The Salmon Fishing Current blog: summer and fall 2026 edition
Latest updates (July 17): Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) salmon fishing opens daily beginning July 18, up to two hatchery Chinook may be retained
As part of the ongoing summer and fall salmon fishing season, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) has created The Salmon Fishing Current blog: summer and fall 2026 edition.
This blog is a way to keep anglers informed of where to go fishing, any in-season fishing rule changes, emergency closures, or other related developments in Puget Sound, the coast, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Columbia River. We know how frustrating it can be when opportunities for upcoming scheduled seasons change or close sooner than expected, and we hope this blog provides a better understanding of why those changes could occur.
The 2026–2027 recreational salmon fishing season package was approved by WDFW on Thursday, June 11. The fishing rules will go into effect July 1, 2026.
The 2026–2027 sport fishing regulation pamphlet (PDF) will be available online by the end of the day on Thursday, June 18. Printed copies should be available at statewide license dealers and at WDFW offices by Friday, June 26. The Fish Washington® mobile app is also updated regularly including with emergency fishing rule changes.
Salmon anglers are reminded to check the regulations pamphlet or the WDFW fishing regulations webpage for specific daily catch limits, gear rules and restrictions, emergency rule changes, license information, and other general information for all marine and freshwater areas.
The Salmon Fishing Current blog: North of Falcon 2026 edition was published February through mid-May as a way to provide regular updates on developments during the 2026–2027 salmon season setting process. You can find additional information by going to the North of Falcon webpage.
Find the latest salmon fishing updates
July 17,2026 — Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) salmon fishing opens daily beginning July 18, up to two hatchery Chinook may be retained
June 18, 2026 — Low sockeye salmon returns lead to fishery changes in the Columbia River
June 18, 2026 — 2026–2027 statewide recreational salmon fishing season package approved
June 17, 2026 — Marine Area 11 (Tacoma and Vashon Island Area) hatchery Chinook daily limit increased to two
June 17, 2026 — Ocean salmon fishing at Ilwaco, Westport-Ocean Shores, La Push, and Neah Bay (Marine Areas 1, 2, 3, and 4) opens Saturday, June 20
June 2, 2026 — Snohomish Basin salmon, steelhead fisheries closed to protect wild Chinook
May 20, 2026 — Updates on recreational salmon fishing opportunities in Puget Sound freshwater and marine areas
May 19, 2026 — An angler’s guide to catch sampling
Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) salmon fishing opens daily beginning July 18, up to two hatchery Chinook may be retained
Salmon fishing in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) (except the Kydaka Point Area) will open seven days per week beginning July 18 to July 31 and anglers may now retain up to two hatchery Chinook after Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishery managers determined enough Chinook remained under fishery guidelines. The Kydaka Point Area in Marine Area 5 remains closed to salmon fishing.
Catch estimates for the Marine Area 5 summer Chinook fishery indicate that through July 12, 15% of the total legal-size encounters (657 of 4,323) have been reached.
The minimum legal-size limit for Chinook is 22 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size restriction. Daily limit is two salmon. Anglers must release chum, sockeye, wild coho, and wild Chinook.
Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) will remain open for hatchery coho from Aug. 1 through Sept. 24 with a two salmon daily limit, release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. Then the area is open for all coho retention from Sept. 25 through Oct. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, release Chinook, chum and sockeye.
Marine Area 7 (San Juand Islands) and Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) are open for hatchery Chinook from July 16 to July 18 only. Additional days for hatchery Chinook fishing are possible based on catch quota availability.
To support conservation objectives, in areas where multiple salmon stocks overlap — throughout Puget Sound — state and tribal fisheries managers must abide by harvest quotas and allowable impacts that are federally approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service based on agreed-upon run forecasts prior to the fishing season.
Given this federal oversight and the challenge of accurately assessing individual salmon stocks in a mixed-stock system, WDFW cannot increase salmon harvest quotas or encounter limits while fishing seasons are underway. However, salmon managers can add or extend fishing opportunities when available salmon harvest quota and encounter limits allow, as is the case with this extension.
Puget Sound salmon seasons are a result of an annual collaborative state and tribal salmon season-setting process known as North of Falcon and information can be found on the WDFW North of Falcon webpage.
Several other marine areas — including Marine Areas 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca), 12 (Hood Canal), and 13 (South Puget Sound) — are currently open for salmon fishing and refer to the 2026–2027 WDFW regulation pamphlet for details. Click here to view the Puget Sound salmon fishery guidelines and quotas. To be notified of in-season rule changes as they are announced, sign up for email notifications. Follow in-season salmon management updates, by going to the WDFW’s The Salmon Fishing Current blog: summer and fall 2026 edition.
Submit Voluntary Trip Reports
WDFW fishery managers continue to call on all salmon anglers to submit Voluntary Trip Reports (VTR) for Puget Sound and ocean fisheries, to help to increase the amount of data available for management. These trip reports provide critical information which help maintain and potentially increase selective Chinook and coho fishing opportunities. Trip reports are just one tool in a suite of options fisheries managers use to collect fishery data for Puget Sound and ocean salmon fisheries. Without selective fishing and the VTR program, seasons would likely be significantly shorter.
