The Eagle Outdoors

More Random (Outdoor) Thoughts

To be honest, I never much liked March. It's an in-between month, for the most part, for the outdoors enthusiast in the Pacific Northwest (PNW). Waterfowl season, all 107 days of it, is over. Turkey season is still six weeks away. It's a little bit too early to be thinking seriously about crappie and bluegill, which will happen about the same time turkey season kicks off mid-April. Smelt, you ask? The WDFW has given "we wielders of the long-handled nets" tentative dates in February and March; the operative word being "tentative."

While there are late winter steelhead still to be caught, the Elochoman is low and the year's winding down. Springers, you ask? They're there, but it's a tad early. I was told by one local highliner that he plans to start fishing springers out of the Elochoman Marina here in a couple of weeks. By definition, a "highliner" is an angler who could pour water in the road, run a Brad's Super Bait through it, and catch something. They're that good! So good luck, Rich; we're pulling for you.

At this point, you're probably saying to yourself, "But it's February, not March." For me, personally, I put February in the same category as March. There are a handful of things to do outdoors and, before you know it, the page will turn and we'll be looking square in the face of Spring. Then we'll get to mow the grass instead of fishing, turkey hunting, clam digging, or walking the refuge. Still, the grass will always be there, my friends. Opportunities like clam season and peak fishing days? They're finite. Do you see where I'm going here?

A huge tip of the cap to the Wahkiakum County Chamber of Commerce and everyone who put on yet another excellent crab and oyster feed on the Island the night of Saturday, Feb. 7. This was the 40th annual event, and I think I speak for our entire table of eight that the night was, per usual, a complete success. Embarrass her, I will, but I'm relatively certain I watched my wife put the hurt on roughly 50 oysters. Truthfully, it was a touch on the low side for her when it comes to the delicious shellfish. Master Chefs Kyle Hurley and Billy Peek, along with their assistants, outdid themselves once again with the oyster prep. To all the Wahkiakum High School students shuttling food, clearing tables, and getting me caught up on what's happening at SD200, thank you for a job well done. If you've not gone to the "feed," it's a fantastic community event, with the monies raised going to the Bald Eagle Days fireworks display. I would strongly suggest putting it on your calendar for 2027.

The WDFW has announced another round of tentative razor clam digs beginning Saturday, Feb. 14, and continuing through Thursday, Feb. 19. There are a couple of minor low tides (e.g. -0.3) in the middle of that stretch; but, based on what we saw north of Ocean Park the last two times we went, there are plenty of big fat clams still loitering 24 inches or so below the surface of the sand. What better way is there to celebrate Valentine's Day than to take your favorite guy or gal clam digging? Wanna earn some points with your significant other? Treat them to a jalapeno hot dog at Jack's Country Store, and then splurge and get 'em a basket of those deep-fried mini-tacos and a Coca-Cola at Johnson's One-Stop in Naselle on the way home. They'll never forget how romantic you've suddenly become. Just call me "Cupid."

The next possible smelt dipping dates are Wednesday, Feb. 18 and Saturday, Feb. 21. Up until now, four days - Feb. 4, 7, 11, and 14 – have been posted as closed due to, per the WDFW, "fishery data (being) insufficient to confirm run size." Dippers can check on the status of these upcoming two tentative dates on Feb. 18 and 21 by visiting the agency's website at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/smelt and scrolling down to the Tentative Schedule section. Fingers crossed, but at this point in time, the mainstem Columbia appears eerily quiet.

A final note. It seems we have a celebrity in our midst; a participant in the WDFW's "For Fun" contest pitting Team Clam Gun versus Team Clam Shovel. One group prefers using clam guns to harvest their shellfish, while the other prefers, yes, the old school "shovel" method. A local lady friend sent a photograph with a brief note saying her nephew was recently the "cover guy" (my words, not hers) for Team Clam Gun in an (at this time) unknown publication. Good photograph, and it seems like a fun contest. I'll keep digging on this one. In the meantime, get outside, take a kid outdoors, look at what's around you, and be safe out there.