South Sound fishing report for November 15: Coastal clam dig approved

SALT WATER

Clams: Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks will be open for razor clam digging on the evening tides Thursday-Saturday. The low tide times are: Thursday, 8:37 p.m., -1.3 feet; Friday, 9:28 p.m., -0.8 feet; and Saturday, 10:22 p.m., -0.1 feet. Long Beach will be closed because of elevated marine toxin levels. The Nov. 12-16 dig was canceled because of high toxin levels. The next dig is planned for Long Beach (Nov. 26-Dec. 5) and Twin Harbors (Nov. 26-28).

South Sound: The Point Defiance Boathouse Marina staff reports coho fishing is essentially over in the water south of the Tacoma Narrrows Bridge, but anglers are still catching blackmouth and chum. Anglers are also catching squid off local docks.

Hoodsport: Chum fishing has been good. A state creek check at the Hoodsport hatchery Saturday showed 125 anglers caught 317 chum.

LAKES

The state is stocking several lakes for its Black Friday fishing promotion. Among South Sound lakes being stocked are American and Tanwax in Pierce County, and Black, Long and Offutt in Thurston County. Lewis County’s Fort Borst Park and South Lewis County Park ponds will be closed Nov. 21-24 while they are stocked. Many of the fish will be 15-16 inches long, while some will weigh up to 3 pounds.

Bradley: This small Puyallup lake was stocked Monday with 30 rainbow trout weighing about 3 pounds each.

Harts: Crappie and rainbows have been biting.

Spanaway: Use a 4-foot leader when still fishing and you get a bite, said Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Lake Boathouse. He recommends Power Bait tipped with a worm. Bass have been biting. Salmon eggs have been working well for catching fish near the creek at the north end of the lake.

RIVERS

Cispus: Last week, Tacoma Power released 235 coho adults and 34 coho jacks near the mouth of Yellow Jacket Creek.

Columbia: Coho and steelhead fishing has been fair in the Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day pools. The Dalles and John Day pools are also good options for walleye fishing.

Cowlitz: Anglers are catching coho near the barrier dam. Last week at the salmon hatchery separator, Tacoma Power recovered 2,392 coho adults, 365 jacks, 35 fall chinook adults, one jack, 55 summer-run steelhead, two winter-run steelhead and 69 cutthroat. The agency also released 425 coho adults and 106 coho jacks at Packwood’s Franklin Bridge.

Green: Anglers are having mixed results, according to reports posted at northwestfishingreports.com.

Lewis: On the North Fork, the state reports coho are biting boat and bank anglers. Boat anglers are also catching chinook. Action has been slow on the main river.

Puyallup: While anglers are reporting seeing chum in the river, the action has been slow.

Tilton: Last week, Tacoma Power released 480 coho adults, 54 coho jacks, 15 fall chinook adults, one fall chinook jack and nine cutthroat at Morton’s Gust Backstrom Park.

Toutle: Open for hatchery steelhead fishing from the mouth to the 4100 Bridge.

Nisqually: With chum returns expected to fall short of the escapement goal, the river will close starting Wednesday.

This story was originally published November 15, 2016 at 6:49 AM with the headline "South Sound fishing report for November 15: Coastal clam dig approved."