Washington regulations
Steelhead Regulations in Washington 2026
Washington steelhead 2026 open seasons vary by 59 management regions. Statewide rules apply for 2/day and 20″ min. Pick your region in the rule table below. Sourced from WDFW.
Rules (116)
Washington statewideCatch & release
- Status
- Catch And Release
- Daily bag
- 2 fish/day
- Possession
- 2 fish
- Min size
- 20"
Retain wild steelhead is prohibited Two daily limits of hatchery steelhead, except 1 daily limit when aboard a vessel in Marine areas 1-6.
400’ Radius Of The Columbia Irrigation District (Cid) Fish Barrier At The Mouth Of The Cid Wasteway At Columbia ParkClosed
- Status
- Closed
Closed to fishing for or retaining.
Clarkston Crc (648)Out of season
- Season opens
- Sep 1
- Season closes
- Mar 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Columbia Basin RiversClosed
- Status
- Closed
- Gear
- Barbless
Closed to fishing for or retaining.
Crc (650)Out of season
- Season opens
- Sep 1
- Season closes
- Mar 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Delameter Creek - Cowlitz Co.
- Season closes
- Oct 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Drano LakeOut of season
- Season opens
- Oct 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
- Gear
- Two Pole Endorsement
Anglers may fish for salmon and steelhead with two poles with Two-pole Endorsement and each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon/steelhead angling gear until the daily salmon/steelhead limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved
Drano Lake Area West Of A Line Projected From The Easternmost Pillar Of Hwy. 14 Bridge To A Posted Marker On The North Shore Crc (618)Closed
- Status
- Closed
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Oct 31
- Gear
- Two Pole Endorsement
Closed to fishing for or retaining steelhead Anglers may fish for salmon and steelhead with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement and each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon/steelhead angling gear until the daily salmon/steelhead limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved
Elochoman River - Wahkiakum Co.
- Season closes
- Oct 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
From 1,000’ Above Fishway At Kalama Falls Hatchery Upstream To Summers Creek Crc (602)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From 400’ Upstream From #5 Fishway (Lyle Falls Fishway) To Boundary Markers Below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery Crc (608)
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From A Line At The West End Of Puget Island Projected From Green Navigation
- Gear
- Barbless
Marker 44a On The Oregon Bank Upstream To The Longview Bridge Crc (521)
From A Line From Rocky Point On The Washington Bank Through Red Buoy 44 To Red Navigation
- Gear
- Barbless
Marker 44a On The Oregon Bank Crc (521)
From A Line Starting From A Fshing Boundary Sign On The Washington North Shore Located Approx. 1300’ Upstream Of The Dalles Dam And Lock Boat Ramp Projected Easterly Across The Columbia River To A Boundary Sign On The Washington Southern Shore Located Approx. 200’ Above The Fsh Ladder Exit To The West End Of The Grain Silo At Rufus, Oregon 2.4 Miles Downstream Of John Day Dam Crc(529)
- Season closes
- Dec 31
Each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon/steelhead angling gear until the daily salmon/steelhead limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
From A True North And South Line Through Buoy 10 To The Megler Astoria Bridge, Except See Youngs Bay Control Zone Crc (519)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
Each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon/steelhead angling gear until the daily salmon/steelhead limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
From Boundary Markers Above Klickitat Salmon Hatchery To Yakama Reservation Boundary. Crc (608)
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From Colvin Creek To Overhead Power Lines Below Merwin Dam Crc (615)Out of season
- Season opens
- Dec 16
- Season closes
- Apr 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From Fallert Creek Hatchery Intake To Posted Markers Approx. 1,400' Below The Fishway Entrance At Kalama Falls Hatchery Crc (603)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From French Creek To Swede Heaven Bridge Crc (872)Out of season
- Season opens
- Nov 1
- Season closes
- Feb 15
From Hwy. 730 At The Washington/Oregon Border To The Hwy. 395 Bridge At Pasco Crc (533)
- Gear
- Barbless
From John Day Dam To A Line From The Grain Elevators At Patterson Ferry Road On The Oregon Shore, Straight Across To The Washington Shore At The West End Of The Old Concrete Foundation Crc (531)
- Gear
- Barbless
From Johnson Creek To Colvin Creek Crc (615)In season
- Season opens
- Jun 1
- Season closes
- Apr 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From Marine Drive Upstream To ForksOut of season
- Season opens
- Sep 22
- Season closes
- Jan 31
From McNary Dam To Hwy. 730 At Washington/Oregon Border Crc (533)
- Gear
- Barbless
From Summers Creek Upstream To The Intersection Of 6000 And 6420 Rds. Crc (602)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From The Dalles Dam To A Line Starting From A Fshing Boundary Sign On The Washington North Shore Located Approx. 1300’ Upstream Of The Dalles Dam And Lock Boat Ramp Projected Easterly Across The Columbia River To A Boundary Sign On The Washington Southern Shore Located Approx. 200’ Above The Fsh Ladder ExitOut of season
- Season opens
- Feb 15
- Season closes
- Jun 15
handling rules apply when fshingfrom vessels less than 30’ in length.
