Quillayute River system closes to fishing beginning July 15

OLYMPIA – With spring and summer Chinook salmon returning in lower numbers than expected, the Quillayute river system – including the Bogachiel, Calawah, Dickey, Sitkum, and Sol Duc rivers, as well as Thunder Creek – will close to all fishing beginning Saturday, July 15. 

Fishery managers with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the Quileute Tribe determined that the systemwide closure was necessary as returns continue to track below preseason expectations. Only 47 Chinook had returned to the Sol Duc Hatchery as of July 12, far below the needed escapement of 900 fish. On average, about half the run has returned to the hatchery by mid-July. 

“It’s never an easy decision to close a fishery, but we always have to put conservation first, and the low numbers of Chinook returning so far this year are very concerning,” said Jennifer Whitney, WDFW fish biologist. “We need to make sure that as many fish as possible return to the hatchery for the rest of the summer.” 

The following rivers and areas will close to fishing as of July 15: 

• Bogachiel River (Clallam Co.), including all tributaries, from the mouth upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary 

• Calawah River, (Clallam Co.), including all tributaries, from the mouth upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary 

• Calawah River, North Fork (Clallam Co.), including all tributaries, from the mouth upstream 

• Calawah River, South Fork (Clallam Co.), from the mouth upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary 

• Dickey River (Clallam Co.) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream including all tributaries and the East and West forks 

• Quillayute River (Clallam Co.), from Olympic National Park boundary upstream to confluence of Sol Duc and Bogachiel rivers 

• Sitkum River (Clallam Co.), including all tributaries, from the mouth upstream 

• Sol Duc River (Clallam Co.), including all tributaries, from the mouth upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary 

• Thunder Creek (Clallam Co.), including all tributaries, from the mouth upstream 

Anglers should be sure to monitor WDFW’s emergency fishing rules page for potential updates to this and other fisheries across the state, or subscribe to email updates. For information on fishing inside Olympic National Park, visit the fishing webpage. 

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife works to preserve, protect, and perpetuate fish, wildlife and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish, wildlife, and recreational and commercial opportunities.