Discover Coastal Washington

New to fishing in Washington? Check out our Fish Washington blog post for a guide on how to get started. 

2024-25 Sport Fishing Rules 

The 2024-25 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet is now available online and at hundreds of license dealers around the state.

Current fishing regulations and emergency Fishing Rule Changes are also available online at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations.

New license year products for sale 

If you’re an angler already daydreaming about your next big season, you can take that next step now that 2025 license year products are available. Items for the 2025 license year are valid from April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. You can buy your 2025-26 angling license products online or at a license dealer near you. 

2025-26 salmon seasons proposed

A list of the 2025-26 proposed salmon fishing seasons is now published on the North of Falcon webpage. There will be an additional public comment period and a June 12 public hearing on the rules. Final salmon fishing rules will be adopted sometime after June 15. 

Find details on salmon fishing seasons in the Salmon Fishing Current blog. 

Free Fishing Weekend returns to Washington June 7-8

 

Washington’s Free Fishing Weekend returns June 7-8, 2025, allowing anglers the opportunity to fish for many species without a license. All fishing for and harvest of shellfish, salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and halibut still requires a license during Free Fishing Weekend, and all other fishing rules and regulations still apply.

Some of the best statewide opportunities for Free Fishing Weekend include:

• Rainbow trout, largemouth and smallmouth bass, yellow perch, and other gamefish in lakes. Visit the WDFW website to search for a lowland lake near you and learn how to get started fishing.
• The 2025 Trout Derby, with over 100 lakes planted with derby trout. Hundreds of prizes remain on tagged fish in lakes statewide.
• Lingcod, cabezon, flounder, sole, and other bottomfish species in Puget Sound.
• Rockfish and surfperch on the Washington coast (no boat required; learn about jetty fishing).
• Shad along the shoreline on the Lower Columbia River (learn where and how to harvest shad).

Find full details in our news release.

Halibut, lingcod, and bottomfish opportunities continue  

 

Planning to fish for bottomfish and halibut? Seasons and regulations in Washington waters are on WDFW’s website, including weekly updates. In Marine Areas 1-3 and Marine Area 4 west of Bonilla-Tatoosh, the lingcod season runs through Oct. 18, with a daily bag limit of two lingcod per angler and no minimum size limit. East of Bonilla-Tatoosh in Marine Area 4, the lingcod season also runs through Oct. 18, while the bottomfish season is open year-round. Lingcod fishing in Marine Areas 5, 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10, and 11 is open daily through June 15. 

The halibut fishery in Marine Areas 5, 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2, 9, and 10 is open daily through June 30; if quota remains additional fishing may be allowed in August and September. The coastal halibut fishery is open certain days through June in Marine Areas 1, 2, 3, and 4, but anglers should check the WDFW website for specific days each area is open; if quota remains additional fishing may be allowed in August and September. 

Trout fishing in lowland lakes statewide and Trout Derby 

The statewide lowland lakes fishing season offers anglers great fishing at hundreds of lakes. WDFW stocked lakes with over 100,000 jumbo trout this past spring. Depending on the lake, anglers may find rainbow trout, cutthroat trout, kokanee, and more. Visit WDFW’s catchable trout planting report webpage for information on recently planted lakes near you.  

WDFW's 10th annual statewide Trout Derby runs through Oct. 31 at more than 100 stocked lakes. This anniversary edition of the derby is our biggest yet, featuring more than 100 participating businesses offering over 1,000 prizes valued at more than $52,000! The derby is open to anyone with a valid 2025 fishing license. No entry fee or registration required. You just catch a tagged trout anytime through Oct. 31 and you win! Plus, children under 15 fish for free. 

Crabbing is open year-round on the coast

Recreational crabbing is open year-round on the Washington Coast, including Marine Areas 1-3 and Marine Area 4 west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Catch record cards are not required along the coast.

Depending on the season, usable gear types may include pots, dome or hoop nets, collapsible traps or ring nets, fishing rods with snares or foldable traps, rakes, nets, or even handlines.

The daily limit for Dungeness crab on the coast is six male hard-shelled crab with a minimum size of 6 inches. The daily limit for red rock crab is six male or female hard-shelled crab with a minimum size of 5 inches. Be sure to have a proper measuring caliper for accuracy.

Learn more about coastal crabbing on WDFW's website.

Clam, oyster, and mussel gathering on public beaches 

Releasing salmon properly

Selective fisheries for hatchery-produced salmon and catch-and-release fisheries are increasingly important to providing recreational fishing opportunities around Washington. To ensure these salmon fisheries are successful long-term, it is vital that anglers do their part to comply with all regulations, especially how to properly release unmarked and out-of-season fish to improve their survival. 

