Action: Closes all fishing.
Effective dates: Oct. 24, 2026, until further notice.
Species affected: All species.
Locations (including all tributaries to listed waters):
- Copalis River
- Joe Creek
- Moclips River
Reason for action: This closure is necessary to improve the likelihood of meeting salmon conservation objectives. There are multiple factors affecting this decision. In-season fisheries monitoring indicates coho harvest is well below projection for coastal Washington streams, indicating the 2026 return may be below preseason expectation; and the below normal amount of precipitation this summer and fall has led to low water conditions, causing migrating coho salmon to hold lower in the systems and not move upstream to spawning grounds. While recent rains have allowed some salmon in the system to move upstream, low water conditions continue to affect migratory behavior and contribute to concern about the status of coho escapement.
Fishery managers will continue to monitor environmental conditions and status of salmon migration within the watershed and may reopen fisheries if conditions improve.
Additional information: Fishery managers encourage anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website before fishing. Refer to the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for current regulations. Download the Fish Washington® mobile app to stay up to date on the go.
Information contact: Coastal Region, 360-249-4628.