October 20, 2023
Action: Temporarily opens salmon seasons. Temporarily reopens gamefish seasons as listed in the 2023/24 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Effective dates: Oct. 23 through Oct. 31, 2023. All species closed until further notice, beginning Nov. 1.
Species affected: All species.
Location and rules:
Skykomish River (Snohomish County) from mouth to confluence of north and south forks:
- Oct. 23 through Oct. 31, 2023: Salmon minimum size is 12 inches. Daily limit is two (2). Release Chinook and chum. Barbless hooks required. Gamefish is open under rules listed in 2023/24 2023/24 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet.
Reason for action: As the end of the Chinook spawn timing approaches, enough Chinook encounters remain to allow for a limited salmon fishery targeting coho in this area.
Additional information: Please stay tuned for further updates. Fishery managers will monitor the fishery closely and may adjust seasons accordingly. Anglers are encouraged to sign up for fishery changes at email notification through WDFW Regulation Updates and be sure to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website prior to fishing. Consider downloading the Fish Washington mobile app.
Additionally, NOAA Fisheries recently announced that the Snohomish River coho population has been rebuilt to a sustainable level after being declared overfished in 2018. A combination of responsive fishery management and habitat restoration helped to rebuild this iconic fish population. This change in status for Snohomish wild coho will allow salmon co-managers greater flexibility in setting fishing and harvest opportunities upon this stock during future seasons.
Information contact: Fish Program, 360-902-2700.