Statewide Freshwater Rules Using Freshwater Rules 1 Read: the Statewide Freshwater Rules and Statewide Freshwater Species Rules
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Washington Sport Fishing Rules: Effective May 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 Statewide Freshwater Rules Using Freshwater Rules 1 Read: The Statewide Freshwater Rules and Statewide Freshwater Species Rules. Determine seasons and general rules applying to the species for which you intend to fish. Remember to check for emergency rules, which can be found by calling the WDFW Fishing Hotline at (360) 902-2500, by contacting statewide customer service at (360) 902-2700, or by visiting the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov. 2 Choose: The location you are going to fish and check that area for Special Rule listings. Special Rules are divided into six areas: Coastal Rivers, Puget Sound and Strait Rivers, Westside Rivers, Westside Lakes, Eastside Rivers, and Eastside Lakes. RIVERS lists rivers, streams, and beaver ponds. LAKES lists lakes, ponds, and reservoirs. For the purposes of this pamphlet, the COLUMBIA AND SNAKE RIVERS are rivers (not reservoirs), and any special rules that apply are listed in the Eastside Rivers section. See map below for additional infomation. Freshwater Rules Freshwater 3 If your area is listed in a Special Rules section: Read Special Rules Instructions on the bottom of page 16. If your area is NOT listed in the Special Rules for Westside Rivers, Eastside Rivers, Westside Lakes, and Eastside Lakes (pages 52-95), then all the Statewide Rules apply. In the Puget Sound, Strait, and Coastal Rivers sections ALL unlisted areas are CLOSED. 4 The following terms are used frequently in the Special Rules: Catch-and-release, Chumming, Daily Limit, Fly Fishing Only, Juvenile Only, Landlocked Salmon Rules, Minimum Size (min. size), Maximum Size (max. size), Night Closure, Anti-Snagging Rule, Selective Gear Rules, Internal Combustion Motors Prohibited, Release wild STEELHEAD, Release wild CHINOOK, Release wild COHO, and Release wild CUTTHROAT. Definitions can be found on pages 10-11. Puget Sound and Strait of Juan de Fuca Whatcom Pend San J uan Oreille Okanogan Skagit Ferry Ste vens Island Clallam Snohomish Chelan Jefferson Douglas Lincoln Kitsap Spokane King Mason Grays Harbor Grant Coast Kittitas Pierce Adams Whitman Thurston Pacific Lewis Franklin Garfield Yakima Columbia Co wlitz Asotin Walla Walla Wahkiakum Skamania Benton Klickitat Clark Westside Eastside 15 Washington Sport Fishing Rules: Effective May 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 Statewide Freshwater Rules The following rules and seasons apply unless listed otherwise in the Special Rules Areas/Seasons Tackle Sturgeon For all Game Fish and SALMON, the Hook and line angling only. Barbed or GREEN STURGEON may not be retained. Special Rules show ALL of the fishing barbless hooks may be used, and a hook opportunities for each freshwater area may be single-point, double, or treble, but not Catch-and-release fishing ONLY in the listed. more than one line with up to three hooks per Columbia River from Bonneville Dam angler may be used. downstream, coastal, and Puget Sound Unlisted rivers, streams, and beaver waters including their tributaries. ponds fall under statewide rules except Single-point barbless hooks are required the Puget Sound, Strait, and Coastal in areas designated as "fly fishing only" or Annual WHITE STURGEON limit is 2 rivers (see below). "selective gear rules." fish even if the angler holds both a All fishing gear must be kept in immediate Washington and Oregon license. All freshwater areas are CLOSED to the control and may not be left unattended while Catch Record Cards are required statewide. harvest of any fish not classified as a fishing. Rodholders may be used, but the rod Food Fish or Game Fish (see definitions must be easily removed without delay; rod WHITE STURGEON Open only during open page 10) except for NORTHERN PIKE. may be left in holder while playing the fish. Game Fish or SALMON seasons. Freshwater areas are open 24 hours per A club or dipnet may be used to assist Only one single-point barbless hook and bait day when open. landing a legal fish taken by legal gear. A gaff is allowed when fishing for STURGEON. All FRESHWATER areas are CLOSED to hook may not be used. In the field, eggs must be retained with fishing for SALMON, DOLLy VARDEN/ It is unlawful to possess a fish taken from intact carcass of fish from which they came. BULL TROUT, LAMPREy, and GRASS freshwater that was not hooked inside the Night closure in effect for all STURGEON CARP. mouth or on the head. The head is defined (except Chehalis River). Any STURGEON as any portion forward of the rear margin of not to be retained must be released Fishing for COMMON CARP, SHAD, or the gill plate. immediately. Oversized STURGEON cannot FORAGE FISH is open only during open be removed totally or in part