For more information, watch our YouTube video on safe salmon handling or read our blog post about how to properly release salmon.

Snagging fish is illegal in Washington

Fishing legally and ethically helps to ensure an enjoyable time for everyone.

WDFW would like to remind all anglers that snagging is illegal throughout Washington. Snagging is defined in WAC 220-300-160 as “an effort to take fish with a hook and line in a manner that the fish does not take the hook or hooks voluntarily in its mouth.”

Although more commonly witnessed during times of low flow, snagging occurs year-round. Violators are subject to fines or prosecution under RCW 77.15 or other applicable laws and regulations.

Check out our video to learn more, and help spread the word about protecting our state’s fish resources.

Clean, drain, dry your boat to prevent the spread of invasive species!

Help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species by having your boat checked every time you pass a watercraft check station and by cleaning, draining, and drying it every time you take it out of the water. Tips and more information are available on our webpage.

Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are a huge threat to the state's native ecosystems. In particular, invasive mussels, recently found as close to Washington as the Snake River in Idaho, are a major concern, but you can take some quick, easy steps to help prevent their spread. European green crabs are another AIS of concern in Western Washington.

Fish Washington app upgraded

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WDFW has launched an upgraded version of the Fish Washington mobile application, now available to download on both Apple iOS and Android devices. The new version is designed to run more smoothly while using less data and device memory.

Developers completely rewrote the app’s code, which now features a single code base for both iOS and Android platforms. This means a smaller app size, less frequent updates, and fewer bugs. Other improvements include:

• Location-enabled United States Geological Service (USGS) river gauges.
• More consistent emergency regulation delivery.
• Map upgrades.

The new version shows the full water body name and description on emergency regulation cards. With a data connection, the app also includes National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) tidal predictions for marine waters and portions of the Columbia River, as well as river gauges from multiple data providers. Users can ask questions, make suggestions, or report issues by emailing MobileAppDev@dfw.wa.gov. Learn more in our news release.

WDFW phases out recreational fishing and shellfishing hotlines

For several decades, WDFW provided phone hotlines where people could listen to prerecorded messages about fishing seasons and rule changes. In the years since we established the hotlines, WDFW launched several new options to find accurate, up-to-date fishing information. We are phasing out the phone hotlines for recreational fishing and shellfishing. There are no changes to the commercial hotlines.

There are many places to find WDFW fishing regulations and information. We encourage anglers who used the prerecorded hotlines to take advantage of one of the web, mobile app, or other customer service phone options we offer. Visit our Fishing Hotlines Page to see the full list of new options and find more information.

For an overview of hunting in Washington and how to get started, visit our Hunt Washington blog post.

2025-26 Hunting Regulations 

The 2025-26 Big Game Hunting Regulations and 2024-25 Game Bird and Small Game Hunting Regulations pamphlets are available online, at hundreds of license dealers around the state, and at regional WDFW offices.

Current hunting regulations are also available online at wdfw.wa.gov/hunting/regulations.

New license year products for sale

If you’re a hunter already daydreaming about your next big season, you can take that next step now that 2025 license year products are available. Those products include hunting licenses, as well as special hunt applications. Items for the 2025 license year are valid from April 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. You can buy your 2025-26 hunting license products online or at a license dealer near you.  

Submit your turkey hunting report

Spring wild turkey season ended May 31, so it’s time to submit your spring turkey report, even if you plan to hunt turkeys again this fall. Reports are required whether or not you successfully harvested a turkey. 

WDFW uses information in these reports to help monitor hunter effort, distribution, harvest, and trends. Although the reporting period is open until Jan. 31 for both spring and fall seasons, the Department recommends completing your spring report while your memory is fresh. Hunters who do not fulfill their tag in the spring must submit reports for both spring and fall by the Jan. 31 deadline. 

New rules to limit the spread of chronic wasting disease

New, prospective hunters must complete hunter education

Before hunting seasons start, be sure to complete your hunter education course.

Students may choose between a traditional classroom or hybrid course. The traditional course is a multi-session instructor-led training with an average of 15 hours of instruction. The hybrid course consists of a self-paced online class followed by a field skills evaluation by certified instructors.

Prospective hunters can learn more about hunter education requirements and register for either a traditional or hybrid course by visiting WDFW’s hunter education webpage.

Per Washington state law, all hunters born after Jan. 1, 1972, must complete a hunter education course in order to buy a hunting license. A hunter education deferral is available for hunters 10 and older who want to try hunting with an eligible licensed hunter before completing a hunter education course themselves.

WDFW offers accessible hunting and wildlife-viewing blinds

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Photo by WDFW

Did you know WDFW offers hunting and wildlife-viewing blinds and platforms throughout Washington that are accessible to people with disabilities? Learn about these Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) designated sites on our ADA hunting and wildlife-viewing blinds and platforms page.

