Anglers in Marine Area 5, get your rods ready for a pause because starting April 20, you'll have to give those salmon a break. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has clamped down on salmon fishing from Sekiu to Pillar Point for a ten-day hiatus, aiming to keep conservation goals on target. This suspension, effective through April 30, comes after a close count of the catch numbers that hint we're all too good at this fishing game – hitting 98% of sublegal encounters, to be precise.

Those salmon will be off-limits but worry not; the ban doesn't extend to other marine merriments in the area. Whether you're in it for the sport or sustenance, you can still troll for halibut, as the rule change won’t affect the scheduled halibut fishing season in Marine Area 5. The current salmon shut-down, according to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, stems from a need to prevent overfishing, citing statistics from the annual fishy forecasts known as the List of Agreed Fisheries (LOAF).

If you've got questions or you're hankering for more details, the Fish Program is on deck to field your calls at 360 902-2700. But for now, for the sake of those swimming underdogs, it's reel in time. So stash those lures and bide your time until the salmon are fair game once more in the ever-changing tide of fishery regulations. The fish might be taking a breather, but the fishers can still cast their hopes on a halibut haul.