Washington Administrative Code

It is unlawful to retain or possess game fish taken in excess of the daily, possession, or license year possession limits, or game fish that do not conform to the size limits provided for in this section, unless otherwise provided for in WAC 220-312-010 through 220-312-060.(1) Da…

In order to protect fish that are required to be released:(1) It is unlawful to totally or partially remove six-gill shark from the water.(2) In all freshwater areas, except the Columbia River downstream from a line between Rocky Point and Tongue Point, it is unlawful to totally …

(1) It is unlawful for any person to use more than one line while angling for personal use, except:(a) Anglers in possession of a valid two-pole endorsement may use up to two lines while fishing in lakes, ponds, and reservoirs open to fishing unless listed as an exception in WAC …

(1) It is unlawful to club, gaff, snag, snare, dip net, harass, spear, stone, or otherwise molest, mutilate, injure, kill, destroy, or shoot with a firearm, crossbow, bow and arrow, or compressed air gun, any fish or shellfish or fish or shellfish parts for personal-use purposes,…

It shall be lawful to take, fish for and possess food fish taken for personal use in saltwater, except salmon and sturgeon, if such food fish are taken with underwater spearfishing gear commonly used in the sport of "skin diving."[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77…

It shall be lawful to take, fish for and possess food fish, except salmon, shad, or sturgeon, for personal use by bow and arrow fishing.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-310-140, f…

(1) It is unlawful to fish in waters restricted to "fly fishing only" with the use of:(a) A fixed spool reel.(b) Fishing line other than conventional fly line or conventional "Tenkara" fly line, except that other line may be used for backing and leader if it is attached to not le…

It is unlawful for any person to retain more than the following quantities taken for personal use. Unless otherwise provided, other food fish fishing is open the entire year:(1) Shiner perch: Daily limit 15 fish.(2) All other marine food fish not otherwise provided for in this ch…

(1) Fish and shellfish may be cleaned and portioned in the field except sturgeon when sturgeon eggs are in possession. It is unlawful for a fisher to fail to retain proof of compliance with number, species, size, weight, sex, or wild or hatchery origin restrictions, if such restr…

(1) It is unlawful to possess in marine waters or deliver into Washington shellfish or food fish taken for personal use from Canadian waters unless the person also possesses a valid Canadian sport fishing license and catch record card, if one is required.(2) Canadian-origin rockf…

It is unlawful for a person fifteen years of age or older to fish any waters restricted to juvenile fishing only.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-310-220, filed 2/15/17, effective…

(1) Juvenile fishing events are restricted to persons under fifteen years of age. A juvenile fishing event exists when ten or more juveniles fish competitively and determine winners, regardless of prize value.(2) It is unlawful for a juvenile fishing event sponsor to fail to noti…

The term "marine area code numbers" is defined as the catch area for the catch record card. The following is a list of the catch areas:(1) Area 1 (Ilwaco): Waters west of the Buoy 10 Line and north to Leadbetter Point.(2)(a) Area 2 (Westport-Ocean Shores): From Leadbetter Point n…

(1) Des Moines public fishing pier: It is unlawful to take, fish for or possess food fish or shellfish taken within 100 yards of the Des Moines public fishing pier, except while fishing from the Des Moines public fishing pier.(2) Edmonds public fishing pier:(a) It is unlawful to …

(1) It is unlawful to use more than two hooks to fish in saltwater, except for forage fish jigger gear and squid jig gear, and when fishing from the north jetty of the Columbia River.(2) It is unlawful to use barbed hooks in Marine Areas 5-13, except for forage fish jigger gear.(…

(1) "Unclassified marine invertebrates" and "unclassified marine fish" mean species existing in Washington state marine waters in a wild state that have not been classified as food fish, shellfish, game fish, protected wildlife, or endangered species.(2) All Marine Areas are clos…

It is lawful to fish for or possess shad taken for personal use concurrent with a salmon or gamefish opening, except Columbia River waters downstream from Bonneville Dam are closed to shad fishing April 1 through May 15.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 7…

