

Mighty windy on Sunday.

Melanie and I are planning on taking our new boat tomorrow over the bar at Westport. Does anyone know how far out the hot bite is? We took it out to Neah Bay and Swiftsure 3 weeks ago, a long drive but worth it for two days limit and great bottomfish. Any advice on bar timing and fishing conditions would be appreciated, I'm sucking up as much info online as I can.Bob R

I don't know how accurate this is.
http://charterwestport.com/fishingreport.php

It gave me some info I was looking for, I appreciate the response. It sounds like I won't have to go far. Bob and Melanie

We did well on kings & ho's Saturday. Sunday we had to scratch out our ho's and only one king. We had 5 guy's on board and got limits each day this past weekend. the fleet is basically straight out in 160-180' fow. Good luck,

SZ