{"id":62522,"date":"2024-02-19T13:47:52","date_gmt":"2024-02-19T13:47:52","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/?p=62522"},"modified":"2026-01-08T10:28:16","modified_gmt":"2026-01-08T10:28:16","slug":"washington-fishing-seasons","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/","title":{"rendered":"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026"},"content":{"rendered":"<span class=\"span-reading-time rt-reading-time\" style=\"display: block;\"><span class=\"rt-label rt-prefix\">Reading Time: <\/span> <span class=\"rt-time\"> 10<\/span> <span class=\"rt-label rt-postfix\">minutes<\/span><\/span><p>From volcanic mountains and striking valleys to scenic rivers and ocean shores, the Evergreen State is famous for its diverse nature. Of course, Washington is also a fantastic place to go angling. Its waters,  whether fresh or salty, are abundant with life. But before you&#8217;re ready to explore this incredible fishery, it&#8217;s always good to get acquainted with the fishing seasons in <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/state\/us\/WA?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">Washington<\/a>.<\/p><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg\" alt=\"An aerial view of the evening skyline of Seattle, as viewed from the Puget Sound waters's, with famous landmarks such as the Space Needle visible.\" class=\"wp-image-62531\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Between the different rivers, lakes, coastal waters, and the open ocean, there&#8217;s plenty of fish to catch in Washington. You can cast your line all year round, but what you&#8217;ll target heavily depends on when you visit. Below, we&#8217;ll provide you with a brief rundown of which fish species are biting throughout the year. Then, we&#8217;ll cover the fishing opportunities each season in Washington entails. Let&#8217;s get started!<\/p><h2 id=\"what-is-the-best-season-to-go-fishing-in-washington\">What is the best season to go fishing in Washington?<\/h2><table class=\"table table-bordered table-hover\">\n   <thead>\n      <tr>\n         <th>Species<\/th>\n         <th>Jan<\/th>\n         <th>Feb<\/th>\n         <th>Mar<\/th>\n         <th>Apr<\/th>\n         <th>May<\/th>\n         <th>Jun<\/th>\n         <th>Jul<\/th>\n         <th>Aug<\/th>\n         <th>Sep<\/th>\n         <th>Oct<\/th>\n         <th>Nov<\/th>\n         <th>Dec<\/th>\n      <\/tr>\n   <\/thead>\n   <tbody>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Chinook Salmon<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Coho Salmon<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Sockeye Salmon<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Steelhead\/Rainbow Trout<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Cutthroat Trout<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Sturgeon<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n\t  <tr>\n         <td><strong>Bass<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n      <tr>\n         <td><strong>Walleye<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n         <td>Weak<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n <tr>\n         <td><strong>Squid<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Fair<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n<tr>\n         <td><strong>Dungeness Crab<\/strong><\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Good<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n         <td>Great<\/td>\n      <\/tr>\n   <\/tbody>\n<\/table><p>If you&#8217;re aiming for the most diversity and catching some of the state&#8217;s most famous species, visit <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/fishing-in-washington-state\/\">Washington<\/a> in <strong>summer and early fall<\/strong>. It&#8217;s when you&#8217;ll get all the variety the Pacific Northwest offers, with all the main targets eagerly biting. These include Salmon, different types of bottom fish, as well as Crabs.<\/p><p>But while the fishing peaks between June and October, there&#8217;ll still be something to target if you happen to visit outside of this period. For example, Trout favor colder weather and Perch eagerly bite even during the depths of winter. For a deeper dive into Washington&#8217;s fishing seasons, check out our month-by-month breakdown below, or <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/reports\/destination\/us\/wa\/?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">see what&#8217;s biting right now<\/a>.<\/p><ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><a href=\"#january\">January<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#february\">February<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#march\">March<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#april\">April<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#may\">May<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#june\">June<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#july\">July<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#august\">August<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#september\">September<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#october\">October<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#november\">November<\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><a href=\"#december\">December<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul><div class='featured-charters-container' data-trigger='featured-charters' data-destination-id='705' data-destination-title='Washington' data-perpage='4' data-currency='USD'data-filter-field=''data-filter-value=''data-headline='Top Fishing Charters in Washington'data-add-type='m'><\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 id=\"january\">January<\/h2><p>While January is technically the &#8220;offseason&#8221; in Washington, there are certainly fish to catch if you know where to go. During the first half of the month, some lakes may already be frozen. And in their icy waters, you&#8217;ll find hot <strong>Trout<\/strong> action, as well as tasty <strong>Perch<\/strong> and <strong>Crappie<\/strong>. Lake Roosevelt, Rat Lake, and Molson Lake are a few of the most popular spots.