Low tides mean it's time to go after shellfish

Get the boiling pot of water ready because the lowest tides of the season are happening this week in Puget Sound for shellfish, and crabs are fair game in South Puget Sound.

"Clam populations are doing just fine," said Camille Speck, a state Fish and Wildlife biologist in Brinnon.

Belfair State Park is often overlooked, and is open for clams and oysters, but be cautious of the muddy beach. Dosewallips and Duckabush State Parks offer clams and oysters, but it takes a little walk to get out onto the beaches and you will find many steamer-sized clams.

Fort Flagler State Park is open through July, and is best for larger native littleneck and butter clams. Illahee State Park, a beautiful park, north of Bremerton has a great planted oyster bed and is open through July. Potlatch State Park on Hood Canal is a great place for steamer clams and an easy walk onto the flats.

North Bay in Case Inlet across from Allyn is an easy, short walk and is abundant with steamer clams and some oysters on a planted bed. Clams here can be found high on the beach line so you don't have to go very far out to find them.

"The big game of our shellfish fisheries on these huge minus lower tides are geoducks although they are challenging to get," Speck said. "I would try Dosewallips and Duckabush, and they do get harvested so it takes some looking around."

A good interactive map can be found on the state Fish and Wildlife Web site at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/beachreg.

"Whenever possible we try to point people to this interactive beach map because they often learn of new beaches in their area, and it provides the most up-to-date seasons information on a beach-specific basis," Speck said.

All eastern mainland beaches from Everett south into southern Puget Sound are closed for shellfish due to unsafe pollution levels. Another written rule before going to a beach is to call the Department of Health shellfish safety hotline at 800-562-5632.

Low tides: Friday, minus-1.0 feet at 8:40 a.m.; Saturday, -2.2 at 9:25 a.m.; Sunday, -3.2 at 10:10 a.m.; Monday, -3.9 at 10:57 a.m.; Tuesday, -4.1 at 11:45 a.m.; Wednesday, -3.9 at 12:34 p.m.

Southern Puget Sound one of the first areas to open today for Dungeness crabs, and they also become fair game in the Strait of Juan de Fuca from Neah Bay to Sekiu. Many other parts of Puget Sound opens on July 1.

"The central and south end of the Nisqually Delta are a big broad habitat for crab," said Tony Floor, director of fishing affairs with the Northwest Marine Trade Association. "Look for sandy areas with eel grass. Crab catches have improved and increased over the years."

"It is wise to pay attention to the stronger low tides that can sweep away traditional gear," Floor said. "If you plan on using the lightweight gear adding a brick or heavy rebar should keep them down."

Quickly: The Cornet Bay Pier on North Whidbey Island produced some herring and a few smelt for jiggers. The ocean salmon fishing season opens at Neah Bay and La Push on June 27, and Westport and Ilwaco on June 28. Sekiu, Port Angeles, San Juan Islands and a part of Hood Canal open July 1.

Northern and Central Puget Sound opens for hatchery chinook July 16. The inner-Elliott Bay salmon fishery opens Fridays to Mondays only beginning July 3. For other opening dates, please read this Sunday's where to go summer salmon fishing story.