Baker sockeye are native to Baker Lake and Baker River, a tributary to the Skagit River. Each year, sockeye returning to the lake are trapped below two dams before they are transported above the facilities where they are placed at artificial spawning beaches, used for production at the lake’s hatchery facility, or released into Baker Lake to spawn naturally.
Natural spawning takes place mostly in seeps and springs at the head end of the lake and in the lower Baker River, although some sockeye may also enter other tributaries. Fry from the artificial spawning beaches and from hatchery production are released into Baker Lake and Shannon Lake, where they rear naturally.
At the smolt stage, sockeye are captured at both the lower and upper dams and released downstream for their seaward journey.
Baker River 2020
To ensure conservation objectives are met, the 2020 Baker Lake fishery is now closed.
Anglers should regularly check the WDFW emergency rule updates webpage for the latest information. The webpage can be found at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/.
Puget Sound Energy employees operate and maintain the facilities at the Baker River Project under the directives of WDFW and tribal co-managers. These facilities not only include the hatchery and spawning beaches, but also an upstream trap-and-haul facility, and floating surface collectors for juvenile fish at Baker Lake and Lake Shannon.
Hatchery broodstock and natural spawner schedule
Fish that return to the Baker trap are prioritized to first meet our hatchery broodstock needs. Once the hatchery goal is met for the week, all remaining fish are transferred to Baker lake for the recreational fishery and to meet natural spawning goals in the lake.
2020 Hatchery Broodstock collection (8,500) and natural spawner collection (1,500) schedule
| Week | Total Broodstock Only Collection | Cumulative Total Collection |
|---|---|---|
| 6/8 - 6/14 | 0 | 2 |
| 6/15 - 6/21 | 23 | 56 |
| 6/22 - 6/28 | 302 | 515 |
| 6/29 - 7/05 | 938 | 1,351 |
| 7/6 - 7/12 | 1824 | 2,422 |
| 7/13 - 7/19 | 2375 | 2,712 |
| 7/20 - 7/26 | 1595 | 1,630 |
| 7/27 - 8/2 | 853 | 804 |
| 8/3 - 8/9 | 378 | 313 |
| 8/10 - 8/16 | 128 | 109 |
| 8/17 - 8/23 | 50 | 54 |
| 8/24 - 8/30 | 32 | 32 |
| After 8/31 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 8500 | 10,000 |
Sockeye returns
Adult Baker sockeye enter the trap from mid-June to mid-October. Numbers of returning fish peak in mid-July. Spawning occurs from mid-September through December, peaking from late September to late November.
2020 daily counts
| Date | Baker Lake | Broodstock | Spawn Beach | Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6/1 - 6/9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6/10 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6/11-6/12 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 2 |
| 6/13 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 |
| 6/14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6/15 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6/16 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 6/17 | 0 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| 6/18 | 0 | 6 | 7 | 13 |
| 6/19 | 6 | 0 | 2 | 8 |