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120555\/Steelhead-CNH-Guide-Service.jpg\" alt=\"An angler leaning towards the water on a river bank, holding a Steelhead he caught fishing during the winter season in Washington slightly above the waterline, with snow covering the shoreline.\" class=\"wp-image-62532\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120555\/Steelhead-CNH-Guide-Service.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120555\/Steelhead-CNH-Guide-Service-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120555\/Steelhead-CNH-Guide-Service-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120555\/Steelhead-CNH-Guide-Service-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of CNH Guide Service.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>Meanwhile, <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/region\/us\/puget-sound?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">Puget Sound<\/a> also features a few opportunities to catch something for dinner. <strong>Squid<\/strong> fishing is popular among locals during winter, as well as <strong>crabbing<\/strong>. <strong>Salmon<\/strong> fishing is closed in most places, except for Marine Area 13. Head there and you&#8217;ll get to reel in juvenile Salmon that locals like to call &#8220;<strong>Blackmouth<\/strong>.&#8221;<\/p><p>There&#8217;s also good winter <strong>Steelhead<\/strong> action along places such as the Skykomish River. But if you opt to fish for Salmon or Steelhead, bear in mind that you can only keep hatchery fish &ndash; all wild specimens must be released. So keep an eye out for those adipose fins, hatchery fish will have them clipped!<\/p><h2 id=\"february\">February<\/h2><p>As the winter ice really sets in, Washington&#8217;s hardwater fishing season reaches its peak. There&#8217;s good angling on small lakes all over the state. But Bonaparte Lake, Patterson Lake, and Curlew Lake fall among the best ice fishing spots for <strong>Trout<\/strong>, <strong>Perch<\/strong>, <strong>Crappie<\/strong>, and <strong>Kokanee<\/strong>.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121304\/Rainbow-Trout-Fishin-Electrician.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in sunglasses posing with a big Rainbow Trout he caught, the fish's signature pink line and cheeks are clearly visible, while waters and the shoreline can be seen behind the angler.\" class=\"wp-image-62539\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121304\/Rainbow-Trout-Fishin-Electrician.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121304\/Rainbow-Trout-Fishin-Electrician-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121304\/Rainbow-Trout-Fishin-Electrician-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121304\/Rainbow-Trout-Fishin-Electrician-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Fishin Electrician.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>For winter <strong>Steelhead<\/strong>, there&#8217;s good fishing along the upper <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/region\/us\/columbia-river?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">Columbia River<\/a>. The same goes for the Skagit and Sauk Rivers, both of which are easily accessible if you base your trip from Seattle. Finally, the various rivers on the Olympic Peninsula also feature plenty of action this time of year.<\/p><p>In Puget Sound, especially its southern part, you can often reel in sea-run <strong>Cutthroat<\/strong> <strong>Trout<\/strong> in February. However, saltwater fishing is &ndash;&nbsp;by and large &ndash; in a lull until the weather gets warmer.<\/p><div class='reviews-fetcher-container' data-destination-id='705' data-destination-title='Washington' data-category-title='' data-category='' data-category-id='' data-trigger='reviews-fetcher' data-viewport-event='view_reviews_fetcher' data-action='In viewport' data-viewport-category='Reviews' data-label=''>\n                    <h3>What anglers said about fishing in Washington<\/h3>\n                <\/div>\n\n\n\n<\/p><h2 id=\"march\">March<\/h2><p>March is a month of change in Washington. Two marine areas in Puget Sound &ndash; 10 and 11&nbsp;&ndash; open for <strong>Chinook<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong> retention on the first day of the month. With the season opening, you&#8217;ll see more and more of Washington&#8217;s charter captains on the docks, offering all kinds of adventures.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120951\/Lingcod-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in sunglasses and a hat posing on a charter boat in Washington, holding a big, dark-colored Lingcod he caught, with waters behind him.