G-Spot:

This should help, http://www.adventuresports.com/river/nors/states/wa-law.htm

I pulled this link off the board a while back, it well help answer some of your access questions when it comes to Lakes and Rivers. Doesn't discuss access to saltwater beaches though.

I have researched the problems with access to our inner Puget Sound beaches and have concluded that as long as you use a public access point to reach the beach and only walk or fish on sand/water below the ordinary high water mark (OHWM) or driftwood line, your on public property.

Beach property owners will strongly disagree. Who's right?, niether party, because to my knowledge there has never been a trespass case taken to the Washington State Shorelines Hearings Board that has issued a decision on the access issue.

Some of the worst anti-fishermen property owners are the one's at Bush Pt. out on Whidbey Is. Last summer I got into it with a lady who lived just south of the public access. I was coho fishing with my boots in the water and at least 20 feet waterward of the OHWM. She came out and told me to get off her beach and I politely said "no". I said that lands waterward of the OHWM were held in trust by the State of Washington for the enjoyement and use of its citizens, and furthermore, asked her to show me where in the language on her property title that says that the use of tidelands waterward the OHWM belonged exclusively to her family. This serious of statements left her flabergasted, and she continued to asked me to leave. I just turned a deaf ear on her and continued to fish and expressed my rights to be there. Fishing was slow so I left about a half hour later to try for another spot, and while driving back up the hill I passed a speeding Island Co. Sherriff's car, it didn't take me long to figure out who called the sherriff. If that sherriff would of wrote me a ticket, I would of appealled it all the way to the state shorelines board.

Anyway, I'm not encouraging everyone to get in the face of beach home owners, god knows I'm sure there are some real fishing slobs that they must contend with, but the beach homeowners are not always right on the access issue.

Bobber Down

Keep your hooks sharp!