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Top fish species at Bellingham Bay
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Bellingham Bay fishing reports
length · weight
11 in · 7 lb
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Fishing regulations at Bellingham Bay, WA
Disclaimer: Always check local fishing regulations, water access rights and land ownership before fishing, regardless of any catches logged in that area by the Fishbrain community. Fishbrain has mapped millions of acres of government-owned land across the USA to help you identify potential fishing access, but you are responsible for ensuring compliance with all legal requirements.
Fishing regulations in Washington can change throughout the year. Make sure to check this page before fishing for the most up to date rules and regulations for the current season. Local regulations govern when you can fish, the max size of the fish you can keep, how many fish you can keep, and more.
Regulations for top species
Chinook salmon
The maximum number of individual fish legally harvested per harvester per day. Bag limits are only for properly licensed anglers actively harvesting the species. People who are not actively harvesting or are not properly licensed (if a license is required) may NOT be counted for the purpose of bag limits.
WA Non-game and Food Fish
You may not harvest in freshwater any fish not classified as a Food Fish or Game Fish except for Northern pike.
WA Snagging
You may not snag or attempt to snag fish. 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.
WA Use of Drugs, Explosives or Poisons
You may not use drugs, explosives, or poison that may kill or injure fish and wildlife.
WA Crossbow
You may not use a crossbow to harvest fish or shellfish.
WA Sale or Barter
You may not offer any recreationally-caught fish or shellfish for sale or barter.
WA Possession and Fishing Rules
You may not fish for or harvest fish or shellfish in an area with catch in your possession that does not meet the rules of that area. However, you may pass through such an area without stopping to fish. Also, you may catch fish in one area and land them at a port in a different area even if that different area is closed or has different rules, with the exception of landing halibut in a closed area, or landing bottom fish caught in Oregon.
WA Harvesting another Person's Limit
You may not harvest any part of another person's daily limit, except for persons who possess a Designated Harvester Companion Card unless otherwise specified.
WA Bait
You may not chum (broadcast feed) to attract Game Fish unless authorized by Special Rules. You many not use salmon, herring, or halibut for anything other than human consumption or fishing bait. 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 Rocky Point/Tongue Point).
WA Transport of Live Fish
You may not transport live fish or relocate shellfish or shells into state waters without a permit.
WA Use of a Net
You may not use a net, except when using a dip net to land legally-hooked fish, a forage fish dip net to harvest forage fish.
WA Use of Chemicals
You may not use any type of chemical irritant to harvest fish, or shellfish unless a special exception has been made by the Director.
WA Bow and Arrow, Spear and Spearfishing
You may not fish for Game Fish, salmon, sturgeon, shad, octopus, crab, or other shellfish with bow and arrow, spear, or spearfishing gear unless authorized by Special Rules.
WA Gaff Hooks
You may not use a gaff hook, except to land lingcod (in Marine Areas 1-3 and 4 West of Bonilla-Tatoosh line), halibut, tuna, or dogfish shark that will be retained.
WA Season for Fishing Rivers Streams and Beaver Ponds
Rivers, streams and beaver ponds are open the Saturday before Memorial Day through October 31. Beaver ponds located within or connected to streams listed as open to trout and other game fish follow the same rules as the stream. Lakes, ponds, and reservoirs are open to fishing for game fish (except Dolly Varden/bull trout and grass carp) year-round.
WA Hook and Line Angling
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.
WA Cooperation with Data Collection
You must cooperate with data collection or other sampling of fish, shellfish or seaweed upon request of Department of Fish and Wildlife personnel. This includes relinquishing any part of a salmon, steelhead, or other species of fish containing coded-wire tags.
See special areas for limits.
For more information please see State of Washington Fishing Regulations
Anglers may not continue to fish for salmon after the adult portion of the daily limit has been retained.
Possession limit — 2 daily limits in fresh form. An additional 40 pounds of salmon may be possessed in frozen or processed form. Atlantic salmon may be retained during any open trout or salmon fishery. There is no size limit or daily limit for Atlantic salmon.
For more information please see State of Washington Fishing Regulations
It is unlawful to totally remove a salmon, steelhead, Dolly Varden/bull trout from the water if it is unlawful to retain or if the angler subsequently releases the fish, except within the Columbia River downstream from a line between Rocky Point and Tongue Point.
For more information please see State of Washington Fishing Regulations
You must fill out your Catch Record Card immediately upon retaining salmon, steelhead, halibut, or sturgeon and return your Catch Record Card when you are done fishing or by the date printed on your card, even if nothing was caught.
For more information please see State of Washington Fishing Regulations
You may not land both a Canadian and a Washington limit of salmon on the same day (one or the other, but not both).
