South Sound fishing report for Jan. 24: Razor clam dig starts Jan. 27

SALT WATER

Razor clams: A five-day coastal razor clam dig starts Friday at Copalis. On Sunday, a three-day dig begins at Mocrocks. The state approved the digs on the evening tides after marine toxin testing showed the clams were safe to eat. Digging is not permitted before noon. Low tide is 6:26 p.m. on Friday (-0.5 feet); 7:01 p.m. on Saturday (-0.6); 7:37 p.m. on Sunday (-0.5); 8:13 p.m. on Monday (-0.3) and 8:50 p.m. on Tuesday (0.2). Long Beach and Twin Harbors remain closed because of elevated levels of domoic acid.

South Sound: The staff at the Point Defiance Boathouse Marina reports fishing is slow around Fox Island, but better near Eagle Island. Trolling with flasher and spoon or artificial squid is the recommendation. Marina Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) closed on Monday. Salmon fishing will not be permitted through February with the exception of year-round piers remaining open. Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island) reopens for salmon fishing on Feb. 1.

North Sound: Anglers set a record at the Roche Harbor Salmon Classic on Friday with 156 fish weighed. Another 140 fish were weighed Saturday. The previous single-day catch record for the 14-year-old derby was 104 set in 2013. The derby saw 347 anglers in 100 boats. Jerry Thomas of Mount Vernon took the $10,000 first-place price with an 18.12-pound fish. Miles Harris of Federal Way was the only South Sound angler on the leaderboard. Harris’ 13.5-pound fish was good for third place and $3,000. Christian Thomas, 9, of Puyallup was singled out by organizers as the youngest participant.

RIVERS

Columbia: Some boat anglers had luck catching walleye in the John Day Pool. Effort has otherwise been light between the Bonneville and McNary dams.

Cowlitz: State reports show that last week one boat angler had no catch and 43 bank anglers kept one coho and release two steelhead, two coho and a cutthroat. Most of the action was at the barrier dam. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 247 coho adults, 11 jacks, three winter-run steelhead and one cutthroat at the salmon hatchery separator. The agency also released 106 coho adults and two coho jacks at Packwood’s Franklin Bridge.

Kalama: State counts last week showed 40 bank anglers kept one steelhead and released two.

Lewis: State creel summaries last week showed 30 bank anglers released four steelhead.

Tilton: Last week, Tacoma Power released 67 coho adults, nine coho jacks, one cutthroat trout and two winter-run steelhead adults at Morton’s Gust Backstrom Park.

LAKES

Scanewa: Last week, Tacoma Power released 58 coho adults behind Cowlitz Falls Dam.

Spanaway: Bud Herlitzka of the Spanaway Lake Boathouse says anglers are catching brown trout from the dock using worms and marshmallows on a 2-foot leader. Many are losing browns too because the fish are fraying the leaders, he said. Herlitzka recommends checking and maybe changing leaders after encountering brown trout.

Tanwax: The Rainbow Resort reports ice has the lake closed but anglers are doing well from the dock. They are catching trout using Power Eggs about 3 feet off the bottom.

Washington: Worm and marshmallow are producing trout for bank anglers.

Eastern Washington: Anglers are still ice fishing on the Potholes Reservoir.

This story was originally published January 24, 2017 at 11:39 AM with the headline "South Sound fishing report for Jan. 24: Razor clam dig starts Jan. 27."