3 minute read
Get out on the Water - Sports fishing on Hood Canal
Hood Canal and South Puget Sound provide protected bodies of water as well as scenic views of the Olympic Mountains. Tune up your boat, gather your gear, renew your sports fishing licenses, pack the snacks, and check the current regulations – it’s time to get the the family together to make memories on our Northwest waterways!
A safe and successful adventure starts with careful preparation and planning. Before you head out on the water, make a list of supplies you need and visit a local marine store to get things ship-shape. In Shelton Verle’s is a full service marine store offering service, boats, motors supplies and licenses.
Want to try your luck at crabbing? The locally made crab pots by EZ-Pull (Hood Canal) and Willapa Marine are great choices but there is plenty of variety in crab bait and buoys, bait boxes, and more.
It is surprisingly inexpensive to get equipped to go catching the valuable – and fresh –Dungeness crab.
And the whole family will enjoy the excitement of bringing in the pots! Don’t underestimate the value of local knowledge! Save a lot of trouble (and disappointment) by visiting the local sporting stores which are staffed and owned by passionate hunters and fishers who understand their area and are happy to share tips and locations.
This local knowledge is invaluable when setting your boat up for salmon fishing on Hood Canal or South Puget Sound. Shelton's Verle’s stocks all the hottest lures and gear – and has helpful advice to go with it.
Remember to run your motors at home to make sure they are in working order before going out. Sometimes all it takes is a complete fuel flush to remove the moisture that has settled in the tank and lines while not in use or in storage.
Sport Licenses & Catch Record Cards
The following licenses are required in Washington:
Saltwater license: Required for saltwater fishing for all anglers aged sixteen and over. Available for residents, resident seniors (70 and older), and non-residents. Catch record cards are required for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut (for anglers of all ages).
Freshwater license: Required for freshwater fishing for all anglers aged sixteen and over. Available for residents, resident seniors (70 and older), and non-residents. Catch record cards required for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon (for anglers of all ages).
Shellfish/seaweed license: Required for harvesters aged sixteen and over. Available for residents, resident seniors (70 and older), and non-residents. Allows the holder to harvest clams, mussels, oysters, shrimp, crab, squid, other shellfish, and seaweed.
In addition, a Puget Sound crab endorsement and catch record card is required to harvest Dungeness crab in Marine Areas 5-13.
Combination license: Allows anglers to fish in both saltwater and freshwater and to harvest shellfish and seaweed. Available for both residents and non-residents aged fifteen and over.
Recreational Crab Fishing
Crabbing is one of Puget Sound’s most popular recreational fisheries. Each year, sport fishers catch more than a million pounds of Dungeness crab, using pots, ring nets and – in the case of wade and dive fishers – their bare hands. In addition to meeting licensing requirements, everyone who fishes for crab in Puget Sound must carry and complete catch record cards to account for all Dungeness crab they catch. Hood Canal & South Puget Sound( Areas 12 / 13 ) Crabbers fishing from boats may only set and pull gear from one hour before official sunrise to one hour after official sunset on open days.
Check the local regulations for openings and closures before heading out on any sports fishing adventure and remember to check in with the locals to get all the tips on the best ways to limit out!