For more information please see State of Washington Fishing Regulations
You may not remove eggs from a salmon to use or preserve them for bait without retaining the carcass from which the eggs were removed or possess sturgeon eggs in the field without having retained the intact carcass of the fish from which the eggs were removed.
For more information please see State of Washington Fishing Regulations
BIG BEAVER CREEK
from 1/4 mile upstream of Ross Lake markers to headwaters, including tributary streams and beaver ponds
- All species
- Selective gear rules.
- Trout
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
- Other game fish
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
CHANNEL CREEK
(Baker River tributary)
- All game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Aug. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
DAKOTA CREEK
from mouth (a line from the outermost headland of the south bank to a house at 1285 Runge Ave., Blaine, Washington, approx. 1/4 mile downstream from the Blaine Rd. Bridge) to Giles Rd. Bridge CRC (724)
- All species
- Selective gear rules.
- All game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Dec. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
KENDALL CREEK
from mouth through the hatchery to the hatchery boundary fence
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
NOOKSACK RIVER
from the Lummi Indian Reservation boundary to the Hwy. 544 Bridge in Everson CRC (794)
- All species
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Jan. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Sept. 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Closed.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Aug. 1-Sept. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release wild Chinook, pink, and chum.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum and pink.
from the Hwy. 544 Bridge in Everson to the yellow marker at the FFA high school barn in Deming CRC (794)
- All species
- Aug. 1-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Trout
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Jan. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Closed.
- Other game fish
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Aug. 1-Sept. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release wild Chinook, pink, and chum.
- Oct. 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum and pink.
- Nov. 1-Nov. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho and no more than 1 chum.
- Dec. 1-Dec. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum.
from yellow marker at the FFA high school barn in Deming to confluence of North and South forks CRC (794)
- All species
- Aug. 1-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Trout
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Jan. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Closed.
- Other game fish
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Oct. 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum and pink.
- Nov. 1-Nov. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho and no more than 1 chum.
- Dec. 1-Dec. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum.
NOOKSACK RIVER, MIDDLE FORK
from mouth to the former City of Bellingham diversion Dam CRC (788)
- All species
- Selective gear rules.
- Nov. 1-Jan. 31
- Motors prohibited.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
NOOKSACK RIVER, NORTH FORK
from mouth to Hwy. 9
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from the Hwy. 9 Bridge to the yellow marker at the upstream side of Kendall Hatchery CRC (790)
- All species
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Nov. 1-Feb. 15
- Motors prohibited.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Feb. 15
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Jan. 1-Feb. 15
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Sept. 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Closed.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Feb. 15
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Oct. 1-Nov. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum and pink.
from the yellow marker at the upstream side of Kendall Hatchery to Maple Creek CRC (790)
- All species
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Nov. 1-Feb. 15
- Motors prohibited.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Feb. 15
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Jan. 1-Feb. 15
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Closed.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Feb. 15
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Oct. 1-Nov. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 4 including no more than 2 wild coho. Release chum and pink.
from Maple Creek to Nooksack Falls CRC (790)
- All species
- Selective gear rules.
- Nov. 1-Jan. 31
- Motors prohibited.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
NOOKSACK RIVER, SOUTH FORK
from mouth to Skookum Creek CRC (792)
- All species
- Internal combustion motors prohibited.
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Only 1 single-point hook allowed.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Night closure.
- Trout
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Jan. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 2.
- Oct. 1-Dec. 31
- Closed.
- Other game fish
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Oct. 1-Oct. 15
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 wild coho or 2 hatchery Chinook or 1 of each. Release chum, pink and wild Chinook.
- Oct. 16-Dec. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 wild coho or 2 Chinook or 1 of each. Release chum.
from Skookum Creek upstream to Wanlick Creek
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from Wanlick Creek upstream including Wanlick Creek and all tributaries CRC (792)
- All species
- Fly fishing only.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
ROSS LAKE TRIBUTARY STREAMS
and their tributaries from 1 mile upstream of Ross Lake to headwaters (except Ruby and Big Beaver creeks).
- All game fish
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
RUBY CREEK
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
STETATTLE CREEK
from mouth to Bucket Creek
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
THORNTON CREEK
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: No min. size/ daily limit for cutthroat trout.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
WHATCOM CREEK
from mouth (a line from the flashing light at the southwest end of the Port of Bellingham North Terminal to the southernmost point of the dike surrounding the Georgia Pacific treatment pond) to the markers below footbridge below Dupont St. in Bellingham CRC (884)
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Aug. 4-Sept. 10
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 1. Night closure. Antisnagging rule. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook. Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays only.
from the markers below the footbridge below Dupont St. upstream to the footbridge
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from footbridge below Dupont St. in Bellingham to stone bridge at Whatcom Falls Park CRC (884)
- All species
- Aug. 1-Oct. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout: min. size 14".
