Action: Closes all salmon fishing.
Species affected: Salmon.
Effective dates: Nov. 1–30, 2026.
Location: Skykomish River from the mouth to the railroad bridge at Big Eddy.
Reason for action: Ongoing concerns for Snohomish River system coho necessitate this Skykomish River salmon fishing closure. While recreational coho fisheries in the marine areas around the Snohomish River exceeded pre-season expectations, terminal and freshwater areas of the Snohomish River system have not seen the numbers of coho that fishery managers would expect, considering the pre-season forecast and catches in marine area fisheries.
Sporadic rains continue to move some salmon in the system, but persisting low water conditions are likely affecting the migratory behavior of returning coho. Little has changed regarding conditions in the Snohomish system that led to a fishing closure in the Snohomish River in early October to ease concerns that the 2026 coho return is below pre-season expectation.
Snohomish River (including Skykomish) coho were classified as "overfished" by the National Marine Fisheries Service in 2018 and subsequently re-classified as "rebuilt" just two years ago in 2024. Additionally, the 2025 return for coho was below the escapement goal and a second consecutive year of poor escapement could reverse the progress made by recent co-manager rebuilding efforts. Fishery managers will continue to monitor the situation and may reopen salmon fishing if conditions improve.
Additional information: Skykomish River game fish fisheries will open Nov. 1 as scheduled in the Washington Sport Fishing Rules.
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.