Freshwater Rules

Statewide Freshwater Rules

AREA/SEASONS

For all Game Fish and SALMON, the Special Rules show ALL of the fishing opportunities for each freshwater area listed.

All freshwater areas are CLOSED to the harvest of any fish not classified as a Food Fish or Game Fish (see definitions page 10) except for NORTHERN PIKE.

Freshwater areas are open 24 hours per day when open.

All FRESHWATER areas are CLOSED to fishing for SALMON, DOLLY VARDEN/ BULL TROUT, LAMPREY, and GRASS CARP.

Fishing for COMMON CARP, SHAD, or FORAGE FISH is open only during open Game Fish or SALMON seasons.

LAKES, PONDS, and RESERVOIRS are open to fishing for Game Fish (except DOLLY VARDEN/BULL TROUT and GRASS CARP) year-round.

RIVERS, STREAMS, and BEAVER PONDS are CLOSED to fishing unless listed as open. See page 17 for complete information. Beaver ponds located within or connected to streams listed as open to TROUT and Other Game Fish follow the same rules as the stream.

TACKLE

Hook and line angling only. Barbed or barbless hooks may be used, and a hook may be single-point, double, or treble, but not more than one line with up to three hooks per angler may be used.

Single-point barbless hooks are required in areas designated as "fly fishing only" or "selective gear rules."

All fishing gear must be kept in immediate control and may not be left unattended while fishing. Rodholders may be used, but the rod must be easily removed without delay; rod may be left in holder while playing the fish. A club or dipnet may be used to assist landing a legal fish taken by legal gear. A gaff hook may not be used.

It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from freshwater that was not hooked inside the mouth or on the head. The head is defined as any portion forward of the rear margin of the gill plate.

BAIT RULES

It is unlawful to chum, broadcast, feed, or distribute into freshwater any bait or other substance capable of attracting fish unless specifically authorized in Special Rules.

Where use of bait is prohibited, or where lures or flies are used voluntarily, Game Fish may be caught and released until the daily limit is retained. If any fish has swallowed the hook or is hooked in the gill, eye, or tongue, it should be kept if legal to do so.

It is unlawful to possess or use live aquatic animals as bait, except:
1. Live aquatic animals (other than fish) collected from the water being fished.
2. Live sand shrimp.
3. Live forage fish in the Columbia River downstream of the Rocky Point/Tongue Point line.

STURGEON

GREEN STURGEON may not be retained.

Catch-and-release fishing ONLY in the Columbia River from Bonneville Dam downstream, and from Priest Rapids Dam to Chief Joseph Dam, Snake River from Ice Harbor Dam upstream, coastal, and Puget Sound waters including their tributaries.

Annual WHITE STURGEON limit is 2 fish even if the angler holds both a Washington and Oregon license.

Catch Record Cards are required statewide.

WHITE STURGEON Open only during open Game Fish or SALMON seasons.

Only one single-point barbless hook and bait is allowed when fishing for STURGEON. In the field, eggs must be retained with intact carcass of fish from which they came. Night closure in effect for all STURGEON (except Chehalis River). Any STURGEON not to be retained must be released immediately. Oversized STURGEON cannot be removed totally or in part from the water.

In Columbia River waters forming the boundary between Washington and Oregon, STURGEON anglers may continue to fish (catch-and-release) after a daily or yearly limit has been retained.

STURGEON caught from lakes, rivers, or streams without catch record card codes should be entered on the catch card with code "900."

Tagged STURGEON: Do not remove tags from fish not of legal size or not to be retained, but record: tag number and color, date, location of catch, fish length, your name and address. If fish is retained, remove tag and send with above information to the address below.

WDFW Region 5 Office (Vancouver)
2108 Grand Boulevard
Vancouver, Washington 98661

SPECIAL RULES INSTRUCTIONS

The Special Rules (pages 18-94) list freshwater areas where the Statewide Rules have been modified.

Unless otherwise listed in the Special Rules, you must follow the Statewide Rules.

For all Game Fish and salmon, the Special Rules show ALL of the fishing opportunities for each freshwater area listed.

The terms "TROUT", "All Game Fish", and "Other Game Fish" include the TROUT and Game Fish species on the definitions pages 10-11, except DOLLY VARDEN/BULL TROUT and GRASS CARP.

When Landlocked Salmon rules apply, landlocked ATLANTIC, COHO, and CHINOOK SALMON are regulated as trout. See definition page 11.

County references after lakes or streams are noted to make it easier to locate the waters listed, or to differentiate between two places with the same name. They do not mean that the rules apply only to the portion of water in that county.

In the Special Rules "motors prohibited" mean that fishing from a floating device equipped with a motor is prohibited. "Internal combustion motors prohibited" means that fishing from a floating device equipped with an internal combustion motor is prohibited. "Equipped with" means the motor is attached to the floating device, regardless of whether the motor is in the water.

In Grant, Adams, Okanogan, and Douglas counties, you may fish up to the base of all man-made dams or other obstructions (in listed and unlisted areas), except Zosel Dam.

Lakes with this icon have a public boat ramp.

Lakes with this icon are excluded from the Two-Pole Endorsement.

Waters annotated with: Col. R. Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement require a Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement when fishing for salmon or steelhead. See: http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/crss_endorsement

Waters annotated with: Barbless hooks required for Salmon/Steelhead require the use of barbless hooks when fishing for SALMON and STEELHEAD within the Columbia River and its tributaries.

Waters annotated with: Mandatory Hatchery Steelhead Retention the catch-and-release of hatchery steelhead is not allowed. These fish must be retained if legal to do so.

GAME FISH

Possession Limit for Game Fish is 2 Daily Limits in any form.

FOOD FISH

OTHER FISH