VTRs may be used alongside onboard observer and test fishing data to provide the proportion of each of the four size/mark categories of fish: legal size clipped, sublegal size clipped, legal size unclipped and sublegal size unclipped. Other monitoring tools include dockside sampling and boat surveys. You may still be asked questions about your catch at the dock by catch samplers and still need to fill out your Catch Record Card. Your catch is not being double counted because the information used from the VTR form is the proportion and not numbers of fish.
Anglers are asked to complete the VTR form online as soon as possible upon completing their fishing trip. If angler is unable to fill it out online, they can return the completed VTR form using any of the following methods:
- Give the form directly to a WDFW catch sampler stationed at the boat ramp.
- Return via US mail (the VTR forms come pre-addressed with postage paid).
- Insert the form into a VTR collection box located at the boat ramp or in the fishing resort, if available.
- Scan or take a high-resolution photo and email to VTR@dfw.wa.gov.
Anglers can complete the Voluntary Trip Report Form online or visit the WDFW website to download a paper copy. For more information about fisheries management, refer to WDFW’s managing fish populations webpage and WDFW Fisheries Monitoring: 2024 Report to the Legislature. To learn more about how salmon fisheries are monitored, go to WDFW’s catch sampling program blog.
June 18, 2026 — Low sockeye salmon returns lead to fishery changes in the Columbia River
Changes are coming to planned sockeye salmon fisheries throughout the Columbia River, as early return data shows abundances are much lower than pre-season forecasts.
Based on current run size information, recreational sockeye fisheries in the Upper Columbia River will not open July 1, and the Hanford Reach sockeye fishery, which opened June 16, will close on June 20.
The planned sockeye retention season in the lower Columbia River downstream of the Highway 395 Bridge at Pasco is reduced by four retention days following joint state action taken by Oregon and Washington fishery managers. The updated season is June 27 through July 5, but further modifications may be necessary as staff continue to monitor the run. Anglers can find details on the updated seasons on the emergency fishing rules webpage on the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) website.
Both states jointly manage Columbia River mainstem waters downstream of the Washington-Oregon state line, and fishery management decisions consider constituents across both states.
“Sockeye returns are tracking well-below what fishery managers forecasted before the season, which means fewer fish are available to support fisheries throughout the Columbia River system,” said Quinten Daugherty, acting Columbia River fisheries manager with WDFW. “These closures and reductions reflect a precautionary, in-season adjustment designed to align fisheries with current return data while preserving flexibility if conditions change as the run develops.”
WDFW fishery managers project the return of adult sockeye salmon to Bonneville Dam to be less than half of the pre-season forecast of 275,000 based on current run size information. At this early point in the season, fishery managers noted significant uncertainty around the run, including variability around the timing of its peak. Managers expect greater certainty in the overall run size in late June, which is typically when half of the run passes Bonneville Dam.
Managers may consider opportunities in the upper Columbia River later in the season if sufficient numbers of sockeye return above spawning and conservation needs. The Lake Wenatchee sockeye fishery may open if sockeye passage at Tumwater Dam exceeds the spawner target of 23,000 adult sockeye. Managers will also consider opportunities for a sockeye fishery at Brewster Pool.
“We understand anglers in the Upper Columbia are disappointed by these closures,” said Chad Jackson, North Central Region fish program manager. “A cautious approach gives us the best chance to preserve future fishing opportunity while we learn more about the size of the sockeye return. If the run develops at harvestable levels, we expect most additional opportunity would occur in the Upper Columbia River above the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco.”
Check the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet and WDFW’s emergency rules webpage and download the Fish Washington® mobile app for up-to-date regulations.
June 18, 2026 — 2026-2027 recreational salmon fishing season package approved
The 2026–2027 recreational salmon fishing season package was approved by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) on Thursday, June 11. The fishing rules will go into effect July 1, 2026.
The 2026–2027 sport fishing regulation pamphlet (PDF) will be available online by the end of the day on Thursday, June 18. Printed copies should be available at statewide license dealers and at WDFW offices by Friday, June 26. The Fish Washington® mobile app is also updated regularly including with emergency fishing rule changes.
The rules were adopted at the conclusion of the annual North of Falcon process, where state, federal and tribal fishery managers meet to plan the Northwest’s recreational and commercial salmon fisheries.
“If you attended a meeting, submitted comments, joined an advisory group discussion, or simply followed along, thank you,” said Kelly Cunningham, the WDFW fish program director. “Public input continues to be essential to the North of Falcon process.”
WDFW hosted more than a dozen in-person and hybrid North of Falcon meetings in spring 2026 to develop the annual salmon fishing seasons. A full North of Falcon timeline, including a public meeting schedule with opportunities to participate and provide public feedback, is available on WDFW’s North of Falcon webpage.
This year, over 1,000 total attendance was recorded across all virtual and in-person North of Falcon meetings, with many constituents joining multiple sessions. WDFW also received around 284 comments through the portal across three rulemakings — Puget Sound commercial, coastal commercial, and recreational fishing — during two comment periods, with some individuals submitting multiple comments on the same topic.
