Fishing report for Jan. 12

SALT WATER

Razor clams: The first dig of 2016 wraps up Thursday on Long Beach. The beach is open for digging after noon, with success rates typically best an hour or two before low tide. Low tides are at 8:56 p.m. Wednesday and 9:40 p.m. Thursday.

South Sound: The Point Defiance Boathouse Marina staff reports anglers are having success trolling near Fox Island. Mooching and jigging is generating bites near Point Gibson on the outgoing tide. Salmon fishing is closed north of the Narrows bridges in Marina Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island). Anglers willing to put in the work are still catching squid. A beach cleanup event is planned for 9 a.m. Saturday at the Point Defiance Marina.

Crabbing: Most of Puget Sound is closed to crabbing, but pots can still be dropped in Hood Canal and north of the Hood Canal Bridge to the Foulweather Bluff-to-Odele Point line.

North Sound: Anglers are doing well, when the weather cooperates, near the San Juan Islands. Mike Chamberlain of Ted Sports Center in Lynnwood said anglers are anxious for blackmouth fishing to start Saturday.

RIVERS

Cispus: Tacoma Power released three coho adults, two jacks and a winter-run steelhead last week near the mouth of Yellow Jack Creek.

Columbia: The Dalles and John Day pools have produced steelhead for boat anglers, according to Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife reports. However, only the John Day Pool has been kind to bank anglers. Anglers are catching some legal-size sturgeon in The Dalles and John Day pools. Boat anglers are doing better in the John Day Pool, while boat and bank anglers are catching legals in The Dalles.

Coweeman: Three bank anglers combined for just one catch last week, according to WDFW reports. The wild steelhead was released.

Cowlitz: No report of angling success last week, according to WDFW reports. Last week, Tacoma Power recovered 68 coho adults, 24 jacks, 13 winter-run steelhead and two cutthroat at the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery separator.

Kalama: WDFW reports show 63 bank anglers kept seven hatchery steelhead and released four while two boat anglers kept one hatchery steelhead last week. Rules require anglers to retain all hatchery steelhead catches.

Lewis: On the East Fork, WDFW reports show 22 bank anglers combined to catch one hatchery steelhead (kept) and one wild steelhead (released) last week. Boat anglers had better luck, with two combining to catch three wild steelhead and one wild chinook. All fish were released.

Naselle: Chamberlain said anglers are doing “pretty well.”

Nisqually: Closed last week to recreational fishing from the mouth upstream to the bridge located a mile north of the mouth of Muck Creek.

Olympic Peninsula: Recent reports indicate anglers are having success on the Calawah, Hoh and Humptulips rivers. Recent rain could improve fishing, Chamberlain said.

Tilton: Last week at Gust Backstrom Park in Morton, Tacoma Power released 35 coho adults, 20 jacks, four winter-run steelhead and two cutthroat.

LAKES

Offut: Becky Pogue of Offut Lake Resort said anglers are still catching limits. She recommends using Power Bait tipped with a worm.

Washington: Not many anglers on the water, but those giving it a go are catching fish, Chamberlain said.

Fish: Ice fishermen are doing well catching perch and some incidental trout in this lake near Leavenworth.

Moses: Chamberlain said ice anglers are catching perch.

This story was originally published January 12, 2016 at 4:50 AM with the headline "Fishing report for Jan. 12."