\" class=\"wp-image-62536\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120951\/Lingcod-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120951\/Lingcod-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120951\/Lingcod-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120951\/Lingcod-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Messin&#8217; Around Fishing Charter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>Besides Salmon, you can also partake in what&#8217;s locally called &#8220;potluck&#8221; fishing, which means going for whatever bites. At this time of year, you&#8217;ll typically hook into <strong>Rockfish<\/strong>, <strong>Lingcod<\/strong>, and <strong>Flatfish<\/strong>.<\/p><p>With the waters warming up, some insect species will begin hatching, too. If you&#8217;re a fly angler, then you know this is an exciting time to hit the rivers. Yakima River is a great choice for <strong>Trout<\/strong>, as well as Rocky Ford.<\/p><h2 id=\"april\">April<\/h2><p>Starting in April, the fishing improves just about everywhere in Washington. If you&#8217;re looking for <strong>Trout<\/strong>, it&#8217;s the prime time to hit the state&#8217;s lakes and rivers. The same goes for <strong>Bass<\/strong> &ndash; spring is often touted as the best season to catch these wonderful fish. Look for them along the coastal flats, canals, shallow bays, or dropoffs.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120903\/Rockfish-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter.jpg\" alt=\"Two Washington anglers posing next to each other on a boat with the angler on the left holding a sizeable Rockfish they caught during the spring season.\" class=\"wp-image-62534\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120903\/Rockfish-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120903\/Rockfish-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120903\/Rockfish-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120903\/Rockfish-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Messin&#8217; Around Fishing Charter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/WA\/seattle?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">Seattle<\/a> and its surrounding waters, bottom fishing really picks up. In addition to <strong>Rockfish<\/strong> and <strong>Lingcod<\/strong>, <strong>Halibut<\/strong> season usually opens early in April. When it comes to <strong>Salmon<\/strong> fishing, most of the Puget Sound marine areas are yet to open but keep an eye out for <a href=\"https:\/\/wdfw.wa.gov\/fishing\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">regulations<\/a>! There&#8217;ll typically be at least one or two zones where you can catch these prized fish.<\/p><p>Of course, Puget Sound is not the only place to reel in some <strong>Chinook<\/strong>. The famous Buoy 10 fishery on the state&#8217;s southern border typically opens for retention in March. These amazing waters are among the hottest fishing spots during the spring season in Washington.<\/p><h2 id=\"may\">May<\/h2><p>May brings similar opportunities for freshwater fishing as the previous month. That means you can expect excellent <strong>Trout<\/strong> fishing in places such as Lone Lake, Lennice, and Nunnally, as well as the epic Yakima River. <strong>Bass <\/strong>fishing is likewise excellent, and it&#8217;s really all about figuring out their current pattern. Once you find them, they&#8217;ll be biting.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121120\/Halibut-KYS-Outdoor-Adventures.jpg\" alt=\"Two anglers in hats and overalls standing on a dock with each holding a Halibut towards the camera, with boats visible behind them.\" class=\"wp-image-62537\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121120\/Halibut-KYS-Outdoor-Adventures.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121120\/Halibut-KYS-Outdoor-Adventures-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121120\/Halibut-KYS-Outdoor-Adventures-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121120\/Halibut-KYS-Outdoor-Adventures-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of KYS Outdoor Adventures.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>In the middle of the month, several more Puget Sound marine areas open for <strong>Salmon<\/strong> retention. The peak season is not here yet, but there&#8217;s definitely fish to catch. Besides Salmon, bottom fishing remains a solid choice on any given day. Big <strong>Lingcod<\/strong> prowl the depths, along with <strong>Rockfish<\/strong>. For <strong>Halibut<\/strong>, the western end of the sound and the open ocean are often your best bets.<\/p><p>Spring is also a good season to hit Washington&#8217;s freshwaters and fish for <strong>Walleye<\/strong> and <strong>Kokanee<\/strong>. They&#8217;re scattered throughout the different lakes and reservoirs. If you&#8217;re looking for ideas &ndash; Moses Lake is great for Walleye while Lake Roosevelt offers plenty of Kokanee action.<\/p><h2 id=\"june\">June<\/h2><p>With the waters warming up, Washington begins to enter its peak fishing season. In the freshwaters, pretty much everything will be eager to gobble up your bait. <strong>King<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong>, summer <strong>Steelhead<\/strong>, <strong>Walleye<\/strong>, and <strong>Smallmouth<\/strong> and <strong>Largemouth<\/strong> <strong>Bass<\/strong> are just a few of the species you could encounter.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121204\/Coho-A-Spot-Tail-Salmon-Guide.