Some sites can be reserved through WDFW's Private Lands Hunting Access program. Others can be reserved by calling the wildlife area manager.

Hunters without disabilities should yield ADA hunting and wildlife-viewing blinds and platforms to those with disabilities if the site was reserved.

Many of these ADA hunting and wildlife-viewing blinds and platforms are built and maintained with support from volunteers, master hunters, and partners including Inland Northwest Wildlife Council and Washington Waterfowl Association. Thank you!

Head to myWDFW.org for info on hunting, angling, and more

WDFW has rolled out a promotional website for all things hunting, angling, foraging, recreating, and more. At myWDFW.org, you’ll find informative how-to articles on the season’s major fishing and hunting opportunities, as well as a portal to online license sales and a regular update on WDFW’s latest Life Outdoors articles.

Each quarter, new fishing and hunting highlights are posted to help you get ready and take part in Washington’s current and upcoming opportunities. Dedicated to current agency promotions, outdoor recreation information, and educational content, myWDFW.org preps you to meet with success in the field and on the water.

Find more tips on our wildlife viewing webpage.

Wild Washington Youth Education: Pollinator Week

Share input on WDFW wildlife area recreation

 WDFW is asking for public input to inform a 15-year management plan for the Olympic-Willapa Hills Wildlife Area Complex, which consists of the Olympic, Johns River, and Chehalis wildlife areas across Grays Harbor, Clallam and Pacific counties. 

Visit the survey to provide input on current and potential recreation opportunities on these wildlife areas, which include 20 wildlife area units across nearly 14,000 acres. The survey is open through October.

WDFW wants to better understand what recreational activities visitors currently enjoy at these wildlife areas, and what kinds of opportunities or infrastructure improvements (such as parking, restrooms, or other facilities) they would like to see in the future. 

Learn more in our news release.

What to do if you encounter young wildlife  

Help wildlife stay wild: Avoid feeding!

Wild animals don't need us to feed them. There are many reasons to avoid feeding wildlife:

• Feeding wild animals causes them to lose their natural fear of people, which can lead to aggression or make them vulnerable to harm.
• It draws wildlife together, possibly mixing healthy and sick animals and spreading diseases among them. Some wildlife can carry diseases that may also be transmissible to people and pets.
• Feeding wildlife may attract carnivores such as coyotes, bears, and cougars.
• Animals may cross busy roads, risking being hit by vehicles, to get to where they are fed.
• Some wildlife cannot properly digest human-provided food, and they can get sick or even die from it.

Feeding deer, elk, and moose in Washington, including providing salt blocks to attract wildlife, is now prohibited in Washington. Find full details in our blog post.

The best way to show appreciation for wildlife is to admire them from a safe distance and allow them to stay wild! Learn more on our webpage about the risks of feeding wildlife.

Find an accessible area to go bird watching

Practice black bear awareness year-round

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Photo by Public submission

Black bears are common throughout Washington, including suburban areas. Both when preparing for hibernation and awakening from it, they look for high-calorie foods that are easy to get. These may include garbage, bird feeders (both seed and liquid), fruit trees, and pet food.

As human populations encroach on bear habitat, people and bears have greater chances of encountering each other. Food sources provided by humans, whether intentionally or not, can attract bears. Removing these attractants is the best way to encourage bears to move along and focus on natural food sources

Ask your local waste management company if bear-resistant containers are available or if individually purchased bear-resistant containers are compatible with the company’s equipment. Secure your garbage cans, such as in a shed or garage, and put them out the morning of pickup — not the night before. To help reduce odors, freeze meat and fish waste before disposing of it and spray garbage cans with disinfectants.

More information on living with bears is available on our black bear webpage and our black bear two-pager (PDF).

Looking for more info on wildlife conservation and species management around Washington? Check out our Bi-Weekly Wildlife Program reports.

Boaters must stay 1,000 yards away from Southern Resident killer whales

Heads up, Puget Sound boaters! As of Jan. 1, watercraft in Washington waters (including kayaks and paddleboards) must stay 1,000 yards — or about half a nautical mile — from Southern Resident killer whales at all times. These updated regulations are intended to give these endangered whales the space and quiet they need to forage and rest.

If you're unsure whether a killer whale is a Southern Resident, err on the side of caution and keep 1,000 yards away. Refer to our news release or bewhalewise.org for more information and answers to frequently asked questions.

 

Look out for invasive European green crabs 

Summer fun is just around the corner. While you enjoy your favorite outdoor activities around Washington's waters, be on the lookout for European green crabs.