The following provisions and definitions apply to this section through WAC 220-312-060.(1) It is unlawful to fish for, take, or possess salmon from freshwater streams and lakes that are not specifically listed as open for salmon fishing.(2) Waters listed as open during a specific…

(1) Aberdeen Lake (Grays Harbor County): Open the fourth Saturday in April through October 31.(2) Bear Creek (Clallam County) (Bogachiel River tributary):(a) It is unlawful to use anything other than one single-point barbless hook.(b) It is unlawful to use bait.(c) Game fish: Sta…

(1) Abernathy Creek and tributaries (Cowlitz County):(a) From 200 feet above Abernathy Falls to posted markers 500 feet downstream from the Abernathy Fish Technology Center: Closed waters.(b) Open the Saturday before Memorial Day through August 31 and November 1 through March 15.…

(1) Beaver ponds located within or adjacent to streams that drain into Puget Sound listed as open to trout and other game fish follow the same rules as the adjacent stream.(2) County-wide freshwater exceptions to statewide rules:(a) Beaver ponds in Kitsap County and Mason County …

(1) Countywide freshwater exceptions to statewide rules:(a) Irrigation canals, wasteways, drains and the inlets and outlets of all lakes, ponds, and reservoirs in Grant and Adams counties (except Crab Creek, Rocky Ford Creek and Ponds, Columbia Basin Hatchery Creek, Bobcat Creek,…

The following exceptions to statewide rules apply to the Columbia River, including impoundments and all connecting sloughs, except Wells Ponds:(1) General Columbia River rules:(a) In the concurrent waters of the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon, the license of either …

(1) It is unlawful to use more than three hooks per line to fish in freshwater, except it is lawful to use forage fish jigger gear in the waters of the Columbia River downstream from a line between Rocky Point and Tongue Point.(2) It is unlawful to use other than one single barbl…

(1) Definitions. For purposes of this section, "freshwater clams and mussels" means all freshwater bivalves existing in Washington in a wild state, except prohibited aquatic animal species classified under WAC 220-640-040.(2) It is unlawful for any person to take or possess fresh…

It is unlawful to possess fish taken for personal use from freshwater areas that were not hooked inside the mouth or on the head, the head being defined as all parts of the fish anterior of the rear margin of the gill plate, except this rule does not apply to forage fish taken wi…

The Washington department of fish and wildlife shall administer a bounty voucher program for Northern pikeminnow (Ptychocheilus oregonensis) taken by legal fishing methods, in waters open to fishing, from the mouth of the Columbia River to the boundary markers 650 feet below the …

(1) It shall be unlawful to take, fish for and possess in any quantity carp taken for personal use except by angling or spearing or with bow and arrow. Violation of this subsection is an infraction, punishable under RCW 77.15.160. It is unlawful to possess carp taken with gear in…

(1) In fresh water:(a) Adult salmon are defined as:(i) Chinook over 24 inches in length;(ii) Coho over 20 inches in length;(iii) Pink, chum or sockeye over 12 inches in length; and(iv) Atlantic salmon of any size.(b) In these waters the minimum size for salmon is 12 inches, excep…

The following areas are closed to salmon angling during the times indicated:(1) Bellingham Bay: Those waters of Bellingham, Samish, and Padilla Bays, easterly of a line from Sandy Point to the northern most point of Lone Tree Island, thence easterly of a line from Lone Tree Islan…

Pink only closures—None.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-313-030, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 95-12-027 (Order 95-46), § 220-56-196, …

Coho only closures—None.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-313-040, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: RCW 75.08.080. WSR 90-06-026, § 220-56-197, filed 2/28/90,…

Chinook only closures - None.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Order 17-04), recodified as § 220-313-050, filed 2/15/17, effective 3/18/17. Statutory Authority: 2000 c 107 § 7. WSR 00-16-091 (Order 00-134), § 220-5…

(1) It is unlawful to fish for or possess salmon taken by angling for personal use except from the following Puget Sound areas and during the seasons, in the quantities, and for the species designated in this section, and in the sizes as defined in WAC 220-313-010. An area is ope…

