Steelheading on portions of four tributaries plus several reservoir pools of the Upper Columbia opened Tuesday, Oct. 16.

While all wild steelhead in this and other areas of the Columbia Basin remain under state and federal protection, this fishery targets clipped or hatchery-origin sea-run trout returning to these North Central Washington waters.

Anglers are required to keep every adipose fin clipped steelhead they bring to hand. The daily limit is two.

Scheduled to last through March, these opportunities still could close earlier because of the lower numbers of wild fish in this year's overall return, say state managers.

REST OF RAZOR SEASON UNVEILED

With one dig down, five more fall Pacific Coast beach clam digs have been penciled in on the 2012 calendar.

One is set to occur the last weekend of October. Two more are mid-month weekend anchored openings in November and December with the remaining two stanzas set during post-holiday periods.

Each of these opportunities is contingent on marine toxin amounts in clam tissues coming in below the safety threshold for human consumption. Final go-aheads or cancellations following tests will be announced about one week before each first day.

COMING SUNDAY

For more details about Central Washington steelheading, the fall razor clam digs plus more fishing and hunting news, read the Outdoors Column in the Sunday Herald.

Doug Huddle, the Bellingham Herald's outdoors correspondent, since 1983, has written a weekly fishing and hunting column that now appears Sundays. Read his blog and contact him at http://pblogs.bellinghamherald.com/outdoor.