“The feedback we receive helps us better understand what you, the fishing community, value most, where opportunity matters most, and how different fishery concepts may affect fisheries across the state,” said Cunningham. “While we may not always be able to accommodate every request due to many factors, your perspectives directly inform the conversations and tradeoffs considered throughout the process.”
Here is a list of marine salmon fishing seasons:
· The western Strait of Juan de Fuca in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) is open from July 1 through July 31 for hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho fishing during odd-numbered days of the month. The summer Chinook legal-size encounter guideline is 4,323.
Marine Area 5 is open from Aug. 1 through Sept. 24 for hatchery coho fishing, then open from Sept. 25 through Oct. 15 for non-selective coho fishing. In 2027, hatchery Chinook fishing is open April 9–30 but could close sooner if quota or guideline measures are met.
· The eastern Strait in Marine Area 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca) — west of a true north/south line through the #2 Buoy immediately east of Ediz Hook — is open from July 1 through Aug. 15 for hatchery Chinook fishing. The summer Chinook legal-size encounter guideline is 10,952.
All of Marine Area 6 is open from July 1 through Sept. 24 for hatchery coho fishing, then open from Sept. 25 through Oct. 15 for non-selective coho fishing.
· Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) is open from July 16–18 only for hatchery Chinook fishing. The summer Chinook harvest quota is 2,181, the total unmarked encounter is 3,672, and the total sub-legal encounter is 2,429. Additional days are possible based on catch quota availability.
Marine Area 7 is open from July 16–18, and Aug. 1–31 for hatchery coho fishing, and then from Sept. 1–30 for non-selective coho fishing.
· Marine Area 8–1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) is open from Aug. 1 through Oct. 11 for non-selective coho fishing.
· Marine Area 8–2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) is open from Aug. 1 through Sept. 25 for non-selective coho fishing.
The Tulalip Terminal Area within Marine Area 8–2 is open Fridays and Saturdays only through Sept. 7 for Chinook fishing, then open Saturdays and Sundays only from Sept. 12–20 for Chinook fishing. The terminal area summer Chinook harvest quota is 600 (205 had been caught through June 13).
· Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) is open from July 16–18 only for hatchery Chinook fishing. The summer Chinook harvest quota is 2,650. Additional days are possible based on catch quota availability.
Marine Area 9 is open from July 16–18 and from Aug. 1 through Sept. 18 for hatchery coho fishing, and from Sept. 19–30 for non-selective coho fishing.
· Marine Area 10 (Seattle-Bremerton Area) is open July 23–25 only for hatchery Chinook fishing. The summer Chinook harvest quota is 1,300 and the total sub-legal encounter is 2,913. Additional days are possible based on catch quota availability.
Marine Area 10 is open daily through Nov. 15 for non-selective coho fishing. Chum retention fishing is open Oct. 1 through Nov. 15. In 2027, hatchery Chinook and non-selective coho fishing are open March 31 through April 30 but could close sooner if quota or guideline measures are met.
Elliott Bay within Marine Area 10 is open July 31 through noon on Aug. 3 for Chinook fishing, and additional openings are possible based on in-season updates. Elliott Bay is open daily through June 30, July 31 through noon on Aug. 3, and Sept. 1 through Nov. 15 for non-selective coho fishing.
· Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) is open through June 30 and from July 23-Sept. 30 for hatchery Chinook fishing. The Marine Area 11 Chinook fishery is managed under two separate summer quotas and guidelines. The June 1–30 summer Chinook harvest quota is 1,423 (504 had been caught through June 14), the total unmarked encounter is 820 (270 encountered through June 14), and the total sub-legal encounter is 2,186 (424 encountered through June 14). Beginning July 23, the summer Chinook harvest quota is 3,379, and the total sub-legal encounter is 5,105. Chinook retention may end sooner, if quota or guideline measures are met.
Marine Area 11 is open daily through June 30 and from July 23 through Nov. 15 for non-selective coho fishing. Chum retention fishing is open Oct. 1 through Nov. 15. In 2027, hatchery Chinook and non-selective coho fishing are open March 31 through April 30 but could close sooner if quota or guideline measures are met.
· Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal) north of Ayock Point is open from Aug. 1 through Oct. 31 for non-selective coho fishing. Marine Area 12 south of Ayock Point is open from July 1 through Sept. 30 for hatchery Chinook fishing, and from July 1 through Oct. 31 for non-selective coho fishing. All of Marine Area 12 is from Oct. 16 to Nov. 30 for chum retention fishing.
Fishing is only allowed from a floating device in waters north of the City of Tacoma overhead powerlines to an east/west line from the south end of Potlatch State Park day use area (47.359988, -123.157103) to the Union boat launch (47.357698, -123.100571), the flats in front of the mouth of the Skokomish River.
· Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) located south of the Tacoma-Narrows Bridge is open year-round for hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho fishing.
All Puget Sound seasonal salmon fishery guidelines and quotas are available on the WDFW seasonal Puget Sound salmon fishery guidelines and quotas webpage.
Additional salmon fisheries
The Bellingham Bay Chinook terminal fishery will begin on Aug. 1, which is two weeks earlier than in previous seasons. There will be a closure zone in Hales Pass during the August portion of the fishery.
