State gives green light to razor clam dig at Copalis and Mocrocks

At least two beaches will open Oct. 14 when the first razor clam dig of the season begins. The state announced late Thursday that Copalis and Mocrocks will be open on evening low tides through Oct. 16. Because domoic acid levels remain too high, Long Beach will be closed. The state will do one more test to determine if clams are safe to eat and allow the opening of Twin Harbors. That announcement is expected on Monday.

The state and Olympic National Park have not decided if Kalaloch will open, but because of concerns over the small size of clams there.

The low tide times for the first dig are: Oct. 14, 5:55 p.m., 0.2 feet; Oct. 15, 6:42 p.m., -0.6 feet; and Oct. 16, 7:28 p.m., -1.1 feet. Digging is best an hour or two before low tide. No digging will be allowed before noon.

LAKES

Black: The lake has been producing a variety of fish, from trout to bass to perch. Trolling seems to be working best, with people finding fish 10-18 feet down in water 20-25 feet deep.

Cle Elum: The low lake level is making access a bit difficult, but anglers are hooking some fairly large lake trout. Jigging and trolling in water 60-100 feet deep has been effective.

Island: The Kitsap County lake with this name was stocked Thursday with 900 rainbow trout weighing more than 1 pound each. The Mason County lake of the same name also was planted this week. The state stocked the lake with 920 1-pound plus rainbows.

Lost (Mason)b The lake was stocked Tuesday with 1,800 rainbows, all weighing more than 1 pound each.

Spencer (Mason)b Another lake that was stocked this week with large rainbows, in this case, 2,680 trout.

RIVERS

Green: The coho action is fair in the lower portion of the river that is open. Eggs and Wedding ring-style lures in red have been producing strikes.

Snohomish: The coho fishing is open through Sunday. The action has been good from the forks down to the Lords Hill area. Pulling plugs has been working well for boat anglers.

Yakima: This is a good time of year to try light line nymphing. That means size 16 or smaller nymphs, light tipper and smaller indicators.

SALT WATER

Crabbing: Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) will reopen Friday (Oct. 7) for a winter season, as will the portion of Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) north of the Hood Canal Bridge to a line from Foulweather Bluff to Olele point. Other areas will reopen Oct. 15. No decision has been made on a winter season for the waters off Tacoma and Olympia.

North Sound: The blackmouth fishing has been fair in the San Juan Islands. People are reporting success fishing with an 11-inch flasher, followed by a Silver Horde Tailwagger.

South Sound: Look for schools of coho moving along the shoreline near the Squaxin Island net pens. When you find a school, cast a Vibrax spinner or a Buzz Bomb. Squid fishing has been spotty this week.

This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 9:17 AM with the headline "State gives green light to razor clam dig at Copalis and Mocrocks."