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in a white hoodie smiling and holding a Coho Salmon towards the camera with waters and clear skies in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-62538\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121204\/Coho-A-Spot-Tail-Salmon-Guide.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121204\/Coho-A-Spot-Tail-Salmon-Guide-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121204\/Coho-A-Spot-Tail-Salmon-Guide-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121204\/Coho-A-Spot-Tail-Salmon-Guide-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of A Spot Tail Salmon Guide.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>In Puget Sound, June is your last month to reel in Halibut, unless the quotas remain unfulfilled. As we get deeper into the month, you&#8217;ll see more and more Salmon show up as they get ready for their summer run. A short <strong>Coho<\/strong> retention season usually takes around this time of year.<\/p><p>All in all, whether you decide to hit a river or the sound, starting your trip in Seattle or a nearby town such as <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/location\/us\/WA\/bremerton?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">Bremerton<\/a> will put you only a short ride away from some truly exciting fishing. Alternatively, the <a href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/destinations\/poi\/us\/olympic-peninsula?utm_source=fishingbooker&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=post_content_link&amp;utm_term=62522\">Olympic Peninsula<\/a>&#8216;s rivers are also productive, as well as the ocean coast you&#8217;ll have easy access to if you choose to base your trip from here.<\/p><h2 id=\"july\">July<\/h2><p>July marks the official start of Washington&#8217;s high season. The main reason for this is the huge numbers of <strong>Chinook<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong> that race through Puget Sound. So for those who&#8217;ve been itching to wrestle with one of the finest fighters on the planet, now&#8217;s the time to go for it. Your best chance at reeling in a big one is to pair up with a fishing guide. They&#8217;ll clue you in as to where the hottest action is and provide you with all the gear you need.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121607\/July-Chinook-Wind-Knot.jpg\" alt=\"A smiling angler wearing his hat backwards sitting on a boat and holding a massive Chinook Salmon caught fishing during Washington's summer season, with calm waters and shoreline greenery in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-62540\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121607\/July-Chinook-Wind-Knot.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121607\/July-Chinook-Wind-Knot-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121607\/July-Chinook-Wind-Knot-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121607\/July-Chinook-Wind-Knot-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Wind Knot.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>On the freshwater front, give Lake Chelan a try. It&#8217;s a <strong>Smallmouth<\/strong> heaven during this time of year, and the fish will typically lurk fairly close to shore. In the deeper waters, you&#8217;ll encounter <strong>Lake<\/strong> and <strong>Rainbow<\/strong> <strong>Trout<\/strong>, as well as <strong>Salmon<\/strong>, too.<\/p><p>If you&#8217;re still looking for some more variety &ndash; we have you covered. The Yakima River is another excellent spot to catch your fill of <strong>Trout<\/strong>. Or, go to the Skykomish River and there&#8217;ll be summer <strong>Steelhead<\/strong> to reel in &ndash; just make sure to get familiar with the regulations beforehand. Also, don&#8217;t forget about all the delicious bottom fish the saltwaters hold!<\/p><h2 id=\"august\">August<\/h2><p>The world-class angling that July brings only continues in August. <strong>Chinook<\/strong>, <strong>Coho<\/strong>, <strong>Chum<\/strong>, and <strong>Sockeye<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong> can all be caught in Puget Sound. And every other year, <strong>Pink Salmon<\/strong> also join the fray. As is always the case with these waters, you&#8217;ll have to keep an eye on which marine areas are open and for what species.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121738\/Chinook-Mk-Sport-Fishing.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in sunglasses and a hat smiling widely and sitting on a boat while holding a huge King Salmon, with waters and the shoreline visible behind him.\" class=\"wp-image-62541\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121738\/Chinook-Mk-Sport-Fishing.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121738\/Chinook-Mk-Sport-Fishing-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121738\/Chinook-Mk-Sport-Fishing-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121738\/Chinook-Mk-Sport-Fishing-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Mk Sport Fishing.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>To supplement the excellent Salmon fishing, there&#8217;s always something biting on the bottom. If the <strong>Halibut<\/strong> quotas haven&#8217;t been fulfilled, the season typically reopens in August and September. But otherwise, there&#8217;ll be plenty of <strong>Rockfish<\/strong> to put in the cooler.