WDFW Sportfishing Rules Updates

Action: Reduces hatchery steelhead daily limits. Species affected: Hatchery steelhead. Effective dates: Sept. 18, 2026, until further notice. Location and rules: From the mouth of the Snake River (Burbank to Pasco railroad bridge at Snake River mile 1.25) to the Lower Granite dam (Catch Record Card (CRC) areas 640, 642, 644 and 646): Open daily. … Read more

Action: Closes retention of wild (unmarked) adult Chinook in Snake River beginning Sept. 18. Species affected: Chinook salmon. Location, dates, and rules: Lyons Ferry Bubble Fishery: From the red river marker (Marker 28) on the south shore of the Snake River upstream to the Highway 261 bridge (approximately 1.4 miles): Sept. 16: Closed. Sept. 17: … Read more

Action: Temporary closure on the Satsop River. Effective date:  Sept. 16–30, 2026. Species affected: Game fish. Locations: Satsop River (Grays Harbor County) from the mouth to the Bingham Creek Hatchery dam. Rules: Closed to fishing. Reason for action: Disorderly fishing behavior has been observed on the Satsop River during enforcement patrols, with anglers observed targeting salmon … Read more

Action: Closes salmon fishing. Effective dates: Sept. 16, 2026, until further notice. Species affected: Coho salmon. Location: Lake Washington (King County) north of Highway 520 Bridge and east of Montlake Bridge, Including that portion of the Sammamish River near Kenmore from 68th Ave. NE Bridge downstream. Reason for action: In-season fishery data based on fish … Read more

Action: Postpones opening of fishing seasons in upper areas of the Skagit River and Cascade River and temporarily closes all fishing in the Skagit River from Gilligan Creek east of Sedro-Wolley to the Dalles Bridge near Concrete. This rule also reduces the salmon daily limit, prohibits bait, and requires single-point barbless hooks in the Skagit … Read more

Action: Opens the lower Yakima River salmon retention. Effective date: Sept. 15-Oct. 31, 2026. Species affected: Chinook and coho salmon. Location: Yakima River from the Highway 240 bridge in Richland (river mile 2.1) to the Grant Avenue Bridge in Prosser (river mile 47.0).  Rules: Minimum size 12 inches. Daily limit of one adult. No limit on jacks. Release all salmon … Read more

Action: Allows retention of one additional adult hatchery coho as part of the daily limit from the Buoy 10 line upstream to the west end of Puget Island. Species affected: Salmon. Effective date: Sept. 12–Oct. 31, 2026. Locations and rules: From a north-south line through Buoy 10 to the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line (a projected line from … Read more

Action: Closes fishing. Effective dates: Sept. 9, 2026, until further notice. Species affected: All species. Location: Quillayute River (Clallam County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to the confluence of Sol Duc and Bogachiel rivers. Rules: Closed to all fishing. Reason for action: Recent rains to the Olympic Peninsula have not been substantial enough … Read more

Action: Rescinds biotoxin-related closure of public shellfish beaches in Dabob and Quilcene bays and at Belfair State Park; and opens oyster harvest at Point Whitney Tidelands and Lagoon. Maintains other previously announced shellfish beach closures in marine areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 12 (Hood Canal). Effective dates: Sept. 3, 2026, until further notice. Species affected: … Read more