Use our simple "5 Point" approach to identify this aquatic invasive species: 

• 5 points outside of the eyes  

• 4 inches or smaller  

• 3 rostral bumps between the eyes  

• 2 semi-flattened rear swimming legs  

• 1 enormous threat to our native shellfish and aquatic habitat 

Join us in the fight against this invasive species. If you spot a European green crab using these 5 points, report it at wdfw.wa.gov/greencrab. 

Using prescribed fire to restore habitat and promote native species on WDFW-managed lands

From Western Washington prairies and meadows to Columbia Basin wetlands and Eastern Washington pine forests and shrubsteppe, many ecosystems throughout the state benefit from prescribed fire.

WDFW and partners use prescribed fire in Eastern Washington to reduce wildfire fuel and severity. Statewide, including where wildfires are less frequent, the team uses prescribed fire to improve habitat, control invasive plants, and promote native species.

Wildlife benefiting from prescribed fire range from endangered birds and butterflies to big game species like deer and elk. Learn more about this important land management practice in our blog post.

Help protect Washington's bats

Bats are incredible animals, and we’re lucky to have them here in Washington. But across the United States, these pollinating, mosquito-eating flying mammals face a number of threats that put them at severe risk of population decline. These threats include habitat loss, climate change, and a devastating disease called white-nose syndrome.

WDFW partners with numerous state, federal, tribal, and non-governmental organizations to proactively survey Washington bat populations for white-nose syndrome and test emerging preventative treatments. You can help prevent the spread of white-nose syndrome by:

• Reporting bat colonies and sick, injured, or dead bats using the forms listed on our webpage.
• Avoiding entering areas where bats may be living. You could potentially transfer the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome to new bat populations.

This disease does not affect humans, livestock, or other wildlife. However, bats may carry other diseases that can spread to people, so please do not handle dead or live bats.

Habitat at Home: Transform your outdoor space

Summer is the perfect season to start transforming your outdoor space into a thriving wildlife habitat! WDFW’s Habitat at Home program helps you create spaces that support local species while making your outdoor area more vibrant and sustainable. Plus, you can certify your habitat and proudly display a sign showing your commitment to conservation. 

You don’t need a yard to get started — small spaces like apartment balconies or community areas like HOAs and schoolyards can also qualify. Turn your space into a wildlife haven! 

Community Habitat signs are now available

Do you have wildlife habitat in your neighborhood, apartment courtyard, business front, schoolyard, or community center? Whether it’s a small garden or a larger area, if it provides a home for wildlife, we want to celebrate it!

Apply online and we’ll send you a free Habitat at Home Community Spaces sign along with resources to help steward the habitat.

To qualify, your space should:

• Be accessible to your community.
• Provide food, water, shelter, and space for wildlife.
• Feature native plants.

Watch: Explore WDFW Wildlife Areas

Need some inspiration for where to go and what to do in your summer adventures? WDFW is honored to steward over 1 million acres of public lands for the benefit of Washington's fish and wildlife, and all Washingtonians. Enjoy two minutes of amazing views and gorgeous nature scenes in this video showcasing WDFW wildlife areas, then review the list of featured wildlife areas in the description to help plan your summer travels.

Watch the video: Explore WDFW Wildlife Areas

Join the WDFW team

If you’d enjoy preserving, protecting, and perpetuating the state’s fish, wildlife, and ecosystems while providing sustainable fish and wildlife recreational and commercial opportunities, then check out some of our current job openings or sign up for job alerts. From fish hatchery specialists to environmental engineers and budget analysts to wildlife biologists, a career with WDFW makes a difference. 

Volunteer opportunity spotlight

WDFW welcomes volunteers of all abilities who want to contribute to the conservation of fish, wildlife, and habitat. Diverse volunteer opportunities are available, including projects on state wildlife areas and water access areas, habitat restoration projects, hunter education instruction, and assisting at outreach events.   

For more information about the volunteer program and upcoming volunteer opportunities, visit the WDFW volunteer webpage.

To read reports published prior to 2023, visit the Biweekly Wildlife Program activity reports page.

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Photo by WDFW

Heather Hall started in her role as Coastal Washington (Region 6) Director on May 1, 2024.

Heather is excited to return to Region 6, where she began her career at WDFW in 1995. Most recently, she served as Intergovernmental Ocean Policy Manager, overseeing state fisheries and fisheries extending into federal waters.

Heather is committed to public service. She brings expertise to her new role ranging from fieldwork to policymaking, giving her a unique perspective on fish and wildlife management in the Coastal Region.

Heather holds a bachelor’s degree in science from Western Washington University. In her free time, she enjoys recreating along the Washington coast, including kayaking, standup paddleboarding, crabbing, and gathering oysters on Hood Canal.