<\/p><p>Meanwhile, it&#8217;s also peak time to fish Buoy 10 on the Oregon-Washington border. Here, you&#8217;ll also find fantastic numbers of <strong>Coho<\/strong> and <strong>Chinook<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong>. So wherever you go, you can rest assured that the angling will be absolutely on fire.<\/p><h2 id=\"september\">September<\/h2><p>While Salmon fishing in Puget Sound is definitely at its best during July and August, September is still a very solid month to hit these waters&nbsp;&ndash; it&#8217;s just that you&#8217;ll focus on catching <strong>Coho<\/strong> and <strong>Pink<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong> instead of Chinook. Of course, there&#8217;ll still be an abundance of <strong>Rockfish<\/strong> and <strong>Lingcod<\/strong> to drag in from the bottom, too. <\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121850\/Coho-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in sunglasses and a hat smiling and holding a Coho Salmon while another person to his left is leaning in for the photo with their mouth open wide.\" class=\"wp-image-62542\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121850\/Coho-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121850\/Coho-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121850\/Coho-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09121850\/Coho-Messin-Around-Fishing-Charter-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Messin&#8217; Around Fishing Charter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>Alternatively, head southwest to the Buoy 10 fishery. It&#8217;s still very much the peak time to fish for different types of <strong>Salmon<\/strong> here. However, you&#8217;ll again have to look out for regulations as Chinook fishing often closes early in the month.<\/p><p>With the temperatures slowly dropping, fly fishing picks up and Bass will begin transitioning towards the shallows. If you&#8217;d like to get your hands on some <strong>Trout<\/strong>, try rivers such as the Methow, Yakima, and Snoqualmie, to name a few. For <strong>Bass<\/strong>, head to places such as Silver Lake, Box Canyon Reservoir, Potholes Reservoir, or Moses Lake.<\/p><h2 id=\"october\">October<\/h2><p>October is often considered the last reliable month for river angling. That&#8217;s because Washington&#8217;s rainy season begins in November, often getting in the way of fishing plans. However, as long as the waters are fishable, there&#8217;ll still be <strong>Trout<\/strong> to catch. As for <strong>Bass<\/strong>, you can expect them to start transitioning into their winter patterns.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"769\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122623\/Sturgeon-Reel-Deal-Fishing-Adventures.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in sunglasses, a hat, and winter jacket holding a Sturgeon he caught fishing on the Columbia River in Washington on a cloudy day.\" class=\"wp-image-62546\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122623\/Sturgeon-Reel-Deal-Fishing-Adventures.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122623\/Sturgeon-Reel-Deal-Fishing-Adventures-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122623\/Sturgeon-Reel-Deal-Fishing-Adventures-768x577.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122623\/Sturgeon-Reel-Deal-Fishing-Adventures-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Reel Deal Fishing Adventures.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>In the western part of the state <strong>Coho<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong> will still be running, though as we get deeper into the month, you&#8217;ll see the fishing taper off. Some portions of Puget Sound will also close for bottom fishing around mid-October. Meanwhile, on the Columbia River, you might get a shot at catching some river dinosaurs &ndash; <strong>Sturgeon<\/strong>.<\/p><h2 id=\"november\">November<\/h2><p>November is wet in Washington, so if you plan on heading out, bring your rain gear. The good news is that the rivers shouldn&#8217;t be surging, meaning you should be able to fish them. The Evergreen State&#8217;s lakes are an even better option, as they&#8217;re not quite as impacted by the rainfall.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-1024x768.jpg\" alt=\"An angler in a winter cap taking a selfie while holding a Rainbow Trout in his left hand towards the camera, with misty waters and trees visible in the background.\" class=\"wp-image-62543\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-1024x768.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-1536x1152.jpg 1536w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-2048x1536.jpg 2048w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122007\/Trout-Feral-Outfitter-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Feral Outfitter.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>As for what you can catch &ndash; trophy <strong>Brown<\/strong> <strong>and<\/strong> <strong>Rainbow<\/strong> <strong>Trout<\/strong>. Brown Trout are not very widespread in Washington, so you&#8217;ll need to head to specific lakes to get your hands on them. These include Roses Lake, Black Lake, Dry Lake, and Antillon Lake. For Rainbows, head to Rufus Woods Lake or the upper Columbia River.<\/p><p>Along the Puget Sound&#8217;s tributaries, you might still see some <strong>Coho<\/strong> <strong>Salmon<\/strong> early in the month. And towards the end of November, <strong>winter<\/strong> <strong>Steelhead<\/strong> will start showing up. There&#8217;s also good <strong>Squid<\/strong> action in the sound itself.