Outdoor notebook: 'Tis the season to get hooked on chum

Every dog has its day — even in salmon fishing.

Salmon anglers can find a cure for the shorter days and harsher weather of the fall and winter by getting hooked on chum, better known as dog salmon for their gnarly looking jawline at spawning time.

The preseason forecast calls for a modest chum return, but still not terrible by any means.

"It is still a pretty decent number of fish coming back, just not one of those monster runs like we've seen in the past," said Jeromy Jording, a state Fish and Wildlife chum biologist.

The total fall chum return for Puget Sound is 914,000, down from the long-term average of 1.9 million from 1999 to 2007.

In Hood Canal, the chum forecast is 380,000, compared to long-term average of 695,000. Other forecasts call for 69,000 in the Nooksack-Samish, 20,000 in Stillaguamish, 27,000 in Skagit, 73,000 in Snohomish and 348,000 for South Puget Sound rivers and creeks.

"We typically see stronger chum runs during even-numbered years compared to odd years when you see a down tick," Jording said. "You always see a reduction during a huge pink run [which return in odd-numbered years] like this year, because they both emerge from the spawning gravel bed at the same time, and both have inner competition among fry."

Another factor is when warming periods during the winter months bring snow melt on top of rainfall, some of the redds (the spawning areas of salmon in rivers) get scoured and silted over with mud and other debris.

"We may see a reduction in chum returns for the next few years," Jording said.

"With the weather we've recently seen, I'd say the next two or three weeks is the main time to be out there [fishing] for them in Hood Canal and for chum returning south of Kingston. Generally, the Stillaguamish and Snohomish runs tend to be a week or two behind that."

Some early chum have already shown up in catches around estuaries off Kennedy Creek in Totten Inlet, Johns Creek in Oakland Bay and the Hoodsport Hatchery in Hood Canal.

Some chum have recently been caught in the Skykomish, Snohomish and Skokomish rivers.

Other good places to try for chum are North Bay near Allyn, Perry Creek in Eld Inlet, Whatcom Creek in Bellingham, Chico Creek in Bremerton, McLane Creek, Eagle Creek south of Potlatch State Park, and the public-access shores off Highway 101 from Eldon to Hoodsport.

Coastal razor clam digs a go

The next series of coastal fall razor clam digs have been approved at two southern beaches.

The digs are Wednesday at Long Beach and Twin Harbors (minus-1.3 feet low tide at 7:33 p.m.); Thursday at Twin Harbors (-1.2 at 8:18 p.m.); Friday at Long Beach and Twin Harbors (-0.9 at 9:07 p.m.); and Saturday at Long Beach and Twin Harbors (-0.5 at 9:59 p.m.). Digging is between noon and midnight only.

Future clam digs are dependent on marine toxin levels. Other planned digs are Nov. 14-17, Dec. 2-5 and Dec. 31-Jan. 3.

Notes

• The Eastside Audubon Movie Night is 7 p.m. Saturday at the Northlake Unitarian Universalist Church, 308 Fourth Ave. S. in Kirkland. "Broken Limbs," filmed in Wenatchee, known as the "Apple Capital of the World," outlines ways to save farmers. Details: www.eastsideaudubon.org.

• Ted's Sport Center, 15526 Highway 99 North in Lynnwood, is hosting a free blackmouth fishery clinic 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday with Captain Downriggin's John Abbott. Details: 425-743-9505.

• Three Rivers Marine and Tackle, 24300 Snohomish Woodinville Road in Woodinville, is hosting a blackmouth fishing seminar 7 p.m. Wednesday with Capt. Randy Doucet of Northwest Fishing Charters and Capt. Andy Shanks with Island Guide Service. Details: 425-415-1575 or www.3riversmarine.com.

• The Orvis Store in Bellevue is hosting a winter steelhead roundtable at 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Learn from the best steelhead anglers about flies, presentation techniques, casts and water reading. Details: 425-452-9138.

• The Newport High School Ski and Snowboard Swap is 5-9 p.m. Nov. 13 and 8 a.m.-6 p.m. Nov. 14 at Newport High School, 4333 Factoria Blvd. S.E. in Bellevue. More than 7,000 items will be for sale at bargain prices. Details: 425-456-7400 or http://skiswap.info.

• The Sportsmen for the Preservation of our Rivers and Streams are looking for volunteers 9 a.m. to noon Saturday for a cleanup on the Skagit River in LaConner. Details: 253-861-8964 or rosendo64@yahoo.com.

• The Mount Tahoma Trails Association is working on rebuilding its popular Snow Bowl Hut, which was destroyed by fire on March 21, 2008. The group's Fall Gala is 2-6 p.m. Saturday at the Seattle REI Store. Cost is $10. Details: www.skimtta.com.

Mark Yuasa: 206-464-8780 or myuasa@seattletimes.com