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
from stone bridge at Whatcom Falls Park to Lake Whatcom CRC (884)
- All species
- Juvenile Anglers Only (under 15 years old).
- Trout
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- No min. size. Daily limit 2.
- Other game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
WHATCOM, LAKE TRIBUTARIES
all tributaries and that portion of Lake Whatcom between Electric Ave. Bridge and outlet dam
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
BAKER LAKE
CRC (825)
- All species
- Chumming permitted.
- Kokanee
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Min. size 8". Max. size 18". Daily limit 10.
- Other game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- July 15-Aug. 31
- Min. size 18". Daily limit 3. Release all salmon other than sockeye. Each angler aboard a vessel may deploy salmon angling gear until the salmon limit for all anglers aboard has been achieved.
200' radius around pump discharge at the south end of lake
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
CAIN LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
DIABLO LAKE
- All species
- Two-Pole not allowed.
- All game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
FAZON LAKE
- All species
- First Fri. in October-Jan. 27
- Fishing from any floating device prohibited.
- All game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
GORGE LAKE
- All species
- Two-Pole not allowed.
- All game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
HOZOMEEN LAKE
- All species
- Unlawful to use lead weights or lead jigs measuring 1 1/2" or less along the longest axis.
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
KEEFE LAKE
- Smallmouth bass
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 15. Only 1 over 14" may be retained.
- Largemouth bass
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 10. Max. size 12", except 1 over 17" may be retained.
- Channel catfish
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 10.
- Walleye
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 16. Only 1 over 22" may be retained.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
PADDEN LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
ROSS LAKE
refer to Ross Lake Tributaries for more information
- All species
- Selective gear rules. Two-Pole not allowed.
- Eastern brook trout
- July 1-Oct. 31
- No min. size. Daily limit 5.
- Other trout
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 16". Daily limit 1.
- Other game fish
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SAMISH, LAKE
- Cutthroat trout
- Year-round
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2. Cutthroat count toward trout daily limit.
- Other trout
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Smallmouth bass
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 15. Only 1 over 14" may be retained.
- Largemouth bass
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 10. Max. size 12", except 1 over 17" may be retained.
- Channel catfish
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 10.
- Walleye
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 16. Only 1 over 22" may be retained.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SILVER LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SQUALICUM LAKE
- All species
- Two-Pole not allowed. Motors prohibited. Fly fishing only.
- Trout
- Year-round
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SUNSET LAKE
- Smallmouth bass
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 15. Only 1 over 14" may be retained.
- Largemouth bass
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 10. Max. size 12", except 1 over 17" may be retained.
- Channel catfish
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 10.
- Walleye
- Year-round
- No min. size. Daily limit 16. Only 1 over 22" may be retained.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
TENNANT LAKE
- All species
- First Fri. in October-Jan. 27
- Fishing from any floating device prohibited.
- All game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
TERRELL, LAKE
- All species
- First Sat. after Labor Day-Fri. Following First Sat. after Labor Day
- Fishing from any floating device except a dock prohibited.
- Oct. 1-Jan. 31
- Fishing from any floating device except a dock prohibited.
- All game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
THORNTON LAKE, LOWER
- Trout
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: No min. size/ daily limit for cutthroat trout.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
TOAD LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
WHATCOM, LAKE
that portion of Lake Whatcom between Electric Ave. Bridge and outlet dam
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
above Electric Ave. Bridge
- All species
- Two-Pole not allowed.
- Year-round
- See DOH Fish Consumption Advisories page 24.
- Trout
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release cutthroat.
- Other game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
BAKER RIVER
from mouth to the lower Baker Dam
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
SKAGIT RIVER
from Cascade River Rd. (Marblemount Bridge) to Gorge powerhouse at Newhalem CRC (830)
- All species
- Internal combustion motors prohibited. Selective gear rules.
- All game fish
- June 1-Jan. 31
- Catch-and-release. Except: 2 hatchery steelhead may be retained.
SHANNON, LAKE
- All species
- Chumming permitted.
- Kokanee
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Min. size 8". Daily limit 10.
- Other game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
FAQ about Bellingham Bay fishing
- Chinook salmon - 6 members reported to have caught this fish
- Pacific spiny dogfish - 4 members reported to have caught this fish
- Lingcod - 4 members reported to have caught this fish
- @Bennettburke reported a nice Coastal cutthroat trout.
- @Tryingtocatchanything reported a nice Coho salmon.
- @TeddyZZZ reported a nice Northern anchovy.
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