<\/p><h2 id=\"december\">December<\/h2><p>With the year drawing to a close, <strong>Steelhead<\/strong> fishing becomes the main draw for anglers who don&#8217;t mind the cold. While certainly not as abundant as they used to be, there are still numerous places to catch a &#8220;silver bullet.&#8221; The Olympic Peninsula&#8217;s rivers, such as the Sol Duc, Bogachiel, and Calawah are all excellent choices throughout winter.<\/p><div class=\"wp-block-image\"><figure class=\"aligncenter size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122133\/Steelhead-Big-Fish-Washington.jpg\" alt=\"An angler kneeling in shallow waters by the shoreline and holding a Steelhead halfway above water with his left hand, and holding his fishing rod in his right.\" class=\"wp-image-62544\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122133\/Steelhead-Big-Fish-Washington.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122133\/Steelhead-Big-Fish-Washington-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122133\/Steelhead-Big-Fish-Washington-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122133\/Steelhead-Big-Fish-Washington-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><figcaption class=\"wp-element-caption\">Photo courtesy of Big Fish Washington.<\/figcaption><\/figure><\/div><p>In the Seattle area, the Skykomish River remains a staple Steelhead fishery. December is one of the best months to get in on the wintertime action here and along its smaller tributaries. In Puget Sound, it&#8217;s once again time to reel in young <strong>Blackmouth Salmon<\/strong>. Meanwhile, further south, the Cowlitz River should be a safe bet as its tributary Blue Creek receives regular fin-clipped stocks.<\/p><p>Towards the latter half of the month, you&#8217;ll also see smaller lakes freeze over. Just make sure to pay extra attention to the ice thickness reports if you decide to try this type of fishing early in winter.<\/p>    <h2 id=\"washington-fishing-seasons-faqs\">Washington Fishing Seasons FAQs<\/h2>\n<div id=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c\" class=\"fbgb-faq-block aligncenter fbgb-faq-style-accordion\">\n    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-container\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"0\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c-item-0\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">When is the start of the fishing season in Washington?<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c-item-0\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>Fishing in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs is open year-round in the Evergreen State, however river fishing is a little more complex. In general, you can start fishing from the Saturday before Memorial Day, but things differ from area to area. <\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"1\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c-item-1\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">When is the Salmon fishing season in Washington?<\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c-item-1\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>The Washington Salmon fishing season can change from year to year. However, you can usually start catching your first fish in Puget Sound in mid-May, with the season gradually opening up across the state through June, and staying open until the end of September.<\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-item \" data-faq-item=\"2\">\n                <div class=\"fbgb-faq-question\" \n                     role=\"button\" \n                     tabindex=\"0\" \n                     aria-expanded=\"false\"\n                     aria-controls=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c-item-2\">\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-question-text\">When is the Trout fishing season in Washington? <\/span>\n                    <span class=\"fbgb-faq-icon\">\n                        <svg viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"32\" height=\"32\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><path d=\"M6.5 12.4L12 8l5.5 4.4-.9 1.2L12 10l-4.5 3.6-1-1.2z\"><\/path><\/svg>\n                    <\/span>\n                <\/div>\n                <div id=\"fbgb-faq-69fc1e59a854c-item-2\" \n                     class=\"fbgb-faq-answer \"\n                     aria-hidden=\"true\">\n                    <div class=\"fbgb-faq-answer-content\">\n                        <p>You can find Trout in Washington year-round. However, the best fishing takes place between April and October. <\/p>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n            <\/div>\n    \n    <\/div>\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@type\":\"FAQPage\",\"mainEntity\":[{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When is the start of the fishing season in Washington?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"Fishing in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs is open year-round in the Evergreen State, however river fishing is a little more complex. In general, you can start fishing from the Saturday before Memorial Day, but things differ from area to area.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When is the Salmon fishing season in Washington?