Washington is one of the top places to go for salmon in the United States, and the only state that an angler can fish for all five Pacific species of salmon in one season. A notoriously rainy state, you will certainly need to dress in layers and bring extra clothing when fishing in Washington. Washington does require that everyone be licensed to fish as well. And with plenty of fresh and salt water fishing opportunities throughout the dates, you will have no problem bringing home a sizeable dinner to share with your family and friends!

Washington manages and regulates the number of salmon caught in order to mitigate overfishing, so it’s important that you know when the fishing season will be starting the year you want to go and if they have hit their fish quota. There are plenty of great fishing spots in Washington for salmon, from the Puget Sound to the Columbia River and the Washington Coast. You will have a great time fishing in Washington on your next fishing vacation!

Best Time of Year to go Salmon Fishing in Washington 

There are different salmon seasons throughout the year in Washington. The winter salmon season starts at the New Year on January 1, and goes through March, or until the quota for king salmon has been caught. Summer salmon starts on June 1 for silver salmon and mid-July for king salmon and go until November. These are general dates; the specific waterways that you may be considering for your next fishing vacation will have more precise dates for when they open up for the different salmon species. The number of salmon you are able to take home also varies every year due to conservation and management efforts by the Washington state government. 

Types of Salmon Species in Washington

There are five salmon species throughout Washington that you will be able to fish for in both salt and fresh water: king, silver, dogs, red, and pink salmon. The smallest of the species in these waters is the pink salmon, which is also known as a humpy due to the hump male fish get on their heads during spawning. This species spends the least amount of time in fresh water compared to the other salmon species. Red salmon, or sockeye, is the species that is caught the most by commercial fishers. They live the longest compared to other salmon species and spend a couple years in fresh water as fry. Next is silver salmon, or coho, which is the second least abundant salmon in the state. They tend to live closer to the shore and some will travel thousands of miles for spawning. Then there is the dog, or chum, salmon which is the most distributed population. The second largest species, these fish will be near the mouth of streams when they are in their spawning phase. And finally, the king or chinook salmon is the largest but least popular salmon in these waters. These fish will weigh anywhere from 10-to-30-pounds. 

Best Salmon Fishing Spots in Washington 

There are plenty of fresh and salt water fishing opportunities throughout the state of Washington. You will need to get a fishing permit for yourself and anyone in your party that is 15 or above. 

Puget Salmon 

There are multiple rivers that lead into the Puget Sound that line up with hatcheries that stock fish into this area. The best king salmon fall runs are in the rivers Puyallup, Nisqually, Samish, and Green. They are heavy stocked, so you will have a good chance bringing home a good-sized salmon. If you are on a boat in the Puget Sound, you should fish off the major streams that start in southern Seattle all the way to Tacoma and Olympia. There isn’t a lot of luck for king salmon in the springtime in these waters, so many people will head to the Columbia River during that time if that is what they are looking for. 

There are also a lot of silver salmon fisheries in the Puget Sound as well, especially on the Puyallup and Green rivers to the south and the Skagit and Nooksack in the north. You will notice that ocean fishing for silver salmon picks up quicker than it does for fresh water fishing. 

Columbia River Basin 

On the border of Washington and Oregon lays the Columbia River basin, where fish move upstream towards Canada in the late summer to the early falls. Anglers are often able to have very successful fishing days when going for king salmon near river mouths and dams, which is where salmon tend to relax. In the spring, you will find the best king salmon fishing in the state in the Columbia River. The river is a natural reproduction spot for these fish, which is why the Washington and Oregon Fish and Wildlife services will shut down the river for a little to protect stocks. In order to experience the best springtime king fishing, go to the Lewis River or the Cowlitz River for thousands of salmons waiting for you to cast your line. And if you want to try your luck in June, this is when king salmon can top 50 pounds in the Columbia River. 

You can also go for silver salmon in the salt waters of the Columbia River. From the middle of the summer through the end of September, you are able to fish for these newly arriving silver salmon as they feed on the baitfish that are making their ways up the river as well. 

Washington Coast

The Washington Coast is the easiest fishing spot for people to get to in order to access fall king salmon stock, from offshore in Westport to the bay to the Humptulips River. Thousands of salmons are stocked in this river from a hatchery in the Humptulips River. If you head more south you can go to the Willapa Bay, which is also where salmon are stocked in the summer. Once the fall rain starts to hit, the salmon will swim into streams. 

Dog salmon are native to this part of Washington waterways. Although this is their native water, they do not have a large population presence since hatcheries do not produce them like they do king or silver salmon. 

Washington salmon fishing is a very accessible and fun activity to do next time you are in the Pacific Northwest. Make sure you bring extra rain gear and research beforehand to ensure that catch quotas have not shut down the season before heading out!