The Baker Lake sockeye fishery is open from July 11 through Aug. 31, with the opening occurring regardless of how many fish are in the lake. The daily limit is four sockeye. Each angler aboard the vessel may deploy salmon angling gear until the daily limit for all anglers has been achieved.
The 2026 Baker sockeye forecast is 70,861 — another strong return which should generate great fishing in the Skagit River and Baker Lake. The 2025 sockeye forecast was 60,214 and the in-season return was around 92,000, which was a new record return. The 2026 sockeye forecast is 67% over the recent 10-year average.
The increasing popularity of the Baker Lake sockeye fishery means anglers must recreate responsibly and be good stewards of water access areas and campgrounds to help preserve this fishing opportunity for the future. WDFW, the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), Puget Sound Energy (PSE), and co-manager tribes have discussed challenges this growing fishery can present for the limited boat ramps, campgrounds, restrooms, and trash removal available around this relatively remote lake, particularly following reductions in national forest staffing and maintenance budgets.
Baker sockeye anglers should be prepared for mandatory aquatic invasive species (AIS) inspections before launching watercraft, expect limited restrooms and other facilities, and pack-out their trash if bins are full or not available at campgrounds and water access areas. Tips for recreating responsibly outdoors are available at the Recreate Responsibly website.
The ocean salmon season opens Saturday, June 20, and includes an overall recreational Chinook quota of 54,000 (53,750 in 2025) and an overall hatchery-marked coho quota of 102,900 (99,720 in 2025) for Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco), Marine Area 2 (Westport-Ocean Shores), Marine Area 3 (La Push), and Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay). Refer to the WDFW ocean salmon fishing news release or The Salmon Fishing Current blog: summer and fall 2026 edition for additional information.
Salmon anglers planning a trip for the ocean opener should review the weather forecast and water conditions before heading out by going to the National Weather Service Marine Forecast website for updates. Elevated seas and winds are expected to continue through the weekend.
A good number of westside rivers including some sections of the Columbia River are currently open for summer salmon fishing opportunities. More statewide rivers are set to open later this summer and fall. Anglers should check the regulation pamphlet for details.
WDFW encourages anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website prior to fishing. Check the 2026–2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for details on definitions and regulations and includes all other statewide recreational salmon fisheries.
June 17, 2026 — Marine Area 11 (Tacoma and Vashon Island Area) hatchery Chinook daily limit increased to two
Salmon anglers in Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) will be allowed to retain up to two hatchery Chinook as part of their two-fish daily limit from June 18 through June 30.
The Chinook minimum size is 22 inches, and all other salmon species have no minimum size, release chum and wild Chinook.
Catch estimates for the Marine Area 11 June Chinook fishery indicate it has reached 35% of the harvest quota (504 of 1,423), 33% of the unmarked encounter limit (270 of 820) and 19% of sublegal encounter limit (424 of 2,186), through June 14.
The decision to increase the daily limit in this early-summer salmon fishery, which began June 1, was based on estimates to date. Fishery managers project that sufficient catch and encounters remain under fishery guidelines to allow retention of more than one Chinook per day.
The Marine Area 11 Chinook fishery is managed under two separate summer quotas and guidelines. A second window of opportunity opens on July 23 through Sept. 30. Beginning July 23, the summer Chinook harvest quota is 3,379, and the total sub-legal encounter — fish under the 22-inch keeper size limit — is 5,105. Chinook retention may end early, if quota or guideline measures are met.
Commencement Bay east of a line from Cliff House Restaurant to Sperry Ocean Dock is closed to fishing for or retention of salmon through July 31.
Year-round salmon fishing piers in Marine Area 11 are Des Moines Pier, Les Davis Pier, Point Defiance Dock, and Redondo Pier and remain open seven days per week.
WDFW encourages anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website prior to fishing. Check the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for details on definitions and regulations and includes all other statewide recreational salmon fisheries.
David Bergeron.
June 17, 2026 — Ocean salmon fishing at Ilwaco, Westport-Ocean Shores, La Push, and Neah Bay (Marine Areas 1, 2, 3, and 4) opens Saturday, June 20
Recreational anglers will have the opportunity to reel in a salmon off the Washington coast beginning Saturday, June 20 at Ilwaco, Westport-Ocean Shores, La Push, and Neah Bay (Marine Areas 1, 2, 3, and 4).
The Pacific Fishery Management Council (PFMC) approved a recreational Chinook catch quota of 54,000 fish, up slightly from last year’s quota of 53,750. The PFMC, which establishes fishing seasons in ocean waters three to 200 miles off the Pacific coast, also adopted a quota of 102,900 hatchery-marked coho for this year’s recreational ocean fishery up from last year’s quota of 99,720.
“These quotas represent strong forecasts for key Chinook and coho stocks that drive fisheries off the Washington coast and should provide good recreational fishing opportunity in the ocean this summer,” said Kyle Adicks, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) intergovernmental salmon manager.
WDFW may use in-season management to sustain season length and keep harvest within the overall Chinook and hatchery-marked coho recreational total allowable catches in all four marine areas. These areas could close earlier if the respective guideline or quota is met.
Salmon anglers planning a trip for the ocean opener on Saturday, June 20 should review the weather forecast and water conditions before heading out by going to the National Weather Service Marine Forecast website for updates.