\",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"The Washington Salmon fishing season can change from year to year. However, you can usually start catching your first fish in Puget Sound in mid-May, with the season gradually opening up across the state through June, and staying open until the end of September.\"}},{\"@type\":\"Question\",\"name\":\"When is the Trout fishing season in Washington? \",\"acceptedAnswer\":{\"@type\":\"Answer\",\"text\":\"You can find Trout in Washington year-round. However, the best fishing takes place between April and October.\"}}]}<\/script><h2 id=\"washington-fishing-seasons-a-smorgasbord-of-salmon\">Washington Fishing Seasons: A Smorgasbord of Salmon<\/h2><figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1024\" height=\"768\" src=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122412\/Skykomish-River.jpg\" alt=\"A scenic shot of the Skykomish River in Washington during the fall season, with calm waters and colorful trees.\" class=\"wp-image-62545\" srcset=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122412\/Skykomish-River.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122412\/Skykomish-River-300x225.jpg 300w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122412\/Skykomish-River-768x576.jpg 768w, https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09122412\/Skykomish-River-150x113.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1024px) 100vw, 1024px\" \/><\/figure><p>Compared to other fisheries out there, tackling Washington&#8217;s waters can be pretty complex. Its saltwaters are divided into sections each with its own rules, while freshwater regulations can vary from lake to lake and river to river. But still, there&#8217;s no shortage of excitement or fish to catch, as long as you know what you&#8217;re doing. And if you&#8217;re new to the Evergreen State scene, there are always fishing guides to lead you to your prized catch.<\/p><p><em>What&#8217;s your favorite season to go fishing in Washington? What part of the state do you enjoy fishing in the most? Let us know in the comments below!<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>From volcanic mountains and striking valleys to scenic rivers and ocean shores, the Evergreen State is famous for its diverse nature. Of course, Washington is also a fantastic place to go angling. Its waters, whether fresh or salty, are abundant with life. But before you&#8217;re ready to explore this incredible fishery, it&#8217;s always good to [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":62,"featured_media":62531,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1474],"tags":[358,569,548,403,518,1132,1115,621],"class_list":["post-62522","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-licenses-regulations","tag-beginners-advice","tag-chinook-salmon","tag-coho-salmon","tag-freshwater-fishing","tag-rainbow-trout","tag-salmon","tag-seattle","tag-washington"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.3 (Yoast SEO v27.3) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026 - FishingBooker Blog<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Planning a trip to the Evergreen State? Learn all about the fishing seasons in Washington, what you can catch, and when.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"FishingBooker Blog\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FishingBooker\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2024-02-19T13:47:52+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2026-01-08T10:28:16+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"1024\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"768\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Marko Mirkailo\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Marko Mirkailo\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"15 minutes\" \/>\n<!-- \/ Yoast SEO Premium plugin. -->","yoast_head_json":{"title":"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026 - FishingBooker Blog","robots":{"index":"index","follow":"follow","max-snippet":"max-snippet:-1","max-image-preview":"max-image-preview:large","max-video-preview":"max-video-preview:-1"},"canonical":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/","og_locale":"en_US","og_type":"article","og_title":"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026","og_description":"Planning a trip to the Evergreen State? Learn all about the fishing seasons in Washington, what you can catch, and when.","og_url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/","og_site_name":"FishingBooker Blog","article_publisher":"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FishingBooker","article_published_time":"2024-02-19T13:47:52+00:00","article_modified_time":"2026-01-08T10:28:16+00:00","og_image":[{"width":1024,"height":768,"url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg","type":"image\/jpeg"}],"author":"Marko Mirkailo","twitter_misc":{"Written by":"Marko Mirkailo","Est. reading time":"15 minutes"},"schema":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@graph":[{"@type":"Article","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#article","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/"},"author":{"name":"Marko Mirkailo","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/07cf0d5927561af5c364a7565cbd9213"},"headline":"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026","datePublished":"2024-02-19T13:47:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-08T10:28:16+00:00","mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/"},"wordCount":2544,"commentCount":6,"publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#organization"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg","keywords":["Beginners' Advice","Chinook