Fishing & Shellfishing

Some of the best fishing opportunities in the nation are available in Washington. From fly-fishing for bass and trout on freshwater lakes and streams east of the Cascades to trolling for salmon along the coast to crabbing in Puget Sound, Washington offers a diverse and unique outdoors experience. Find the experience that's right for you, whether you're a long-time angler or a first-time fisher.

Anglers along a riverbank fishing for steelhead.

Fishing news & important dates

PFMC meeting in Fresno, CA.
Salmon Daily Digest blog series on North of Falcon

Get regular updates on the 2024-25 salmon fishing season setting process. WDFW fishery managers will share management objectives and proposed fishery plans for sport and commercial fisheries in Puget Sound at the first North of Falcon public meeting on Wednesday, March 13, in Olympia.

Jetty fishing for bottomfish, lingcod at Westport on Washington Coast
Coastal recreational bottomfishing opens March 9

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced the recreational coastal bottomfishing season at Neah Bay, La Push, Westport-Ocean Shores and Ilwaco opens March 9.

Conservation starts here

Columbia River Chinook fishing
A balancing act: Managing sustainable fisheries in the Columbia River

Within the Columbia River basin, there are commercial and recreational non-treaty fisheries, as well as treaty fisheries.

Water flows into a storm drain labeled "Keep clean and clear — drains to Puget Sound"
Reduce toxic contaminants to help preserve Puget Sound wildlife

Persistent toxic pollutants have broad, long-lasting effects on aquatic life.

Chum returning to South Puget Sound river
Monitoring river temperatures is a key tool for biologists to better understand climate change impacts on fish habitat

Initial observations in water temperatures across coastal rivers being monitored have seen a slight increase since the study began in 2014.

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