Closures

Southern Rosario Strait/Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca Closure: Waters of Area 7 in Rosario Strait and the eastern portion of the Strait of Juan de Fuca southerly of a line running true south from the westernmost point on Fidalgo Head to Burrows Island, then westerly and southerly along the shore of Burrows Island to the Burrows Island Lighthouse, then westerly to Bird Rocks, then westerly from Bird Rocks to the southernmost point on Decatur Island, then southerly across Lopez Pass to Lopez Island and following the shore of Lopez Island southerly and westerly to Iceberg Point, then from Iceberg Point to Cattle Point, then south-southwest to the Salmon Bank Buoy, and then true south from the Salmon Bank Buoy to the Area 7 boundary. August 1 to September 30: CLOSED to fishing for SALMON. October 1 to July 31: same rules as Marine Area 7 - ENTIRE AREA.

SALMON

Entire Area
SEASON
July 1 to July 31
RULES
CHINOOK - minimum size 22". Other SALMON species - no minimum size. Daily limit 2 (combined) plus 2 additional SOCKEYE. Release COHO and wild CHINOOK. See Bellingham Bay Closure and Fishery, Samish Bay Closure, and Yellow and Low Islands Preserve.

SEASON
August 1 to September 30
RULES
CHINOOK - minimum size 22". Other SALMON species - no minimum size. Daily limit 2 (combined) plus 2 additional SOCKEYE. Only 1 CHINOOK may be retained. Release COHO and CHUM. See Southern Rosario Strait/Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca Closure. See Bellingham Bay Closure and Fishery, Samish Bay Closure, Lummi Reservation and Bay Closure, and Yellow and Low Islands Preserve.

SEASON
October 1 to October 31
RULES
CHINOOK - minimum size 22". Other SALMON species - no minimum size. Daily limit 2 (combined). Release COHO and wild CHINOOK. See Bellingham Bay Closure and Fishery, Samish Bay Closure, Lummi Reservation and Bay Closure, and Yellow and Low Islands Preserve. Season may close earlier if CHINOOK guideline is attained.

SEASON
December 1 to April 30
RULES
CHINOOK - minimum size 22". Other SALMON species - no minimum size. Daily limit 2 (combined). Release COHO and wild CHINOOK. See Bellingham Bay Closure and Fishery, and Yellow and Low Islands Preserve. Season may close earlier if CHINOOK guideline is attained.

Bellingham Bay Fishery
SEASON
August 16 to October 31
RULES
CHINOOK - minimum size 22". Other SALMON species - no minimum size. Daily limit 4 (combined). Up to 2 CHINOOK may be retained. Release COHO. October 1 to October 31: release wild CHINOOK. See Samish Bay Closure.

TROUT

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
Catch-and-release except up to 2 hatchery STEELHEAD may be retained.

STURGEON

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
Catch-and-release.

MACKEREL

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
No minimum size. No daily limit.

HERRING, ANCHOVY, SARDINE, SAND LANCE, and SMELT

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
No minimum size. Daily limit 10 lbs., all species combined. All SMELT caught must be kept and count toward the daily limit except CLOSED to Columbia River SMELT (eulachon). HERRING - CLOSED year-round north of a line from Sandy Point to Patos Island to the Canadian boundary. For SMELT: Jig gear may be used 7 days a week. Dipnets may be used from 6:00am until 10:00pm Fridays through Tuesdays.

PACIFIC HALIBUT

Check the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/creel/halibut or call (360) 902-2700 in April 2017 for information on PACIFIC HALIBUT seasons and regulations. No min. size. Daily limit 1.

 

BOTTOMFISH

Year-round season. Daily limit is a total of 15 BOTTOMFISH (see definition) regardless of species, subject to individual limits and seasons shown below. See closures Fishing for BOTTOMFISH prohibited in waters deeper than 120 feet.

× Bottomfish
Includes Pacific cod, Pacific tomcod, Pacific hake (or whiting), walleye pollock, all species of dabs, sole and flounders (except Pacific halibut), lingcod, ratfish, sablefish, cabezon, greenling, buffalo sculpin, great sculpin, red Irish lord, brown Irish lord, Pacific staghorn sculpin, wolfeel, giant wrymouth, plainfin midshipman, all species of shark, skate, rockfish, rattail, and surfperches (all saltwater perch are surfperch) excluding shiner perch.

LINGCOD

SEASON
May 1 to June 15
RULES
Hook and line season. Minimum size 26". Maximum size 36". Daily limit 1.

SEASON
May 21 to June 15
RULES
Spearfishing season. Maximum size 36". Daily limit 1.

SURFPERCH

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
No minimum size. Daily limit 10.
Except SHINER PERCH daily limit 15: not included in BOTTOMFISH limit.

ROCKFISH

SEASON
CLOSED
RULES
CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

PACIFIC COD, POLLOCK, and HAKE

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
No minimum size. Daily limit 2 of each species.

CABEZON

SEASON
May 1 to November 30
RULES
Minimum size 18". Daily limit 1.

WOLF EEL

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
CLOSED to retention.

SIXGILL, SEVENGILL, & THRESHER SHARKS

SEASON
CLOSED
RULES
CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. SIXGILL SHARK may not be removed from the water.

OTHER FOOD FISH

SEASON
Year-round
RULES
 
No minimum size. Daily limit 2 of each species. (see definition)
× OTHER FOOD FISH

When used in this guide, this refers to species which occur in our waters irregularly, usually in coastal areas during the summer months and includes barracuda, white sea bass, bonito, yellowtail, and pomfret.

ALL OTHER FISH

SEASON
CLOSED
RULES
CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.