Hunting and Fishing

Wind disrupts a pair of derbies in the San Juans

As is often the case, brisk winds messed with two salmon derbies held in the San Juan Islands over the weekend. It blew pretty good… Continue reading

Bad weather limits clam-digging opportunities

Dan Ayres was philosophical about the whole thing. “That’s November razor-clam digging for you,” he said of the heavy surf on the coastal beaches that… Continue reading

Pick of the Week: Columbia Basin upland birds

Cold and snow in the northern Columbia Basin may not make for the most comfortable time of year to be afield, but there’s little doubt… Continue reading

Pick of the Week: Blackmouth Derby

The annual Resurrection Derby out of Anacortes is scheduled for Dec. 2-3, but the last day to purchase tickets, either online (www.resurrectionderby.com) or at the… Continue reading

Puget Sound crab safe, despite coastal closures

The Puget Sound winter recreational crab season will continue as planned, with the crab free of marine toxins and safe to eat. Don Velasquez at… Continue reading

Pick of the Week: Hoodsport Chum Salmon

Only a couple of weeks remaining for chums at the Hoodsport Hatchery, according to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife technician there. The run… Continue reading

Razor clams finally safe; three-day dig opens Thursday

After a lengthy period of disappointing razor clam closures on coastal beaches, due to the presence of unsafe levels of marine toxins in the clams,… Continue reading

Pick of the Week: Lake Campbell Rainbow

In early October, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife sweetened the pot for fall trout fishermen by stocking a number of lakes around the… Continue reading

Everett ‘No Coho’ Blackmouth Derby an all-around success

Even with the deck stacked against them, organizers of last weekend’s Everett “No-Coho” Blackmouth Derby managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat. Informed… Continue reading

Wayne Kruse’s Pick of the Week: Calimari Time

Last winter was a banner season for squid jiggers, and Mike Chamberlain sees indications this may be another. “It’s beginning to look like last year,… Continue reading

Kruse: Chinook opener a better bet locally than last year

Tuesday’s winter blackmouth opener in local saltwater should be a better bet than last year’s, if only because anglers won’t be wasting half their fishing… Continue reading

Kruse: Storm shortens season’s first razor clam dig

Last weekend’s storm pretty much washed out the first two days of the season’s initial razor clam dig, according to Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager… Continue reading

Kruse: Deer, waterfowl seasons open this weekend

waterfowl and modern firearm deer — open Saturday, and state biologists are saying both should… Continue reading

Kruse: First few days of local river coho fishing not bad

The second half of the unusual (and some say controversial) limited coho “season” runs Thursday through Sunday on the Snohomish River, hopefully to more participation… Continue reading

Kruse: WDFW announces fishery openings, closings

UPDATE: After this report was published Sept. 28, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced that the Snohomish River would open to fishing for… Continue reading

Kruse: Pair of derbies offer chance to get back on the water

In this summer of our discontent, local salmon fishing opportunity seems slim to nil. So, it’s apparently time to make lemonade as we play the… Continue reading

Online sale of hunting, fishing licenses still suspended

Online sales of fish/hunt licenses remained on hold early this week as state and federal agencies continued to investigate a data breach discovered about three… Continue reading

Wayne Kruse’s Pick of the Week: Buoy 10 chinook opportunity

Anglers working the buoy 10 fishery on the bottom end of the Columbia River will be given extra opportunity to boat and keep chinook on… Continue reading

Kruse: WDFW resumes sale of licenses, but only in person

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has resumed the sale of fishing/hunting licenses and tags, and the state Discover Pass, after all sales were… Continue reading