| 6/20 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 6/21 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 5 |
| 6/22 | 0 | 18 | 0 | 18 |
| 6/23 | 0 | 28 | 0 | 28 |
| 6/24 | 0 | 30 | 0 | 30 |
| 6/25 | 0 | 53 | 0 | 53 |
| 6/26 | 0 | 39 | 0 | 39 |
| 6/27 | 0 | 13 | 30 | 43 |
| 6/28 | 0 | 0 | 17 | 17 |
| 6/29 | 0 | 69 | 0 | 69 |
| 6/30 | 0 | 23 | 0 | 23 |
| 7/1 | 0 | 54 | 0 | 54 |
| 7/2 | 0 | 219 | 0 | 219 |
| 7/3 | 0 | 198 | 7 | 205 |
| 7/4 | 0 | 0 | 224 | 224 |
| 7/5 | 0 | 0 | 218 | 218 |
| 7/6 | 0 | 302 | 0 | 303 |
| 7/7 | 0 | 788 | 0 | 788 |
| 7/8 | 176 | 4 | 730 | 911 |
| 7/9 | 930 | 0 | 0 | 931 |
| 7/10 | 623 | 0 | 0 | 623 |
| 7/11 | 568 | 0 | 0 | 568 |
| 7/12 | 354 | 0 | 0 | 354 |
| 7/13 | 0 | 1,198 | 0 | 1,198 |
| 7/14 | 0 | 229 | 863 | 1,092 |
| 7/15 | 1,052 | 0 | 87 | 1,139 |
| 7/16 | 1,156 | 0 | 0 | 1,156 |
| 7/17 | 780 | 0 | 0 | 780 |
| 7/18 | 789 | 0 | 0 | 790 |
| 7/19 | 221 | 0 | 0 | 223 |
| 7/20 | 0 | 912 | 0 | 915 |
| 7/21 | 0 | 45 | 417 | 464 |
| 7/22 | 72 | 0 | 221 | 293 |
| 7/23 | 181 | 0 | 0 | 183 |
| 7/24 | 38 | 0 | 0 | 38 |
| 7/25 | 225 | 0 | 0 | 225 |
| 7/26 | 202 | 0 | 0 | 202 |
| 7/27 | 0 | 165 | 0 | 168 |
| 7/28 | 0 | 91 | 0 | 91 |
| 7/29 | 0 | 116 | 0 | 116 |
| 7/30 | 0 | 104 | 0 | 104 |
| 7/31 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 90 |
| 8/1 | 0 | 40 | 0 | 40 |
| 8/2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8/3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 103 |
| 8/4 | 0 | 161 | 0 | 161 |
| 8/5 | 0 | 61 | 37 | 98 |
| 8/6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 8/7 | 0 | 0 | 23 | 23 |
| 8/8 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 |
| 8/9 | 0 | 0 | 32 | 32 |
| 8/10 | 0 | 32 | 0 | 32 |
| Total number of fish transferred to Baker Lake | 7,384 | - | - | - |
| Total number of fish transferred to Broodstock | - | 5,006 | - | - |
| Total number of fish transferred to Spawning beach | - | - | 2,923 | - |
| Cumulative Total number of fish | - | - | - | 15,522 |
Baker River sockeye salmon trap counts
On touch devices, tap the data point to see the exact date and count. To zoom in or out on the chart, spread or pinch the chart area. Tap and drag the graph to pan the data left or right.
To view and compare counts from previous years, click/tap the year in the legend below the chart to toggle it on or off.
Baker River sockeye salmon trap counts by year
| Year | Trap Count |
|---|---|
| 2019 | 13,013 |
| 2018 | 17,577 |
| 2017 | 16,704 |
| 2016 | 24,989 |
| 2015 | 31,928 |
| 2014 | 13,788 |
| 2013 | 12,534 |
| 2012 | 28,410 |
| 2011 | 27,195 |
| 2010 | 14,239 |
| 2009 | 6,486 |
| 2008 | 3,211 |
| 2007 | 2,763 |
| 2006 | 8,325 |
| 2005 | 3,191 |
| 2004 | 9,106 |
| 2003 | 20,235 |
| 2002 | 4,021 |
| 2001 | 4,942 |
| 2000 | 10,384 |
| 1999 | 4,654 |
| 1998 | 13,187 |
| 1997 | 7,099 |
| 1996 | 7,769 |
| 1995 | 2,181 |
| 1994 | 15,991 |
| 1993 | 3,818 |
| 1992 | 2,443 |
| 1991 | 480 |
| 1990 | 1,977 |
| 1989 | 536 |
| 1988 | 818 |
| 1987 | 683 |
| 1986 | 542 |
| 1985 | 99 |
| 1984 | 358 |
| 1983 | 735 |
| 1982 | 1,869 |
| 1981 | 208 |
| 1980 | 499 |
| 1979 | 865 |
| 1978 | 2,716 |
| 1977 | 1,707 |
| 1976 | 1,518 |
| 1975 | 1,303 |
| 1974 | 3,611 |
| 1973 | 3,656 |
| 1972 | 10,031 |
| 1971 | 2,931 |
| 1970 | 821 |