The Puget Sound shrimp season opens today, a coastal razor clam dig continues through Sunday, Puget Sound opens for lingcod fishing today, and this is the second week of the lowland lakes fishing season.
Marine Areas 4-13 will have areas open for shrimping starting today, but be sure to check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s rules for details on precisely where and when fishing is legal. For details visit wdfw.wa.gov.
The waters off Tacoma (Marine Area 11) are only open today from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. for shrimping.
Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mockrocks and Kalaloch beaches are open for razor clam digging today and Sunday. Low tide is at 9:15 a.m. today and 9:58 a.m. on Sunday. No digging allowed after noon.
Lakes
Clear (Thurston): According to a WDFW report, the lake offered the “best fishing in the last few years” last weekend.
Long (Thurston): The WDFW also reports the fishing is better than recent years with rainbow trout up to 18 inches.
McIntosh: There are rainbow trout up to 14 inches to be had.
Rapjohn: There are trout as long as 16 inches biting, as well as some crappie.
Mineral: Mike Gordon of the Mineral Lake Resort recommends using lemon lime, rainbow or chartreuse Power Eggs. Worms are also producing bites. Last weekend anglers had good luck catching 5-to-9-pound rainbows. “This year’s plant of fish was very healthy,” Gordon said.
Silver: Try green Power Bait or trolling with a Wedding Ring to catch rainbows and brown trout.
Devereaux: The WDFW reports the catch rate was low when the Mason County lake opened last week.
Ohop: Action is a little slow, but anglers are catching rainbows and occasional bullheads, according to the WDFW.
Tanwax: A good place to go if you are looking to catch perch or rainbow trout.
Panther: Lots of triploids and jumbos to be had on this Kitsap County lake.
Aberdeen: The WDFW reports that an angler landed a 19-inch fish last weekend.
Rivers
Columbia: There are spring chinook to be had for bank anglers near Drano Lake. Sturgeon fishing has been solid in the Gorge and The Dalles Pool.
Cowlitz: Fishing has been starting to pick up of late.
Kalama: The Pritchard’s Western Angler staff says the river is in great shape. May and June are considered the best months to fish the river, according to the fishing shop.
Salt water
Tacoma: Fishing has been fair with most catches ranging between 5 and 8 pounds, according to a report posted by the staff at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina. Try trolling, jigging or mooching with herring. The staff recommends fishing near the clay banks during the outgoing tide and in Dalco Passage during the incoming tide.
South sound: Anglers are not consistently catching fish right now, but staff at Zittel’s Johnson Point Marina say action could heat up this weekend when the lingcod season begins.
North sound: Mike Chamberlain of Ted’s Sports Center near Lynnwood says anglers will likely be heading to Admiralty Inlet this weekend for the opening of halibut season. Lingcod fishing is expected to be good in the San Juan Islands, he said.
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