Season details are listed below:
- Open seven days per week beginning June 20 to Sept. 30. The daily limit is two salmon, and only one may be a Chinook. Anglers must release wild coho. The Chinook minimum size is 22 inches, and the hatchery-marked coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size.
- The Columbia River Control Zone is closed to salmon fishing, except from the north jetty when adjacent waters north of the Control Zone are open to salmon fishing or the Buoy 10 fishery is open to salmon fishing.
The Marine Area 1 Chinook guideline is 16,780 (16,600 in 2025) and the hatchery coho quota is 51,450 (49,860 in 2025).
Marine Area 2 (Westport-Ocean Shores)
- Open seven days per week beginning June 20 to June 28. The daily limit is one salmon. Anglers must release all coho. The Chinook minimum size is 22 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size.
- Open seven days per week beginning June 29 to Sept. 30. The daily limit is two salmon, and only one may be a Chinook. Anglers must release wild coho. The Chinook minimum size is 22 inches, and the hatchery-marked coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size.
The Marine Area 2 Chinook guideline is 21,910 (22,270 in 2025) and the hatchery coho quota is 38,070 (36,900 in 2025).
Salmon fishing seasons in Willapa Bay (Marine Area 2–1), Grays Harbor (Marine Area 2–2), and Westport Boat Basin and Ocean Shores Boat Basin, will be listed in the 2026–2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
- Open seven days per week beginning June 20 to June 30. The daily limit is one salmon. Anglers must release all coho. The Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size.
- Open seven days per week beginning July 1 to Sept. 30. The daily limit is two salmon. Anglers must release wild coho. The Chinook minimum size is 24 inches, and the hatchery-marked coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size. Anglers must release chum beginning Aug. 1.
The Marine Area 3 Chinook guideline is 2,200 (2,280 in 2025) and the hatchery coho quota is 2,680 (2,590 in 2025).
- Open seven days per week beginning June 20 to June 30. The daily limit is one salmon. Anglers must release all coho. The Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size.
- Open seven days per week beginning July 1 to Sept. 30. The daily limit is two salmon. Anglers must release wild coho. The Chinook minimum size is 24 inches, and the hatchery-marked coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species have no minimum size.
- No Chinook retention east of Bonilla-Tatoosh line beginning Aug. 1. Anglers must release chum beginning Aug. 1. Waters east of a true north-south line running through Sail Rock are closed in June and July. Kydaka Point Area (area bounded by a line from Kydaka Point to Shipwreck Point) closed to salmon fishing through Aug. 15.
The Marine Area 4 Chinook guideline is 13,110 Chinook (12,600 in 2025) and the hatchery coho quota is 10,700 (10,370 in 2025).
Throughout the summer, anglers can check WDFW’s webpage for ocean salmon catch updates.
June 2, 2026 — Snohomish Basin salmon, steelhead fisheries closed to protect wild Chinook
Conservation and recovery of wild Chinook salmon returning to the Snohomish River and its tributaries — including the Skykomish and Snoqualmie — was an important issue the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and tribal co-managers evaluated and discussed with anglers, guides, and advisors during the 2026 North of Falcon process.
In 2026, fewer than 3,500 natural origin (or wild) Chinook are forecasted to return to the entire Snohomish Basin.
Given the need to protect and conserve these endangered Chinook, the mainstem Skykomish, Snoqualmie below Snoqualmie Falls, and several other rivers in this watershed will be closed to fishing in summer and fall 2026 to support Chinook conservation.
A Skykomish River emergency fishing rule change published June 2 overrides salmon, steelhead, and game fish seasons listed in the 2025–2026 Washington Sport Fishing Rules, including previously planned fisheries for Chinook returning to the Wallace River Hatchery and steelhead returning to the Reiter Ponds Hatchery.
Refer to WDFW’s blog post for more information on this fishing closure and conservation measures to protect natural origin Chinook in the Snohomish Basin.
May 20, 2026 — Updates on recreational salmon fishing opportunities in Puget Sound freshwater and marine areas
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced several salmon fishing opportunities in Puget Sound freshwater and marine areas beginning in May, and more are planned to open in early June.
The Tulalip Terminal Area marine area hatchery Chinook salmon fishery opens this Saturday, May 22 through Sept. 7 (except closed on June 6) with fishing allowed on Fridays and Saturdays only. This emergency rule is necessary to set salmon seasons in the Tulalip Terminal Area within Catch Record Card Marine Area 8–2 as agreed to during the 2026–2027 North of Falcon season setting process.
The Tulalip Terminal Area cover waters within Marine Area 8–2 west of Tulalip Bay and within 2,000 feet of shore from the pilings at Old Bower’s Resort to a fishing boundary marker approximately 1.4 miles northwest of Hermosa Point and not including waters east of a line drawn from Mission Point to Hermosa Point. The Tulalip Terminal Area is also known as the “Tulalip Bubble.”
Anglers fishing outside of the Tulalip Terminal Area boundaries may be cited for fishing in closed waters. The Tulalip Terminal Area will close once the harvest quota of 600 Chinook is reached. The Chinook minimum size is 22 inches, and other salmon species have no minimum size. The daily limit is one. Release chum, coho, and wild Chinook. Anglers may fish with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement.
Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) will open daily for salmon fishing from June 1–30, as agreed with co-managers during the 2026 North of Falcon season setting process.
In Marine Area 11, the Chinook minimum size is 22 inches. All other salmon species, no minimum size. The daily limit is two including no more than one Chinook. Release chum and wild Chinook. Commencement Bay (east of a line from Cliff House Restaurant to Sperry Ocean Dock) is closed to fishing for or retention of salmon.
WDFW will monitor the June Marine Area 11 Chinook fishery, and it could close sooner in order to stay within the quota and/or other guidelines. The Marine Area 11 Chinook fishery is managed under two separate summer quotas, and a second window of opportunity is proposed to begin on July 23.
Year-round piers in Marine Area 11 (Des Moines Pier, Les Davis Pier, Point Defiance Park Boathouse Dock, and Redondo Pier) remain open seven days per week. Other select Puget Sound piers are open year-round for salmon and for details, refer to the regulation pamphlet. Check for emergency fishing rules on the WDFW website before fishing.
Other recent salmon fishing rule changes
· The Upper Skagit River from the Highway 530 Bridge at Rockport to the Cascade River Road (Marblemount Bridge) — Catch Record Code (CRC) 830 — is open daily for hatchery spring Chinook through July 15, but the game fish season remains closed until June 1. The minimum size is 12 inches. The daily limit is four including no more than two adult fish. Release all other salmon other than hatchery Chinook. A night closure and anti-snagging rules are in effect.
In the Upper Skagit River, a harvestable number of hatchery spring Chinook are forecast to return to Marblemount Hatchery. Anglers are reminded to please attempt to avoid spawning steelhead. This area of the Upper Skagit River is opening to hatchery spring Chinook earlier than past seasons and there will be actively spawning steelhead in the open area.
Anglers are asked to cooperate with creel personnel collecting catch information. Monitoring and evaluation of fisheries is an important part of ensuring we are meeting our conservation goals for salmon.
· The Cascade River from the mouth to Rockport-Cascade Road Bridge will open for hatchery spring Chinook from May 22 through May 26 (closed to all fishing from May 27-June 2) and open from June 3 through July 15 with fishing allowed on Wednesdays to Saturdays only. The minimum size is 12 inches. The daily limit is four including no more than two adult fish. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. A night closure and anti-snagging rules are in effect.
In the Cascade River, a harvestable number of hatchery spring Chinook are forecast to return to Marblemount Hatchery. Closure days from Sundays to Tuesdays are to prevent gear conflicts with tribal fisheries.
Note: Dolly Varden/bull trout release in the Cascade River will be required during open salmon seasons when game fish seasons open beginning July 1 and will be reflected in the upcoming 2026–2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet. Also, the area from the upstream side of the Rockport-Cascade Road Bridge to 300 feet upstream is closed waters due to enforcement issues.
This opening schedule on the Cascade River provides sport fishing opportunity over Memorial Day Weekend. Anglers are asked to cooperate with creel personnel collecting catch information. Monitoring and evaluation of fisheries is an important part of ensuring we are meeting our conservation goals for salmon.
· The North Fork Nooksack River from the Highway 9 Bridge to the yellow marker at the upstream side of Kendall Creek Hatchery property will open for hatchery spring Chinook from May 23 through June 30. The minimum size is 12 inches. The daily limit is two. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. A night closure and anti-snagging rules are in effect.
The hatchery spring Chinook forecast is sufficient to allow in-river harvest opportunity. This fishery will be actively monitored and may close earlier if the total encounters agreed to are reached. Anglers are asked to cooperate with creel personnel collecting catch information.
The tentative proposed 2026–2027 salmon fishing season package was finalized in mid-April but won’t be officially adopted until sometime in mid-June. The rules set by WDFW were submitted to the National Marine Fisheries Service within the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries on May 6.
NOAA Fisheries implements the actions through its regulatory channels under the Endangered Species Act and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act. Proposed fisheries are not finalized for the 2026–2027 salmon season until NOAA Fisheries approves them.
WDFW will host a virtual public hearing from 10 a.m.-12 p.m. on Tuesday, June 9 and take additional public comments. Pre-registration is required via WDFW’s events webpage. Final regulations will be adopted subsequent to that hearing and signed off by the WDFW Director around mid-June. For a list of the 2026–2027 proposed statewide salmon fisheries and the List of Agreed Fisheries, refer to the WDFW NOF webpage.
The 2026–2027 sport fishing regulation pamphlet should be posted online around June 18. Printed copies should arrive at license dealers and at WDFW offices around June 26. The Fish Washington® mobile app is also updated regularly including with emergency fishing rule changes.
May 19, 2026 — An angler’s guide to catch sampling
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) uses catch sampling, on-the-water and aerial surveys, onboard observations and/or test fishing to support effective fishery monitoring
During recreational fishing seasons, WDFW catch samplers (also commonly referred to as creel samplers or fish checkers) collect data at water access sites that are vital to maintaining angling opportunities. Catch samplers help to inform valuable fisheries management considerations for salmon populations in our local waters, including insights into the salmon species’ life history, migration, growth, and abundance.
