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Boat-Less Crabbing Around the Kitsap Peninsula WA

rich — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 22:43:19 +0000

One of my COTH readers, Jeff Pascoe, a resident up in Kingston WA, recently asked:

“Do you know of any other piers or places, for guys like me who don’t have a boat, to go crabbing?”

That’s a great question, Jeff. I remember when we first moved here to Kitsap County WA how desperately consumed my boys and I were to try our hands at crabbing. So desperate, in fact, that we settled on a 2-man inflatable we bought over at Wally-World (See ‘Stupid Human Boats Tricks’ Part One). But that’s another completely humiliating story….

Crabbing from piers and docks here in WA State used to be very common and usually netted enough of the snappy bottom feeders to give everyone a good taste. Unfortunately, as human populations have increased, the crab populations have decreased, making it difficult in certain areas for even boat owners to make their limits consistently.

Still, there are a couple of area fishing piers where you might find an occasional rogue dungy lurking about. A couple that I would recommend trying is the pier at Illahee State Park in Bremerton WA or the Harper pier down in Port Orchard WA. Your chances typically improve around the peak of high tide.

I would be curious if any of my other readers have had any success crabbing off of area piers, docks, or tidelands. If so, please feel free to comment and share your locations.

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Rich Jacobson is a licensed real estate professional providing knowledgeable empowerment and relentless representation for his clients of residential properties and vacant land throughout all of Kitsap County WA and portions of Pierce, Mason, and Jefferson Counties. You can also find him at KitsapLife.com, SOUNDBITEBLOG, ActiveRain, Everyday CK, Facebook, Twitter, or e-mail: kitsapagent@gmail.com

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How to Launch Your Boat in Kitsap County WA

rich — Thu, 24 Jun 2010 15:58:34 +0000

Well, perhaps it would be best to start with “How NOT to Launch Your Boat in Kitsap County WA”:

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Spot Shrimp or Razor Clams, Take Your Pick!

rich — Fri, 23 Apr 2010 06:06:06 +0000

One of the great things about living here in the Pacific Northwest is the abundance of native seafood available at various times of the year, like Dungeness Crab, Oysters, Razor Clams, and Spot Shrimp.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) cleared the way for yet another Razor Clam dig for the end of April and early May at up to five area beaches. These will all be early morning low tide openings. No digging will be allowed on any of the days after Noon.

Be advised that some of the beaches south of Twin Harbors have been closed to vehicular access. Always be sure that you’re driving on packed sand, or trust me, you’ll be packing sand!

Beach openings, along with morning low tides, will be:

Tuesday, April 27, 6:21 a.m., -1.0 ft.: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only

Wednesday, April 28, 7:06 a.m., -1.4 ft.: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only

Thursday, April 29, 7:50 a.m., -1.6 ft.: Long Beach and Twin Harbors only

Friday, April 30, 8:32 a.m., -1.5 ft.: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks

Saturday, May 1, 9:15 a.m., -1.0ft.: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch

Sunday, May 2, 9:58 a.m., -0.7ft.: Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks and Kalaloch

On May 1st, the Puget Sound’s recreational shrimp season opens. Mark O’Toole, WDFW’s Puget Sound Shrimp Management Biologist, predicts that the 2010 Shrimp season could possibly yield one of the highest catch-per-pot ratios we’ve seen in the past 10 years! Overall, it’s expected that Puget Sound sports fishers will pull approximately 130,000 pounds of spot shrimp out of area waters during the course of the season. Now doesn’t that make your mouth water?

Fishing will be open in the following areas:

Marine Areas 4 (east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line), 5 and 6 (excluding shrimp districts), will open daily beginning May 1 at 7 a.m. The spot shrimp season closes when quota is attained or Sept. 15, whichever comes first.
Marine Area 6 (Discovery Bay) will be open May 1 and 5 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.
Marine Area 7 opens May 1 at 7 a.m., and will be open on May 5, 6, 7, 8, 21 and 22. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.
Marine Areas 8, 9 and 10 will be open May 1 and 5 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.
Marine Area 11 , from the northern tip of Vashon Island to the Tacoma Narrows Bridge, will be open May 1 from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) will be open May 1, 5, 8 and 12 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Additional dates will be announced if sufficient quota remains.
Marine Area 13 will open daily beginning May 1 at 7 a.m. through May 31.

