Fishing report: Dates proposed for coastal razor clam digs

Several coastal beaches plan to open for evening razor clam digging starting Oct. 14, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife announced late Monday.

The first dig includes Long Beach (Oct. 14-21), Twin Harbors (Oct. 14-19), Copalis and Mocrocks (Oct. 14-16).

The proposed opening is dependent on marine toxin tests that will determine if the clams are safe to eat. Much of last season was wiped out because toxin levels were too high.

“Long Beach has the largest population of razor clams the department has measured in the last 25 years,” state shellfish manager Dan Ayres said in a prepared statement. “The population at Twin Harbors also is strong and should provide good digging opportunities this year.”

Other coastal digs are planned Oct. 28-Nov. 4, Nov. 12-19, Nov. 26-Dec. 5, Dec. 10-18 and Dec. 26-31. Long Beach is the only area that will be open each of those days. Check wdfw.wa.gov for a beach-by-beach schedule.

LAKES

Offut: Action is improving, with anglers having the most luck using Power Bait and worms or trolling with Wedding Rings, according to the staff at Offut Lake Resort.

Harts: Trout fishing has been slow, but bass, crappie and bluegill continue to bite.

Mineral: Brown or green woolly buggers have helped anglers land rainbow trout.

Washington: Friday marks the start of coho fishing. Thanks to a high return of these salmon, state and tribal officials will allow fishing through Oct. 31. The limit will be two coho, but chinook and sockeye must be released. Until then, anglers are having good luck catching cutthroat trout.

RIVERS

Cispus: Last week, Tacoma Power released 52 spring chinook adults, eight spring chinook jacks, eight coho adults and one coho jack upstream of the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek south of Randle.

Columbia: The Buoy 10 fishery runs through Wednesday. It was extended because of a low catch rate. The state reports that the estimated 1,179 steelhead kept below Bonneville Dam in August was the lowest for that month since 1983 when the fishery was closed.

Cowlitz: A count by the state last week showed 38 boat anglers kept five adult and one jack chinook, two adult and one jack coho, three steelhead and released eight adult chinook. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 371 fall chinook adults, 24 jacks, 215 summer-run steelhead adults, 105 spring chinook adults, 13 jacks, 12 mini-jacks, 83 coho adults, 36 jacks and seven cutthroat at the hatchery separator. The agency released 41 spring chinook adults, five spring chinook jacks and four coho adults at Packwood’s Franklin Bridge.

Lewis: There have been no reports of angling success. Angler can keep wild chinook beginning Sept. 24.

Sol Duc: Anglers have had luck catching fish using longer leaders.

Tilton: Last week, Tacoma Power released 250 fall chinook adults, 19 jacks, seven coho adults, 27 coho jacks and five cutthroat at Morton’s Gust Backstrom Park. No fishing is allowed within 25 feet of the fish release site.

Yakima: In a recent email, Paul Hoffarth of the WDFW wrote, “fishing for salmon picked up this past week in the lower Yakima River. WDFW staff interviewed 130 anglers with 12 adult fall chinook. Anglers are averaging about 40 hours per fish, so not exactly red hot, but better than average for the first full week of the fishery.” The river is closed to salmon fishing above the Grant Avenue Bridge in Prosser and within 200 feet of the Chandler Powerhouse and Spillway.

SALT WATER

South Sound: The Point Defiance Boathouse Marina says anglers are catching squid off local docks and the action should continue to improve. Anglers are also catching flounder. The area is closed to salmon fishing until Marine Area 13 (Olympia) reopens Oct. 1.

Westport: The Westport Charterboat Association reported Monday that tuna fishing was good 50 miles off the coast. But conditions have been sketchy of late and the association is reminding people to check on the status of their trip before heading to Westport. Ling cod and rockfish are also biting.

This story was originally published September 13, 2016 at 9:43 AM with the headline "Fishing report: Dates proposed for coastal razor clam digs."