From The Downstream Side Of The Westbound I-82 Bridge In Prosser To The Grant Ave. Bridge In Prosser
- Gear
- Barbless
From The I-82/Hwy. 395 Bridge To A Red And White Marker On The Oregon Shore On A Line That Intersects The Downstream End Of The Wingwall Of The Boat Lock Near The Washington Shore Crc (531)
- Gear
- Barbless
From The Intersection Of 6000 And 6420 Rds. To 6600 Rd. Bridge Immediately Downstream Of Jacks Creek Crc (602)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From The Longview Bridge To A Line Projected From The Warrior Rock Lighthouse To The Marker Atop The Piling Dolphin Located At The Downstream End Of Bachelor Island On The Washington Shore (Warrior Rock Line) Crc (523)
- Gear
- Barbless
From The Megler Astoria Bridge To A Projected Line From Rocky Point On The Washington Bank Through Red Buoy 44 To The Red NavigationOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
Each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon/steelhead angling gear until the daily salmon/steelhead limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.; Marker 2 At Tongue Point On The Oregon Bank Crc (519) Marker 2 At Tongue Point On The Oregon Bank Crc (519)
From The Natural Gas Pipeline Crossing To The Deadline At The Intake To The Fallert Creek Hatchery Crc (603)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From The Railroad Bridge Below I-5 To Modrow Bridge Crc (604)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
From Upstream Of A Line Projected From The Warrior Rock Lighthouse To The Marker Atop The Piling Dolphin Located At The Downstream End Of Bachelor Island On The Washington Shore (Warrior Rock Line) To The I-5 Bridge Crc (523)
- Gear
- Barbless
From Upstream Of The Hwy. 530 Bridge At Mile Post 28.8 (Cicero Bridge) To French Creek Crc (872)Out of season
- Season opens
- Nov 1
- Season closes
- Jan 31
From Upstream Of The Modrow Bridge To The Natural Gas Pipeline Crossing Crc (603)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Germany Creek And Tributaries - Cowlitz Co.Out of season
- Season opens
- Nov 1
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Germany Creek And Tributaries - Cowlitz Co. Crc (589)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery. Nov. 1-Mar. 15
Grande Ronde River - Asotin Co.Out of season
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Apr 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Hamilton Creek - Skamania Co.
- Season closes
- Oct 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Kalama River - Cowlitz Co.
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Klickitat River - Klickitat Co.Closed
- Status
- Closed
- Season opens
- Nov 1
- Season closes
- Nov 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Lewis River - Clark/Cowlitz Co. From Mouth (A Straight Line From A Fishing Boundary Marker Or From The Outermost Upland At The North Shore Of The Lewis River Mouth Southerly Across The River To A Fishing Boundary Marker Near The South Shore) To The Mouth Of The East Fork Lewis River Crc (611)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Lewis River - Clark/Cowlitz Co. From Mouth Of The East Fork Lewis River To Johnson Creek Crc (615)
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Little Washougal River - Clark Co. Crc (661)
- Season closes
- Oct 31
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
Moclips River From Mouth To Quinault Indian Reservation Boundary Crc (371)Open
- Status
- Permitted
It is permissible to retain steelhead with a dorsal fin height of less than 2 1/8” or with an adipose or ventral fin clipped.
