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Fishing regulations at White Salmon River, 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
KLICKITAT RIVER
from mouth (BNSF Railroad Bridge) to Fisher Hill Bridge CRC (607)
- All species
- Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- July 1-July 31
- Night closure.
- Aug. 1-Jan. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Sat. before Memorial Day-June 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Closed.
- Nov. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release wild Chinook.
- Aug. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults.
- Salmon and hatchery steelhead
- Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release wild Chinook. Open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays only.
from Fisher Hill Bridge to 400' above #5 fishway (Lyle Falls Fishway)
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
tributaries from Fisher Hill Bridge to the boundary markers above Klickitat Salmon Hatchery, except Bird, Blockhouse, Bowman, Spring, and Outlet creeks, and the Little Klickitat River
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from 400' upstream from #5 fishway (Lyle Falls Fishway) to boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery CRC (608)
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- Whitefish
- Dec. 1-Last Day of Feb.
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Whitefish gear rules. Open for whitefish only.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release wild Chinook.
- Aug. 1-Nov. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults.
from boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery to boundary markers above hatchery
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from boundary markers above Klickitat Salmon Hatchery to Yakama reservation boundary CRC (608)
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- Whitefish
- Dec. 1-Last Day of Feb.
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Whitefish gear rules. Open for whitefish only.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
LITTLE KLICKITAT RIVER
within Goldendale city limits
- Trout
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Fri. before Memorial Day
- No min. size. Daily limit 5. Open for juvenile anglers, senior anglers and anglers with a disability who possess a designated harvester companion card only.
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- No min. size. Daily limit 5. Open to all anglers.
- Other game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Fri. before Memorial Day
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Open for juvenile anglers, senior anglers and anglers with a disability who possess a designated harvester companion card only.
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Open to all anglers.
ROCK CREEK
from mouth to Army Corps of Engineers Park
- All species
- Year-round
- Limits, size restrictions, and gear restrictions are the same as those in the adjacent portion of the Columbia River.
from Army Corps of Engineers Park upstream to the source
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
SPRING CREEK
from Hill Rd. upstream to the Goldendale Hatchery
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Min. size 8". Daily limit 5.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
HORSETHIEF LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
ROWLAND LAKE, NORTH
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Mar. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SPEARFISH LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Mar. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
WHITE SALMON RIVER
from mouth (BNSF Railroad Bridge) to County Rd. Bridge below the former location of the powerhouse CRC (508)
- All species
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Night closure for salmon and steelhead fishing only.
- Aug. 1-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule.
- Trout
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon and hatchery steelhead
- Apr. 1-June 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release wild Chinook.
- July 1-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon. Release wild Chinook. Closed to fishing for or retaining steelhead.
- Aug. 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 salmon including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. Closed to fishing for or retaining steelhead.
- Nov. 1-Mar. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adult salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
from County Rd. Bridge below the former location of the powerhouse to 400' below Big Brother Falls (river mile 16) CRC (508)
- All species
- Selective gear rules, except barbed hooks are allowed.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon and hatchery steelhead
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release all salmon other than hatchery salmon.
- Aug. 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adult salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release all salmon other than hatchery salmon.
from Big Brother Falls downstream 400'
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
Coho 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
KLICKITAT RIVER
from mouth (BNSF Railroad Bridge) to Fisher Hill Bridge CRC (607)
- All species
- Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- July 1-July 31
- Night closure.
- Aug. 1-Jan. 31
- Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Sat. before Memorial Day-June 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Closed.
- Nov. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Jan. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release wild Chinook.
- Aug. 1-Jan. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults.
- Salmon and hatchery steelhead
- Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release wild Chinook. Open on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Saturdays only.
from Fisher Hill Bridge to 400' above #5 fishway (Lyle Falls Fishway)
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
tributaries from Fisher Hill Bridge to the boundary markers above Klickitat Salmon Hatchery, except Bird, Blockhouse, Bowman, Spring, and Outlet creeks, and the Little Klickitat River
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from 400' upstream from #5 fishway (Lyle Falls Fishway) to boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery CRC (608)
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- Whitefish
- Dec. 1-Last Day of Feb.
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Whitefish gear rules. Open for whitefish only.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release wild Chinook.
- Aug. 1-Nov. 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults.
from boundary markers below Klickitat Salmon Hatchery to boundary markers above hatchery
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
from boundary markers above Klickitat Salmon Hatchery to Yakama reservation boundary CRC (608)
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
- Steelhead (hatchery)
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Min. size 20". Daily limit 3.
- Whitefish
- Dec. 1-Last Day of Feb.
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Whitefish gear rules. Open for whitefish only.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Nov. 30
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
LITTLE KLICKITAT RIVER
within Goldendale city limits
- Trout
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Fri. before Memorial Day
- No min. size. Daily limit 5. Open for juvenile anglers, senior anglers and anglers with a disability who possess a designated harvester companion card only.
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- No min. size. Daily limit 5. Open to all anglers.
- Other game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Fri. before Memorial Day
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Open for juvenile anglers, senior anglers and anglers with a disability who possess a designated harvester companion card only.
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Open to all anglers.
ROCK CREEK
from mouth to Army Corps of Engineers Park
- All species
- Year-round
- Limits, size restrictions, and gear restrictions are the same as those in the adjacent portion of the Columbia River.
from Army Corps of Engineers Park upstream to the source
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
SPRING CREEK
from Hill Rd. upstream to the Goldendale Hatchery
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Min. size 8". Daily limit 5.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
HORSETHIEF LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
ROWLAND LAKE, NORTH
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Mar. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SPEARFISH LAKE
- All game fish
- 4th Sat. in Apr.-Mar. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
WHITE SALMON RIVER
from mouth (BNSF Railroad Bridge) to County Rd. Bridge below the former location of the powerhouse CRC (508)
- All species
- July 1-Oct. 31
- Night closure for salmon and steelhead fishing only.
- Aug. 1-Dec. 31
- Anti-snagging rule.
- Trout
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
- Other game fish
- Year-round
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon and hatchery steelhead
- Apr. 1-June 30
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release wild Chinook.
- July 1-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon. Release wild Chinook. Closed to fishing for or retaining steelhead.
- Aug. 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 salmon including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. Closed to fishing for or retaining steelhead.
- Nov. 1-Mar. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adult salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
from County Rd. Bridge below the former location of the powerhouse to 400' below Big Brother Falls (river mile 16) CRC (508)
- All species
- Selective gear rules, except barbed hooks are allowed.
- Trout
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
- Other game fish
- Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
- Statewide min. size/daily limit.
- Salmon and hatchery steelhead
- Sat. before Memorial Day-July 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 2 salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release all salmon other than hatchery salmon.
- Aug. 1-Oct. 31
- Min. size 12". Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adult salmon or 2 hatchery steelhead or 1 of each. Release all salmon other than hatchery salmon.
from Big Brother Falls downstream 400'
- All species
- CLOSED WATERS.
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