Anglers can easily spot WDFW catch samplers by their agency logo or a bright reflective orange vest. These catch samplers collect data at boat ramps and marinas, mainly during salmon fishing seasons in marine and freshwater areas. They also collect data for steelhead, sturgeon, halibut, trout, bottomfish, and Dungeness crab as well as other migratory fish and game fish species.
Catch sampling is one way fishery managers monitor fisheries to comply with state and federal mandates, meet recreational harvest objectives, and ensure the long-term conservation of fish populations.
“We want to remind all anglers that they too play a role in ensuring we have sustainable fisheries,” said Lt. Kit Rosenberger with WDFW Police. “Part of the role of anglers is complying with WDFW sampling staff in the field. Preventing Department employees from carrying out their data collection duties can have legal consequences.”
WDFW catch samplers may ask a few questions about what time each angler started fishing and when they stopped fishing, and about salmon and other fish species they kept or released. During interviews, catch samplers will often ask the number of anglers fishing in each boat and the area(s) fished. If anglers keep salmon, the catch sampler may take measurements of the fish and collect scale and/or tissue samples.
In some cases, when an interviewed party possesses Chinook or coho salmon, and occasionally steelhead, catch samplers will inspect the fish’s head for a coded wire tag (CWT) by using a wand tag detector and then collect the snout from the CWT-positive fish for later lab processing. Each CWT (a small piece of stainless-steel wire about one millimeter long, usually inserted into the snout of juvenile salmon), can tell fishery managers which hatchery the fish came from and when and where it was released.
Fishery managers use the CWT information to estimate the proportion of a salmon stock that anglers harvest within a fishery (known as an exploitation rate). CWT information can also help fishery managers to track a salmon population’s survival rate, abundance, and distribution to inform estimates about how many fish in each stock anglers harvested for each fishery.
While the number varies some in a typical year, WDFW will tag approximately 22 million juvenile Chinook, coho and steelhead, and this includes some tribal, federal and local programs. Refer to the Regional Mark Information System website for additional CWT information.
On April 1, 2026, WDFW implemented a new electronic catch record card (eCRC) system. As part of this new system, WDFW catch samplers will ask anglers if they’re using paper or mobile reporting, plus some additional questions to better understand angler adoption and verification of the new eCRC system.
Answers to frequently asked questions about catch sampling
· What data does WDFW get from taking the fish scales? Do you do this for both Chinook and coho?
Scales are typically taken to identify the age of the fish. Catch sampling staff take the scales from landed Chinook but on occasion will take them from coho depending on studies going on at the time.
· What happens if a person refuses to let WDFW catch sampling staff inspect their catch? Is there a penalty or fine that the person receives?
Catch samplers mark the interview as “uncooperative.” It’s illegal for an angler to not surrender their catch for sampling and tag recovery to catch samplers.
It is also unlawful for any person to fail to relinquish any fish tag or any part of a salmon or other food fish containing coded wire tags upon request to WDFW, including but not limited to, the snouts of those salmon that are marked by having clipped adipose fins.
Negative or threatening treatment of WDFW catch sampling staff may affect the ability to conduct sampling programs and to offer future fishery opportunities.
If you witness or encounter any types of incidents, please contact the WILDCOMM Communications Center at WILDCOMM@dfw.wa.gov or 360–902–2936 Option 1.
· What happens if someone brings in a fish they’re not supposed to?
Illegally retained fish are sampled and/or counted. The sampler will tell the angler that it’s illegal catch as educational outreach. Most of the time this is done by mistake — either reading the rules incorrectly identifying the species or incorrectly measuring the fish.
· Why does WDFW keep track of salmon encounters? Why do catch samplers ask if anglers caught any dogfish, rockfish, other fish species or birds as well?
Encounters or releases have mortalities associated with them which must be estimated and recorded to ensure anglers do not exceed a fish stock. WDFW collects information of the impact of angling in general, not just on salmon.
· Does WDFW collect data from fish harvested in commercial fisheries?
WDFW works closely with commercial fishers to collect and analyze critical data from fish harvested or encountered in commercial fisheries. Like in recreational fisheries, data collected from commercial fisheries provide insights into the age, genetic makeup, and migration patterns of fish populations. These data inform WDFW’s decisions about when and where fisheries can operate. Learn more about how data collection from commercial fisheries helps guide fisheries management in our blog post.
Other ways WDFW monitors fisheries
Catch sampling is just one tool in WDFW’s toolbox to monitor fisheries. Other methods include:
On-the-water boat surveys — WDFW implements on-the-water interviews with anglers to inform the distribution of angler effort across access points within a defined fishing area. During each survey, field staff systematically record all active angling vessels within a specified marine area and season, recording each party’s intended departure and return location.
This data characterizes the suite of access sites that anglers use and provides angler counts per site. The results typically comprise the top two to six highest-use sites, which informs where WDFW focuses its catch sampling efforts Furthermore, boat survey data helps to supplement fishing effort estimations, particularly for low-use or unsampled areas, which WDFW then integrates into its total effort calculations to improve the accuracy and reliability of the data.