Quillayute RiverOut of season
- Season opens
- Nov 1
- Season closes
- Feb 28
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Salmon RiverOpen
- Status
- Permitted
- Season opens
- Dec 1
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
It is permissible to retain steelhead with a dorsal fin height of less than 2 1/8” or with an adipose or ventral fin clipped. (hatchery) hatchery
Salmon River - Jefferson Co.Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Season opens
- Dec 1
- Season closes
- Sep 30
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
It is permissible to retain steelhead with a dorsal fin height of less than 2 1/8” or with an adipose or ventral fin clipped. hatchery
Stillaguamish River, North Fork - Snohomish Co. From Mouth To Hwy. 530 Bridge Crc (872)Out of season
- Season opens
- Sep 1
- Season closes
- Jan 31
Touchet River - Walla Walla Co. From Mouth To The Confluence Of North And South Forks Crc (657)Out of season
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Apr 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
- Gear
- Barbless
hatchery hatchery. Barbless hooks required.
Toutle River, South Fork - Cowlitz Co. From Mouth To 4700 Rd. Bridge Crc (577)In season
- Season opens
- Apr 16
- Season closes
- Mar 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Tucannon River - Columbia/Garfield Co. From Mouth Upstream To Tucannon Hatchery Rd. Bridge Crc (653)Out of season
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Apr 15
- Daily bag
- 3 fish/day
hatchery
Youngs Bay Control Zone - Waters South Of A Line Originating On The Oregon Shore At The East End Of The Seawall At The Warrenton Fiber Log Yard (Apprx. River Mile 10.1) Northeasterly Through Green Navigation Buoys 29, 31, 33, 35a To The Center Of The Astoria-Megler Bridge Abutment Adjacent To, And North Of The Ship Channel, And Continuing Southerly In Line With The Center Of The Megler Bridge Span To The Oregon Shore. (The Youngs Bay Control Zone Includes All Waters From The Line Defined In This Section, South To The Hwy. 101 Bridge.) Crc (519)Open
- Status
- Permitted
- Season opens
- Aug 1
- Season closes
- Dec 31
Each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon/steelhead angling gear until the daily salmon/steelhead limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
Steelhead on famous Washington waters
Dedicated rule pages for Steelhead on the most-targeted destinations in Washington.
Other Washington fish regulations
Other regulated species in Washington with current rule pages — same WDFW source, same verification cadence.
- Trout (Brook, Brown, Rainbow)921 rules
- Salmon (Chinook, Coho, Pink)783 rules
- Lingcod50 rules
- Rockfish32 rules
- Dungeness Crab21 rules
- White Sturgeon9 rules
Also known as
Steelhead is also called Hatchery Steelhead. Anglers in different regions use different names for the same fish, and the rules on this page apply to all of them in Washington.
Frequently asked questions
When is Steelhead season in Washington?
Steelhead season in Washington runs from Sep 1 to Mar 31 per WDFW.
What is the size limit for Steelhead in Washington?
Minimum size for Steelhead in Washington is 20 inches, per WDFW. Slot limits or maximum sizes may apply in some zones.
What is the daily bag limit for Steelhead in Washington?
Daily bag limit for Steelhead in Washington is 3 fish/day in Clarkston Crc (648), per WDFW.
Official sources cited
- https://www.eregulations.com/assets/docs/guides/25WAFW_LR9.pdf
- https://www.eregulations.com/washington/fishing/columbia-basin-rivers-special-rules-d-k
- https://www.eregulations.com/washington/fishing/puget-sound-coastal-rivers-special-rules-s-z
Reference only. Regulations change frequently, often mid-season. Always verify with WDFW before keeping a catch.