Salmon","Coho Salmon","Freshwater Fishing","Rainbow Trout\/Steelhead","Salmon","Seattle","Washington"],"articleSection":["Licenses &amp; Regulations"],"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"CommentAction","name":"Comment","target":["https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#respond"]}]},{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/","url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/","name":"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026 - FishingBooker Blog","isPartOf":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#website"},"primaryImageOfPage":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#primaryimage"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#primaryimage"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg","datePublished":"2024-02-19T13:47:52+00:00","dateModified":"2026-01-08T10:28:16+00:00","description":"Planning a trip to the Evergreen State? Learn all about the fishing seasons in Washington, what you can catch, and when.","breadcrumb":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#breadcrumb"},"inLanguage":"en-US","potentialAction":[{"@type":"ReadAction","target":["https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/"]}]},{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#primaryimage","url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg","width":1024,"height":768,"caption":"An evening skyline of Seattle, viewed from the Puget Sound waters, with famous landmarks, such as the Space Needle, visible."},{"@type":"BreadcrumbList","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/washington-fishing-seasons\/#breadcrumb","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Home","item":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/"},{"@type":"ListItem","position":2,"name":"Washington Fishing Seasons: The Complete Guide for 2026"}]},{"@type":"WebSite","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#website","url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/","name":"FishingBooker Blog","description":"Fishing trip inspiration, travel guides &amp; tips","publisher":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#organization"},"potentialAction":[{"@type":"SearchAction","target":{"@type":"EntryPoint","urlTemplate":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/?s={search_term_string}"},"query-input":{"@type":"PropertyValueSpecification","valueRequired":true,"valueName":"search_term_string"}}],"inLanguage":"en-US"},{"@type":"Organization","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#organization","name":"FishingBooker","url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2022\/07\/14141055\/logo-white-bckblue-1200px.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2022\/07\/14141055\/logo-white-bckblue-1200px.jpg","width":1200,"height":578,"caption":"FishingBooker"},"image":{"@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/logo\/image\/"},"sameAs":["https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/FishingBooker","https:\/\/x.com\/FishingBooker","https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/fishingbooker\/","https:\/\/www.linkedin.com\/company\/fishingbooker\/","https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/channel\/UCO3ivVJwOU6HJTy2GxD9wNg"]},{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/#\/schema\/person\/07cf0d5927561af5c364a7565cbd9213","name":"Marko Mirkailo","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/12d7ea41b59ff7b471ea79df95265b9ad9b0940f3e1264f62fdee0fae66ae07f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/12d7ea41b59ff7b471ea79df95265b9ad9b0940f3e1264f62fdee0fae66ae07f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","contentUrl":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/12d7ea41b59ff7b471ea79df95265b9ad9b0940f3e1264f62fdee0fae66ae07f?s=96&d=mm&r=g","caption":"Marko Mirkailo"},"description":"From an early age, Marko has felt most at home outdoors. His introduction to fishing came courtesy of his dad and long days on the banks of the Danube River, where he learned the basics of angling, reeled in his very first catch (an Ide), and picked up the art of cooking a seriously good fish stew. These days, Marko still chases that same sense of adventure \u2013 whether he's hiking new trails, logging miles on a run, traveling to unfamiliar places, or putting his experiences into words.","url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/author\/marko\/"}]}},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/fishingbooker-prod-blog-backup.s3.amazonaws.com\/blog\/media\/2024\/02\/09120443\/Seattle-Washington.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62522","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/62"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=62522"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62522\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":127744,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/62522\/revisions\/127744"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/62531"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=62522"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=62522"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/fishingbooker.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=62522"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}