Action: Closes recreational fishing in the North Fork Stillaguamish River and postpones the opening of the mainstem Stillaguamish River.
Species affected: All species.
Effective dates: Sept. 18, 2026, until further notice.
Locations:
- North Fork Stillaguamish River, from the mouth to the Highway 530 bridge (Cicero Bridge) near Oso.
- Stillaguamish River, from Marine Drive to the confluence of the North and South forks.
Rules: Closed to fishing.
Reason for action: Low water flows have resulted in Chinook salmon holding in the lower river and not moving upstream to spawning grounds, resulting in greater than expected Chinook encounter rates. This temporary closure will reduce impacts on Stillaguamish Chinook populations until flows increase and allow Chinook to leave the lower river. Limited allowable take of Chinook in the Stillaguamish system necessitates this action to preserve coho opportunity later in the fall.
Additional information: Fishery managers plan to reopen recreational fisheries when the majority of Chinook are no longer present in the system. More information on Stillaguamish Chinook recovery and habitat restoration efforts is available on this WDFW webpage.
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 for current regulations. Download the Fish Washington® mobile app to stay up to date on the go.
Information contact: North Puget Sound Region, (425) 775-1311.