The fall’s first razor clam dig is tentatively scheduled for the middle of October, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced this week.
The dig will begin Oct. 13 at four ocean beaches if marine toxin tests show clams are safe to eat. The WDFW will confirm the dig about a week before the start, said coastal shellfish manager Dan Ayres.
The proposed dates: Oct. 13 (low tide is at 5:41 p.m.) and Oct. 14 (6:26) at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks; Oct. 15 (7:11) at Long Beach and Twin Harbors; and Oct. 16 (7:57), Oct. 17 (8:44) and Oct. 18 (9:34) at Twin Harbors.
“Low tides will occur relatively late in the day, so diggers need be prepared for darkness during evening digs in the fall,” Ayres said in a prepared statement.
All diggers 15 and older must have a 2012-13 fishing license to harvest clams. Licenses are available at https://fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov. Diggers may take 15 razor clams per day and must take the first 15 they dig. Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.
The department is accepting comments on future digs at wdfw.wa.gov through Oct. 9.
LAKES
Drano: Boat anglers are catching fall chinook, according to the WDFW.
Mayfield: Try trolling with pop gear and Wedding Rings.
Mineral: The last weekend of September is also the last week to fish here. The season ends Sunday evening.
Riffe: The action is slow.
Spanaway: Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Park Boat House said earlier this week anglers trolling worms or worms with bobbers were doing better than bank anglers.
Stevens: Bass fishing is starting to get good, said Mike Chamberlain at Ted’s Sports Center in Lynn-wood.
Washington: Perch fishing is good for those trying the edges of the weed beds. Bass fishing is picking up too, Chamberlain said.
RIVERS
Columbia: Fall chinook, coho, steelhead and sturgeon are biting in The Dalles Pool. Walleye are biting in the Bonneville Pool.
Cowlitz: Fish Country Inc. says bank anglers at the Barrier Dam are doing well when they throw “big gobs of eggs with sand shrimp. We have our corky guys wading out to the point and picking up fish too.”
Green: The fishing is decent, according to Fish Country Inc. staff.
Johns: Chamberlain said he has heard plenty of success stories from anglers fishing here.
Kalama: Bank anglers are landing fall chinook, but most are being released.
Klickitat: Chinook are biting for bank anglers.
Lewis: Try the north fork for fall chinook and coho jacks.
Toutle: Action has been slow of late.
Washougal: A good place to try for fall chinook.
White Salmon: Not much happening here, according to reports.
Wind: Action has been slow here.
SALT WATER
South Sound: The Point Defiance Boathouse Marina says fishing is good near Browns Point, the slag pile and almost every place in between. The Gig Harbor shoreline is producing fish. Try mooching or jigging at 120-180 feet for blackmouth.
North Sound: Coho fishing has been good with fish averaging 7-8 pounds. Chamberlain said he expects coho fishing to be good for several weeks.
Crabbing: Summer catch reports are due to the WDFW by Monday.
Sekiu: Anglers are easily catching their limits, according to Olson’s Resort.
Skagit: The river, like many others, is too clear, too low and too warm for great fishing, but some anglers are catching small cohos using plugs and spinners.
Snohomish: Fishing has been good in the tidal areas.
Stillaguamish: “The fish are not biting well,” Chamberlain said.
Also contributing to this report: Art Tachell at Point Defiance Boathouse, state Department of Fish and Wildlife, Gamefishin.com, Washingtonlakes.com, Red’s Fly Shop, and Auburn Sports and Marine. craig.hill@thenewstribune.com blog.thenewstribune.com/adventure @AdventureGuys
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