from the water. Game Fish or SALMON seasons. In Columbia River waters forming the LAKES, PONDS, and RESERVOIRS are Bait Rules boundary between Washington and Oregon, open to fishing for Game Fish (except STURGEON anglers may continue to fish DOLLy VARDEN/BULL TROUT and It is unlawful to chum, broadcast, feed, or (catch-and-release) after a daily or yearly GRASS CARP) year-round. distribute into freshwater any bait or other limit has been retained. RIVERS, STREAMS, and Beaver substance capable of attracting fish unless specifically authorized in Special Rules. STURGEON caught from lakes, rivers, or PONDS that drain into Puget Sound, the streams without catch record card codes Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the coast are Where use of bait is prohibited, or where lures should be entered on the catch card with CLOSED to fishing unless listed as open. or flies are used voluntarily, Game Fish may code “900”. See page 21 for complete information. be caught and released until the daily limit is Beaver ponds located within or connected retained. If any fish has swallowed the hook or Tagged STURGEON: Do not remove to streams listed as open to TROUT and is hooked in the gill, eye, or tongue, it should tags from fish not of legal size or not to be Other Game Fish follow the same rules as be kept if legal to do so. retained, but record: tag number and color, the stream. It is unlawful to possess or use live aquatic date, location of catch, fish length, your animals as bait, except: name and address. If fish is retained, remove RIVERS, STREAMS, and Beaver tag and send with above information to the PONDS that do not drain into Puget 1. Live aquatic animals (other than fish) address below. Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the collected from the water being fished. coast are OPEN to fishing for Game Fish 2. Live sand shrimp. WDFW Region 5 Office (Vancouver) (except DOLLy VARDEN/BULL TROUT 2108 Grand Boulevard 3. Live forage fish in the Columbia River Vancouver, Washington 98661 and GRASS CARP) the first Saturday in downstream of the Rocky Point/Tongue JUNE-October 31. Point line. Special Rules Instructions The Special Rules (pages 21-95) list County references after lakes or streams are Lakes with this icon have a public boat ramp. freshwater areas where the Statewide Rules noted to make it easier to locate the waters have been modified. listed, or to differentiate between two places with the same name. They do not mean that the rules Lakes with the below icon are excluded from Unless otherwise listed in the Special Rules, apply only to the portion of water in that county. you must follow the Statewide Rules. the Two-Pole Endorsement. In the Special Rules "motors prohibited" mean NO For all Game Fish and salmon, the Special that fishing from a floating device equipped Rules show ALL of the fishing opportunities with a motor is prohibited. "Internal combustion for each freshwater area listed. motors prohibited" means that fishing from Waters annotated with: a floating device equipped with an internal Col. R. Salmon/Steelhead Endorsement, The terms "All Game Fish" and "Other require a Columbia River Salmon and Game Fish" include the Game Fish species combustion motor is prohibited. "Equipped with" Steelhead Endorsement when fishing for on the definitions pages, except DOLLy means the motor is attached to the floating salmon or steelhead. VARDEN/BULL TROUT and GRASS CARP. device, regardless of whether the motor is in the See: water. The term TROUT includes: STEELHEAD, http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/crss_endorsement. BROWN, CUTTHROAT, TIGER, RAINBOW, In the Special Rules, all seasons for named Waters annotated with: LAKE, GOLDEN, and EASTERN BROOK lakes in Grant and Adams counties apply to inlet Barbless hooks required for Salmon/Steelhead TROUT; GRAYLING; KOKANEE; and and outlet streams. In Grant, Adams, Okanogan, require the use of barbless hooks when fishing LANDLOCKED ATLANTIC, COHO, AND and Douglas counties, you may fish up to the for SALMON and STEELHEAD within the CHINOOK SALMON. base of all man-made dams or other obstructions Columbia River and its tributaries. (in listed and unlisted areas), except Zosel Dam. 16 Washington Sport Fishing Rules: Effective May 1, 2014 - June 30, 2015 Statewide Freshwater Species Rules Game Fish Possession Limit for Game Fish is 2 Daily Limits in any form. SPECIES ADDITIONAL RULES LARGEMOUTH BASS No min. size. Only LARGEMOUTH BASS less than 12" may be retained, except 1 over 17" may be (See DOH advisory, page 20) retained. Daily limit 5. Bass may be caught, retained, and released alive from a livewell until a daily limit is in possession. SMALLMOUTH BASS No min. size. Only 1 SMALLMOUTH BASS over 14" may be retained. Daily limit 10. Bass may be (See DOH advisory, page 20) caught, retained, and released alive from a livewell until a daily limit is in possession. TIGER MUSKELLUNGE (TIGER MUSKIE) Min.