Northwest Fishing Reports

Anyone know if smelt jigging is open in oak harbor? If it is, how has it been?

It appears that the smelt fishery is closed state wide. The WDFW rule change below does not provide a "re-open date" or otherwise address the status of the eulachon (smelt) fishery. Unless mistaken the smelt fishery at Oak Harbor, Cornet Bay, La Conner and Everett are all targeting eulachon. In my experience while Jigging smelt there is a significant bi-catch of other fish including herring, poagies, small perch, some sort of pipe fish, small rock-fish and a large smelt like fish that tastes terrible. I find the smelt regulations confusing and until they reopen the fishery have kept my smelt rigs safely tucked away.

FISHING RULE CHANGE
WASHINGTON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE
600 Capitol Way North, Olympia, WA 98501-1091

December 15, 2010

Statewide closure of eulachon smelt

Action: Closes sport fishing for eulachon (Columbia River) smelt statewide.

Effective dates: Dec. 15, 2010.

Species affected: Eulachon smelt (Thaleichthys pacificus)

Location: Statewide, all marine and freshwater areas.

Reasons for action: Eulachon smelt are listed under the Endangered Species Act as ?Threatened?. There are no harvestable populations within the state and the statewide fishing closure will provide additional protection.

Information Contact: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Fish Program, (360) 902-2700, FISHPGM@dfw.wa.gov.

Fishing for Columbia river (eulachon) smelt is closed. Surf smelt (the type we have in Puget Sound) is open.
See page 103 of the regs for pics of the 2 types.
Surf smelt are around nearly all year in catchable numbers. Most folks only try for them in the winter as there are not as many other opportunities on other more highly sought after species.

Thanks for the info guys!

Thank you Wolverine, I have been through the regs hundreds of times and didn't notice the smelt descriptions on page 103. But it figures, I was hoping that I could break out the smelt jigs. The surf verses eulachon thing had me jazzed, thinking that I could take the rare moment or two of spare time we have and fish for smelt. Then I read the smelt description on page 103 and wham-o, the smelt we get at Corenet Bay are clearly the eulachon smelt. They are bluish with white silvery sides and belly, no stripe and maybe 8-12". That said I think that a weekend recon trip is in order, may hit Oak Harbor, North Beach, Cornet Bay and La Connor looking for actual surf smelt. We'll pay close attention to the species differences and hopefully bring home a bucket of surf smelt for the fry pan. Again thanks for the clarification and we'll check it out.