- Anglers must release any chinook salmon they catch in ocean waters off Washington’s coast beginning Aug. 29, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced today.

Anglers’ total catch of chinook salmon this summer is nearing the overall harvest quota for chinook in Washington’s ocean waters, requiring the change in fishing rules for marine areas 1-4, said Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for WDFW.

The requirement to release chinook salmon in those waters does not affect fishing for hatchery coho or other salmon species.

“Catch rates in the ocean for chinook salmon have been strong throughout much of the season, but we still have substantial numbers of coho remaining under the quota,” Pattillo said. “This change allows anglers to continue catching coho, while ensuring catch limits for chinook will not be exceeded.” 

As of Aug. 21, coastwide catch totals for the recreational salmon fishery had reached 90 percent of the overall chinook guideline of 30,100 fish, said Pattillo.

Until the change takes effect Aug. 29, anglers can continue to keep one chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit in marine areas 1 (Ilwaco) and 2 (Westport). Anglers fishing marine areas 3 (LaPush) and 4 (Neah Bay) can continue to catch and keep two chinook as part of their two-salmon daily limit. Anglers fishing marine areas 3 and 4 are also allowed one additional pink salmon each day.

Marine areas 1, 3 and 4 are open daily. Marine area 2 is currently open through Aug. 25, and will be closed Aug. 26-27. Marine Area 2 will then re-open to salmon fishing seven days a week beginning Aug. 28. 

Barring any further actions, ocean salmon fisheries are currently scheduled to continue through Sept. 18 in marine areas 2, 3 and 4, and through Sept. 30 in Marine Area 1.

Fishery managers will continue to monitor the ocean salmon fishery, and announce any other changes on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ . 

Additional information on the ocean fishery, including minimum-size limits, is available in WDFW’s Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations .

Starting Sunday (Aug. 14), anglers fishing off Westport and Illwaco will again be restricted to one chinook salmon as part of their daily limit of two salmon off the state’s southern coast.

State fisheries managers increased the daily limit to two chinook last week, but a sudden surge in the recreational catch prompted a return to the one-chinook rule in Marine Area 1 (Ilwaco) and Marine Area 2 (Westport), said Pat Pattillo, salmon policy coordinator for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW),

“The number of anglers fishing out of Westport this week increased dramatically and their success in catching chinook was better than any week in recent history,” Pattillo said. “While we’re reluctant to go back to one chinook a day, this change is necessary to keep this fishery open for a full season.”

Pattillo noted that the new chinook catch limit will apply only to marine areas 1 and 2.  Anglers fishing off La Push (Marine Area 3) and Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) can continue to catch and keep two chinook as part of their daily limit – which also allows them to keep one additional pink salmon per day in those areas.

Prior to last week’s decision to increase the chinook limit off Westport and Ilwaco, WDFW found that catch rates were lagging well behind last year’s pace, Pattillo said. But that changed abruptly this week, when the number of anglers fishing those areas jumped 30 percent over the same period last year.

“We couldn’t ignore that much of a change in the fishery,” he said.

Ocean salmon fisheries are currently scheduled to continue through Sept. 18 in marine areas 2, 3 and 4, and through Sept. 30 in Marine Area 1.

Fishery managers will continue to monitor the ocean salmon fishery throughout the season, and announce any other changes on WDFW’s website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/ . 

Additional information on the ocean fishery, including minimum-size limits and area catch guidelines, is available in WDFW’s Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet, available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations .

Update: We have had to move our start time on Saturday from 2 to 3:30pm.
Our schedule is as follows:

Saturday – Doors, food court and refreshments open at 3:30pm.
The Coyote Kings – 4pm.
Boogie Bone – 5:30pm.
The Norman Sylvester Band – 7pm.
The Harp Breakers – 8:45pm.

Registration form online under Calendar of Events.  Registration is on a first come basis.  Register in advance!

Slow Drag Rules:

Slow Drag at the Port of Ilwaco 

1. Must have driver’s license & proof of insurance.
2. No tire spinning or excess engine revving.
3. Brake lights must be in working order.
4. Both cars leave the start at the same time.
5. Not to exceed 20 mph.
6. Put vehicle in neutral immediately upon crossing the “coast line” and keep it in neutral until vehicle comes to a stop.
7. Use of any brake prohibited.
8. Driver’s hands must stay at 10 & 2 position. Passenger’s hands remain visible.
9. Driver and passenger must remain in vehicle with nothing dragging.
10. Must stay in own lane.
11. Winner is vehicle closest to and with all wheels across finish line.

Judges decisions are final!!

Have fun!!