Clams Prove Elusive As Waves Crash Opener

The scoreboard read: 42 clams for 786 diggers on three beaches checked by Fisheries surveyors during Tuesday's coastal razor clam opener.

Sorry, diggers, but the clams won, thanks largely to waves 14 to 18 feet high, including a few rollers up to 24 feet.

"The waves were so large, it caused water to run up on the beaches as far as 300 to 500 feet," said Doug Simons, a Fisheries biologist who conducted opening-day surveys. "I had more clam diggers rolling in surf than digging, and it's a wonder we didn't lose anyone out there."

The threat of more high surf yesterday morning prompted biologists to discontinue sample surveys of razor clams for toxins.

"Saturday's low tide is a plus 0.2 feet (8:54 a.m.), and we should see some better clam-digging results," Simons said.

Razor clams can be dug from Cape Shoalwater, near Willapa Bay, north to Kalaloch Beach trail No. 3 through May 11. The Long Beach peninsula continues to have high levels of toxins and is closed until further notice.

Diggers must keep their first 15 razor clams, regardless of size or condition. Digging is allowed on odd-numbered days only, during morning tides (midnight to noon).

Closures can be imposed at a moment's notice. Call (800) 562-5632, or (206) 902-2250 for updated information.

Halibut seasons set -- The Department of Fisheries has announced quotas and dates for the 1993 halibut season.

Sports anglers on the north coast, which includes Swiftsure Bank, will be able to harvest 85,707 pounds with a daily limit of one halibut of any size. The seven-day-a-week season begins May 1 and will end when 85 percent of the quota is reached. This includes Area 3 and that portion of Area 4 west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line.

The north coast will reopen July 2 (Fridays and Saturdays only) and continue through Sept. 30, or until the quota remainder is met.

The south coast (Areas 1 and 2) will open May 20 to June 10, Thursdays and Fridays only, with 7,137 pounds available to sports anglers. The areas may be allowed to reopen Fridays only beginning July 2.

Area 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line and Areas 5 to 13 will be open six days a week (closed Wednesdays) from May 13 to July 18, with a two-fish limit of any size. This includes fishing areas in the Strait of Juan de Fuca and throughout the Puget Sound region.

Trout fishing -- Ice is melting on lakes in Eastern and Central Washington, and trout fishing has improved.

"Warden Lake in Grant County is fair to good for decent-sized rainbow trout," said Joe Foster, a Department of Wildlife biologist in Ephrata.

Trout are averaging 10 to 12 inches, including a few 14-to-16-inch carryovers. Warden was closed for the past two years under a lake rehabilitation program.

Lake Lenore, a catch-and-release trout fishery through May 30, has offered good opportunities, and is well known for trophy-sized Lahontan cutthroat trout.

Dusty Lake, seven miles southwest of Quincy, and a few small lakes near the Potholes recreation area are virtually ice free and worth a try for rainbow trout.

"Lakes in southeast Washington scheduled for plants were completed last week, but we haven't had many fishing reports," said Madonna King, at the Wildlife office in Spokane.

Those planted with legal rainbow trout include Beaver, Big Four, Blue, Dayton Pond, Deer, Rainbow, Spring and Watson lakes.

"Trout fishing at the Tucannon River impoundments is good, and they're really nice-sized," King said.

Sturgeon fishing -- Sturgeon fishing on the lower Columbia River is good in the deep channel just east of the Astoria-Megler Bridge upstream to Cathlamet and a few areas near the gorge.

Areas worth trying for sturgeon are Cliff Point, Grays Point, Puget Island, Abernanthy Point and from Skamania up to Bradford Island.

WHALE WATCHING

-- Before the storm, whale watching was excellent off Westport and should continue through April.

In the spring, thousands of gray whales migrate along the West Coast shoreline to the Arctic seas. For details, call the Whale Watching Headquarters, (206) 268-9300.

FISHING SPOTS

-- Sekiu - Rough and windy the past few days. Weather permitting, it could be fair for chinook from the Caves west to Eagle Bay.

-- Port Angeles - The humps, Winter Hole and Freshwater Bay could be fair bets for chinook.

-- San Juan Islands - Windy and rough at midweek so not many anglers were out fishing. Areas worth a try for chinook are Eliza Island, Lummi Rocks, Waldron Island, Point Lawrence and the west beach of Orcas Island. Middle, Hein and Coyote banks are also fair bets for chinook.

-- Midchannel Bank - Fair bet for chinook. Tip: Bring a dip net and try dipping for schools of candlefish in the area; it's what the salmon are eating.

-- West Whidbey Island - Slow for chinook off Double Bluff. Try Fort Casey or Oak Bay on the west side of Admiralty Inlet for chinook.

-- Point No Point - Windy and rough at midweek but should be a fair bet at low tide change for chinook. Scattered schools of candlefish have returned to the area.

-- Possession Bar - Trolling anglers report a few chinook off the west side of the bar and near Scatchet Head.

-- Jefferson Head - Slow for chinook and resident coho.

-- Shilshole Bay - A few small blackmouth off West Point but slow overall.

-- Elliott Bay - Slow for salmon in the bay. Fair off Blakely Rock for chinook and small resident coho. Southworth and Allen Bank had a fair amount of baitfish but fishing was slow last week.

-- Point Defiance - Very slow off the Clay Banks and Point Dalco for chinook.

-- Coastal rivers - All rivers were still high yesterday, but before the storm, it was fair for steelhead on the Bogachiel and Soleduck rivers. Also a few steelhead on the Hoh and Calawah rivers.

-- Skagit River system - The river was high but should be fair plunking for large steelhead near Mount Vernon.

-- Snohomish River system - The river was high but once it drops, fishing should be fair for steelhead. Catch and release only on the Skykomish from Sultan downstream.

-- Green River - River is closed to all game fishing.

-- Cowlitz River - Slow for smelt dipping and the season appears to be over. A few spring chinook near the lower sections, but the water was colored yesterday.

-- Kalama River - The river is dropping and should be fishable by the weekend. A few early spring chinook, 13 to 20 pounds, from Woodford Road downstream to the Modrow Bridge. Fair for catch and release of large native winter steelhead.

Compiled by Mark Yuasa.