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Fish While The Fishings Good! Lake Fishing Opens!

rich — Fri, 16 Apr 2010 06:58:43 +0000

April 24th signals Opening Day for the 2010 Lake-Fishing Season here in Washington State where an estimated 300,000 anxious anglers will wet their lines in lakes and ponds stocked with millions of trout by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (or so they say!)

There are times when I’ve had the darnedest luck with catching any fish from freshwater lakes and streams. The WDFW could stock my bathtub at home and I’d still get skunked!

WDFW Inland Fish Program Manager Jim Uehara reports that more than 20.5 million trout will be stocked in lakes and streams for this year’s fishery. This includes fish planted in waters that opened earlier this Spring or are open year-round.

And don’t forget to purchase your new WA freshwater fishing license, valid April 1st 2010 thru March 31st 2011.

To obtain lots of really helpful info, including tips on where the best prospects are to fish, go to:

http://wdfw.wa.gov/do/newreal/release.php?id=apr0510a

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70-Acre Shellfish Harvest Area Now Open near Dosewallips

rich — Thu, 08 Apr 2010 17:56:51 +0000

If you love to dig clams or shuck oysters, you now have greater access to “one of the best shellfish-growing areas in the state,” this according to Mr. Greg Combs of the Washington State Department of Health’s Shellfish Program.

A 70-acre stretch of tidelands just south of Dosewallips State Park in Jefferson County had been closed since 1987 because of high bacterial levels. Recent monitoring that was conducted showed that the levels are within acceptable limits, allowing the area to be re-opened.

The specific area open for shellfish harvesting is marked by orange posts, which have been moved farther south to include the new 70-acre growing area reopened by the Department of Health. The area beyond the posts remains closed because of bacterial pollution associated with the Dosewallips River.

In a prepared statement made by Camille Speck, shellfish biologist with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, she said “These additional acres offer recreational shellfish harvesters increased opportunity on an excellent oyster and clam beach on Hood Canal. Improvements in water quality are a win-win for the clam and oyster fishery and the environment.”

The beach at Dosewallips state park is open for oysters all year. People may harvest clams from March 1 through Oct. 31.

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Spring Razor Clamming is in the Air!

rich — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 13:55:53 +0000

The WA Dept. of Fish & Wildlife has tentatively scheduled two Spring Razor Clam digs.

Our good friends in Olympia recently announced two proposed razor-clam digs on WA ocean beaches later this month and again in mid-April.

As is typical, the final go ahead for both digs will depend upon results of marine toxin tests to determine if the clams are safe to eat.

Clam digging enthusiasts should take note that the first opening – scheduled March 26-April 1 at various ocean beaches – starts on evening tides, while the last four days switch to morning tides.

The proposed days, tides and beach openings for this month’s dig are as follows:

Friday, March 26, (4:29 p.m., +0.1) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Kalaloch
Saturday, March 27, (5:19 p.m., -0.1) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, March 28, (6:04 p.m., 0.0) Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Monday, March 29, (6:35 A.M., -0.1) Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
Tuesday, March 30, (7:22 A.M., -0.7) Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
Wednesday, March 31, (8:07 A.M., -1.0) Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
Thursday, April 1, (8:52 A.M., -1.0) Long Beach and Twin Harbors only

The second dig is also tentatively scheduled on morning tides in mid-April on the following days and beaches:

Friday, April 16, (8:32 A.M., -0.7) Long Beach and Twin Harbors only
Saturday, April 17, (9:12 A.M., -0.7) Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch only
Sunday, April 18, (9:56 A.M., -0.6) Long Beach, Twin Harbors and Kalaloch only

Remember that your 2009-10 annual shell-fishing license is good through March 31st. However, a new license is needed for the April dig.

