THERE IS A strong contingent of what I call Early Christmas Police who are pretty vocal about anything Christmas related occurring before Thanksgiving.
Christmas music cannot be played and halls cannot be decked until after Thanksgiving.
Breaking these rules results in stink-eyes and complaints that become louder and more spiteful when talking to fellow believers.
Don’t worry about these Early Christmas Police; they’re harmless.
Besides, the day after Thanksgiving, most of them become normal.
By “normal,” I mean that they transform into Black Friday hyenas willing to wait outside a store in the cold, early morning so they can pounce on a few good deals before the sane among us (an ever dwindling cadre) have fully digested our turkey and yams.
The only groups more dangerous than Black Friday hyenas are sports fans, anglers and those obsessed with Emblem3.
Sports fans have the Apple Cup on Friday, and the music of Emblem3 is easily accessed any time of any day.
What about anglers?
Don’t worry about them.
It’s the season of giving, even at the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, which has stocked eight lakes throughout western Washington with big rainbow trout for the purpose of providing nice Black Friday fishing opportunities.
It isn’t much of a surprise that Lake Leland is one of the planted waters.
The state planted Leland with 971 trout last week. Those, combined with the 2,000 planted last month, should make Leland a bit of a hot spot.
The warmer weather has melted the skim of ice that covered the lake last week.
“The ice is gone from Lake Leland with the warmer mornings, and anglers continue to catch nice trout out of the icy water,” Ward Norden, a fishing tackle wholesaler and former fishery biologist, said.
“Still fishing is the way to go and will be until the lake gets back up to the mid-40s water temperature-wise, [which is] usually in mid-March.”
The state encourages anglers who go after the big trout on Black Friday to share photos of their catches on its website at www.wdfw.wa.gov/sharephotos.
Eight-day dig
On the second day after Thanksgiving, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife gave to diggers a chance at 15 razor clams.
The state has approved an eight-day dig that starts Saturday and corresponds with the lowest tides of the season so far.
“We’ve had some great digs so far this season, but this one could be truly exceptional,” Dan Ayres, coastal shellfish manager, said in a news release.
“If the weather cooperates, most diggers should be able to get their limit in record time.”
Here are the dates, low tides and beaches for the upcoming dig:
■ Saturday: 4:28 p.m.; -0.1 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach, Copalis and Mocrocks.
■ Sunday: 5:13 p.m.; -0.9 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach and Mocrocks.
■ Monday: 5:59 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach and Mocrocks.
■ Tuesday: 6:44 p.m.; -1.7 feet; Twin Harbors, Long Beach and Mocrocks.
■ Wednesday: 7:30 p.m.; -1.7 feet; Twin Harbors and Long Beach.
■ Thursday, Dec. 5: 8:17 p.m.; -1.4 feet; Twin Harbors.
■ Friday, Dec. 6: 9:05 p.m.; -1.0 feet; Twin Harbors.
■ Saturday, Dec. 7: 9:56 p.m.; -0.3 feet; Twin Harbors.
Ayres said the best digging typically occurs one to two hours before low tide.
Here are a few rules:
No digging is allowed before noon at any beach.
Diggers can harvest 15 razor clams per day and are required to keep the first 15 they dig.
Each digger’s clams must be kept in a separate container.
All diggers age 15 or older must have a 2013-14 fishing license to harvest razor clams on any beach.
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Sports Editor Lee Horton appears here Thursdays and Fridays. He can be reached at 360-417-3525 or at lhorton@peninsuladailynews.com.
