May 12, 2023
Action: Closes all fishing.
Species affected: All species.
Effective dates and locations:
- Closed to all fishing until further notice:
- Snohomish River, from mouth upstream.
- Snoqualmie River, from mouth to Snoqualmie Falls.
- Skykomish River, North Fork.
- Skykomish River, South Fork, from mouth to 600’ downstream of Sunset Falls fishway.
- Cherry Creek.
- Raging River.
- Sultan River.
- Tolt River, from mouth to confluence of North and South Forks.
- Wallace River, from mouth to 200’ upstream of water intake of salmon hatchery.
- Closed to all fishing beginning May 30, 2023, until further notice. Open May 27 through May 29, 2023, under rules listed in 2022/23 Washington Sportfishing Rules pamphlet:
- Skykomish River, from mouth to Highway US2 Bridge (above Big Eddy).
Reason for action: Limited allowable take of wild Chinook salmon in the Snohomish system necessitates strict controls to conserve impacts for pink and coho salmon fisheries this fall.
Additional information: The Snohomish wild Chinook salmon population saw a record low return of 1,023 in 2019—the year when dominant age class four-year old Chinook salmon returning in 2023 would have been hatched—there is now significant concern for a poor return of wild Chinook salmon to the Snohomish and its tributaries this year. See also, https://wdfw.medium.com/snohomish-basin-salmon-steelhead-fisheries-limited-to-protect-wild-chinook-f0b21fbec6c.
Skykomish River, from U.S. Hwy. 2 upstream to the forks, will open as scheduled, fishing from floating device and bait prohibited.
Information contact: Team Mill Creek, 425-775-1311.