WDFW Sportfishing Rules Updates

Action: Opens trout and game fish seasons. Effective dates: Immediately through Oct. 31, 2026. Species affected: Trout and other game fish. Location: Willapa River, from the mouth (city of South Bend boat launch) to the WDFW access site at the mouth of Ward and Wilson creeks. Rules: Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except cutthroat and … Read more

Action: Closes a portion of the lower Skagit River in Skagit County to all fishing June 25 – 26 and June 30 – July 2. Maintains previously announced sockeye seasons aside from temporary closures. Effective date: Immediately through July 31, 2026 Species affected: All species, sockeye salmon. Specific locations and rules: Skagit River from the … Read more

Action: Modifies or closes fisheries for sockeye salmon in the Columbia River. Species affected: All species. Columbia River locations, dates, and rules: From the Megler-Astoria Bridge to Bonneville Dam; except the mainstem area adjacent to Tanner Creek on the Oregon shore: Immediately – June 26: Salmon and steelhead: Daily limit six. Up to one steelhead … Read more

Action: Allows up to two Chinook to be retained as part of the salmon daily limit. Effective date: June 18 through June 30, 2026. Species affected: Salmon Location: Marine Area 11, except year-round piers (Des Moines Pier, Les Davis Pier, Point Defiance Boathouse Dock, and Redondo Pier). Salmon Rules: Open daily. Chinook minimum size 22 … Read more

Action: Opens Puget Sound summer recreational crab seasons. Species affected: Dungeness, red rock, and tanner crab. Effective Dates and Locations:  Marine areas 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line, 5, and 6: Open Thursday through Monday each week, from July 2 – Sept. 7, 2026. Sub-area 7 South (Those waters of Marine Area 7 south and … Read more

Actions: Adds an additional day to the fishery for all shrimp species in Marine Area 12 from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on July 7. Species affected: All shrimp species which include spot shrimp, coonstripe shrimp, dock shrimp, pink shrimp, and sidestripe shrimp. Updated effective dates by location:  Marine Areas 4 east of the Bonilla-Tatoosh … Read more

OLYMPIA – Following reports of potentially lethal levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) from the Washington Department of Health (DOH), the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today an immediate closure to all clam, mussel, oyster, and scallop (and other mollusk) harvest on all public beaches within Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) south … Read more

Action: Opens sockeye retention on a portion of the Skagit River. Effective date: June 16 – July 31, 2026. Species affected: Sockeye salmon and Dolly Varden/bull trout. Location: Skagit River (Skagit County) from the Highway 536 bridge (Memorial Highway Bridge) in Mount Vernon to the Dalles Bridge at Concrete (Catch Record Code (CRC) 830). Rules: … Read more

Action: Opens Marine Area 4 salmon fisheries. Effective date: June 20 – Sept. 30, 2026 Species affected: Salmon Location: Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) Salmon Rules west of Bonilla-Tatoosh line: June 20 – 30: Daily limit one. Chinook minimum size 24 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release coho. July 1 – 31: Daily … Read more

Action: Opens Marine Area 3 salmon fisheries. Effective date: June 20 –Sept. 30, 2026 Species affected: Salmon Location: Marine Area 3 (La Push) Salmon Rules: June 20 – 30: Daily limit one. Chinook minimum size 24 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release coho. July 1 – 31: Daily limit two. Chinook minimum size … Read more