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New Seabeck WA Marina Construction Underway!

rich — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 23:43:31 +0000

FINALLY!!! After what seems like an eternity of waiting, construction is finally underway to rebuild the marina in Seabeck WA.

According to a recent article in the Kitsap Sun, 3 of the remaining partners of Olympic View Marina LLC have decided to ante up their own personal finances to fund the project.

The most recent delay occurred when the lender for the project pulled the financing plug in the 11th hour, even after the partners had successfully navigated a seemingly endless obstacle course of environmental red tape. Unfortunately, due to the recent economic downturn, the commercial lending pool has literally dried up, leaving Olympic View LLC with few viable options.

Hats off to these daring entrepreneurs for risking their own personal savings to make such a badly needed resource/improvement to the Seabeck area.

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New Proposed Rules Reduce Recreational Crabbing

rich — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 19:26:55 +0000

During an upcoming public meeting scheduled for Feb. 4 thru 6 in Olympia, the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will consider adopting a new package of sportfishing rules for 2010-12, as well as updates to the Columbia River sturgeon management policy.

Of particular interest is a proposed change to the Dungeness Crab Season and Daily Limit. This past year when the season opened, recreational crabbing was allowed each week from Wednesday through Saturday, with a legal limit of 5 per day, per licensed person. The newly proposed rules would change the allowable days for crabbing to Friday through Monday, and reduce the legal limit down to 4 per day, per licensed person.

While the day changes are certainly welcome, it’s hard to swallow (or maybe I should say ‘not’ to swallow) the reduction in daily limits. This is the second time in recent years that the limit amount has been lowered.

The commission, a nine-member citizen panel appointed by the governor to set policy for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), will convene for its regular meeting Feb. 5-6 in Room 172 of the Natural Resources Building, 1111 Washington St. S.E. The meeting is scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. both days.

For more information, go to WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife

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Razor Clam Digs – 4 out of 5 ain’t bad

rich — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 01:14:42 +0000

4 out of 5 coastal WA beaches will be open this weekend for Razor Clam digging.

Twin Harbors beach will open tomorrow (Jan. 28), followed by openings at three other beaches later this week after a new round of marine toxin tests showed the clams there are safe to eat.

Long Beach. however, and will remain closed to digging due to high levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) detected in the clams there.

The Olympic National Park also approved a dig scheduled at Kalaloch Beach, based on the results of a new round of marine toxin tests.

The four beaches that will open for digging at noon on the specified days (peak of low tide):

Thursday, Jan. 28 (5:13 p.m., -1.1 ft.) – Twin Harbors
Friday, Jan. 29 (5:58 p.m., -1.5 ft.) – Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks
Saturday, Jan. 30 (6:41 p.m., -1.5 ft.) – Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch
Sunday, Jan. 31 (7:23 p.m., -1.2 ft.) – Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, Kalaloch

For the full news release, go to WA Dept of Fish & Wildlife

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Marine Toxins Foil Long Beach Razor Clam Dig

rich — Fri, 22 Jan 2010 19:22:30 +0000

Can You ‘Dig’ it?…..well, maybe not!

The upcoming Razor Clam Dig tentatively scheduled to open with evening tides at Long Beach on January 27th has been canceled due to the detection of elevated levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in clams collected along coastal beaches, according to Dan Ayres, WDFW coastal shellfish manager.

PSP is a marine toxin produced by a certain type of algae that can cause paralysis and even death if consumed in sufficient quantities (although there haven’t been any fatalities since 1942).

These findings will also delay final decisions about digs at Twin Harbors, Copalis, Mocrocks, and Kalaloch beaches until sometime next week.

You can find the most current updates on the razor clam dig schedule, posted on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/razorclm/season.htm.

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