Port Angeles spearfishing forecast — wind, swell, visibility, tides & live cameras

• lingcod
  Ophiodon elongatus · 5–50 m · legal
• rockfish
  Sebastes spp. · 5–60 m · legal
  Rockfish: no yelloweye retention; bag and sub-limits vary by marine area.
• cabezon
  Scorpaenichthys marmoratus · 3–25 m · legal
• greenling
  Hexagrammos spp. · 2–20 m · legal
• salmon
  Oncorhynchus spp. · 0–20 m · 🚫 no-take
  Salmon and sturgeon NOT by spear (WA) — hook-and-line only.

• ✓OR: fishing licence + the new Ocean Endorsement (2026, $9/yr). WA: licence + Catch Record Card for certain species (halibut).
• ✓Salmon and sturgeon NOT by spear (WA) — hook-and-line only.
• ✓Lingcod/rockfish/cabezon/halibut allowed; the diver must swim/float, bang sticks banned. No yelloweye retention.

• ⛔ 🚫 Salmon and sturgeon — NOT by spear (hook-and-line only). Yelloweye rockfish: no retention in any WA marine area.
• ⛔ 🚫 Oregon Marine Reserves and Puget Sound conservation areas — take restricted/prohibited; check the specific site.

US spearfishing law is state-by-state. License, spearable species, powerhead rules and distances vary; federal sanctuaries (Gray's Reef, the Keys, Flower Garden Banks) ban spearfishing. Always confirm with the state agency and local ordinances.

• Sets: watch the wave trains ≥15 min before entering; Hmax ≈ 2×Hs, the wash can run 50 m past the foam line. A lull >10 min with period >12 s = a big set «overdue», do NOT enter; enter right after a full set passes and re-check at minute 30.
• Exit FIRST: find your exit AND a backup before entering. On a rocky/boulder shore a 0.5 m rise in swell can make the exit impossible — getting pinned/unable to climb out is the main killer.
• Headland rip: prominent points often have a permanent topographic rip regardless of the model — locate it, enter/exit on the windward side, never swim against it.
• Cold: wetsuit per the SST chip; the first shiver = a metabolic surge and a drop in breath-hold → get out at the first steady shiver. Cap the session at 45–60 min below 15 °C.
• Solo discipline: buoy up; tell someone the spot and exit time; conservative breath-hold (never push it in cold/murky/surfy water); visibility <3 m — don't enter.
• Afternoon wind: on many coasts the wind builds from midday — plan to be out of the water by midday; the chop builds — get out.
• UV 11:00–15:00 (UVI ≥6): sunscreen and cover up on the surface interval.
• Solo is a fundamental risk (hypoxic blackout with no buddy). Any doubt = No-go.