It is unlawful to take, fish for, or possess salmon taken by angling for personal use except from the following coastal areas, during the following seasons, in the quantities and the sizes provided for in WAC 220-313-010, and for the species designated in this section. An area is…

(1) It is unlawful to take, fish for, or possess salmon taken for personal use in Pacific Ocean waters except as provided for in this section:(a) Marine Area 1: Closed except as provided by emergency rule. Closed in the Columbia River Control Zone during all open periods. See WAC…

It is unlawful to fish for or possess Atlantic salmon except as provided in this section.(1) There is no minimum size limit for Atlantic salmon taken from anadromous water, and no daily or possession limit.(2) Atlantic salmon may be taken from all anadromous waters open to trout …

It shall be unlawful to remove eggs from any salmon for the purpose of using or preserving them for bait without retaining the carcass of the fish from which they were removed.[Statutory Authority: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.013, 77.04.020, 77.04.055, and 77.12.047. WSR 17-05-112 (Orde…

(1) It is unlawful to take, fish for, retain, or possess bottomfish or halibut taken for personal use from within the following areas: An eastward-facing C-shaped closed area defined as: Beginning at 48°N, 124°59'W; thence to 48°N, 125°18'W; thence to 48°18'N, 125°18'W; thence to…

It is unlawful for any person to fish for or take bottomfish for personal use except within the seasons, daily quantities, and possession limits prescribed as follows:(1) Coastal areas (Marine Areas 1 through 3 and 4 west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line):(a) Bottomfish fishing is ope…

(1) It is unlawful to fish for or possess halibut taken for personal use except from the areas or in excess of the amounts provided for in this section:(a) Marine Area 1: Closed except as provided by emergency rule. By-catch restriction: It is unlawful during any vessel trip to b…

It is unlawful to take, fish for, or possess lingcod for personal use except during the following seasons and areas:(1) Coastal area:(a) Marine Areas 1 through 4: From the second Saturday in March, through the third Saturday in October.(b) It is unlawful to fish for, retain, or p…

(1) It is unlawful for any vessel operator engaged in charter fishing for highly migratory species (HMS) in those areas as defined in Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.), Title 50, Part 660, Subpart K, to fail to:(a) Possess an HMS logbook aboard the vessel while the vessel is e…

(1) It is unlawful to take, fish for, or possess herring, sand lance, sardines, anchovies or smelt species for personal use unless an angler takes those species with the following gear:(a) Forage fish dip net gear not exceeding 36 inches across the bag frame with a maximum mesh s…

Herring fishing is open in all state waters year around except:(1) Those waters of Catch Record Card Area 6 south of a line from Ediz Hook to Partridge Point are closed January 16 through April 15.(2) Those waters of Catch Record Card Area 7 north of a line from Sandy Point throu…

(1) It is unlawful to take, fish for or possess eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus).(2) Fishing for smelt species other than eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) is permissible year-round on Pacific Ocean beaches.(3) Fishing for smelt other than eulachon (Thaleichthys pacificus) is op…

It shall be unlawful for any person taking smelt for personal use to fail to retain all smelt caught up to the daily limit. In the field, each person taking smelt must use a separate container to hold their catch and the container must be in the harvester's presence or identified…

(1) It is unlawful to fish for or retain green sturgeon.(2) It is unlawful to fish for sturgeon with terminal gear other than bait and one single-point barbless hook.(3) Any sturgeon that cannot lawfully be retained must be released immediately.(4) It is unlawful to totally or pa…

The following species are classified as shellfish under RCW 77.12.047 and are subject to the provisions of this title:MusselBlue musselMytilus trossulusCalifornia musselMytilus californianusMediterranean musselMytilus galloprovincialisScallopsPacific pink scallopChlamys rubidaRoc…

"Nonspot shrimp" are defined as a species complex composed of the following species of pandalid shrimp classified in WAC 220-320-010: Dock shrimp (Pandalus danae), coonstripe shrimp (Pandalus hypsinotus), humpy shrimp (Pandalus goniurus), Ocean pink shrimp (Pandalus jordani), pin…