Aerial surveys — WDFW conducts aerial effort surveys in Marine Area 6 (East Juan de Fuca Strait), Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), and in Columbia River, Puget Sound, and Washington Coast river systems where boat surveys are not feasible. In the marine area, many boats would be needed to cover these areas simultaneously, which is logistically difficult. Boating conditions can also be unsafe at times. During aerial surveys, surveyors count the location and total number of recreational fishing boats or anglers participating in a fishery.
The Department stations catch samplers at three to four of the highest use land-based access sites in those marine areas. Paired with the dockside interviews, the aerial surveys provide additional information on the proportion of the total fishery effort that comes out of non-sampled sites. WDFW then expands the observed dockside counts to fishery-wide totals.
In the Columbia River, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) conducts aerial surveys to estimate fishing effort from the mouth of the river up to Bonneville Dam. This data is shared with WDFW as the lower Columbia River is jointly managed by both states. WDFW and ODFW assign catch samplers at specific sections on each state’s respective side of the river on a daily basis. Each section will include bank angling areas and marinas/ boat launches where the catch samplers will conduct interviews with anglers. Like in the marine areas, the aerial survey paired with the catch sampler interviews provide additional information on the total fishery effort.
The Department also uses helicopters to support salmon fisheries monitoring occurring in river systems, including angler effort estimations, which may also include vehicle/trailer counts, depending on each fishery and access.
By monitoring for all species encountered, WDFW is improving an understanding of fishery impacts across a range of water bodies and fishery stocks of management concern.
Onboard Observing — WDFW conducts onboard observations on the ocean in Marine Areas 1, 2, 3, and 4 (Ilwaco, Westport-Ocean Shores, La Push, and Neah Bay) relying on samplers and charters that target salmon. WDFW catch samplers will ride along on charter trips and record the species, mark status, size category, and result of each hook-up by recreational anglers aboard the vessel. WDFW uses this data to estimate encounter rates for Chinook and coho (by size/mark status) and drop-off rates. Fishery managers also use this data to compare Chinook and coho encounter rates to data from dockside interviews and Voluntary Trip Reports (VTR). Additionally, fishery managers can draw comparisons between observed release data with the predictions they use in ocean fishery preseason modeling. WDFW collects this data during mark selective fisheries specifically and uses it to validate assumptions in preseason modeling and to estimate incidental mortality for postseason reporting.
Test fishing — WDFW conducts a variety of test fisheries using a suite of gears and/or fishing methods to collect biological information.
In Puget Sound, WDFW uses test fishing to obtain accurate estimates of the size (legal and sub-legal) and the distribution of hatchery and wild Chinook and coho population being targeted within a specific fishery.
WDFW conducts test fishing throughout the fishery seasons. Test fishery staff spend about five days each week on the water mimicking the gear and methods employed by the recreational fishing fleet. For each salmon they catch, test fishers record the time they caught it, its species, and whether it’s a hatchery (marked with a missing adipose fin) or natural origin fish. For all Chinook, test fishery staff record the fork length and total length and collect DNA and scale samples. Other data collected as of 2022 includes information on pinniped predation, hooking location on the fish, fishing gear type and size, and hook size.
In the Columbia River, fishery managers use a spring Chinook tangle net test fishery to assess stock/species composition as well as run timing of fish destined for above Bonneville dam. This fishery occurs one day a week during the spring season, primarily March — May. Test fishers examine every salmon, steelhead, and sturgeon for mark status, length, and coded-wire tag (CWT) and/or passive integrated transponder (PIT) tag. Test fishers collect other samples, like DNA from Chinook and steelhead.
WDFW encourages anglers to submit Voluntary Trip Reports
WDFW fishery managers continue to call on all salmon anglers to submit Voluntary Trip Reports (VTR) for Puget Sound and ocean fisheries, to help to increase the amount of data available for management. These trip reports provide critical information which help maintain and potentially increase selective Chinook and coho fishing opportunities. Trip reports are just one tool in a suite of options fisheries managers use to collect fishery data for Puget Sound and ocean salmon fisheries. Without selective fishing and the VTR program, seasons would likely be significantly shorter.
Voluntary Trip Reports may be used alongside onboard observer and test fishing data to provide the proportion of each of the four size/mark categories of fish: legal size clipped, sublegal size clipped, legal size unclipped and sublegal size unclipped. Other monitoring tools include dockside sampling and boat surveys. You may still be asked questions about your catch at the dock by catch samplers and still need to fill out your Catch Record Card. Your catch is not being double counted because the information used from the VTR form is the proportion and not numbers of fish.
Anglers are asked to complete the Voluntary Trip Report Form online as soon as possible upon completing their fishing trip. If angler is unable to fill it out online, they can return the completed VTR form using any of the following methods:
- Give the form directly to a WDFW catch sampler stationed at the boat ramp.
- Return via US mail (the VTR forms come pre-addressed with postage paid).
- Insert the form into a VTR collection box located at the boat ramp or in the fishing resort, if available.
- Scan or take a high-resolution photo and email to VTR@dfw.wa.gov.
Anglers can complete the Voluntary Trip Report Form online or visit the WDFW website to download a paper copy.
For more information about fisheries management, refer to WDFW’s managing fish populations webpage and WDFW Fisheries Monitoring: 2024 Report to the Legislature.
