Think pink salmon!
You can land excitement with the expected big return
With another robust Puget Sound pink salmon forecast, it’s time to gear up for salmon fishing that’s accessible for bank and boat anglers in marine and freshwater areas.
WDFW is putting a focus on pink salmon in Washington to help new anglers learn all they can about this odd-year opportunity. The monthly fishing highlights on myWDFW.org have been replaced with informative blog posts all about pink salmon.
“This year in Washington, we're expecting to see a strong return of pink salmon that could be in the top five of our records going back to 1959,” said Matthew Bogaard, the WDFW statewide chum, pink, and sockeye salmon species specialist. “Throughout the North Pacific, pink salmon are the most abundant salmon species, making up 70% of all the Pacific salmon species.”
Click the button below for articles on pink salmon identification, strategies, gear, where to go, handling your catch, and plenty of tips from WDFW staff to help you put salmon on your table. You can also check out WDFW's Facebook and Instagram for informational posts and videos, as well as our Medium blog and salmon fishing basics webpage.
Know your salmon
Pink salmon or Chinook? Know the difference before you cast. Pink salmon are nicknamed “humpies” for the dramatic hump males grow during their spawning phase, but that’s just one of their telltale traits. You can get all the details about telling the difference in both saltwater and freshwater by reading our pink salmon identification blog, checking pages 104–105 of the Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet, or downloading our Pacific salmon identification card.
 License and regulations
Know the angling rules before you get after your pink salmon to be sure you're fishing legally by checking the WDFW fishing regulations. Anglers should also note that a pink salmon non-retention rule is in effect in Marine Area 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner).
If you haven’t already, you can buy your fishing license by going to a license dealer near you. If you’re planning a busy year on the water, you can take advantage of license combos like the Fish Washington and annual combination packages. The Fish Washington package for state residents includes annual freshwater fishing, saltwater fishing, and shellfish and seaweed licenses, as well as the Puget Sound Dungeness crab and two-pole endorsements. And if you’re covering the water and the field this fall, the Get Outdoors license package is state residents' one-stop shop for fishing and hunting that gets you ready for anything — and does it at a savings.
Tight lines to you and enjoy fishing Washington!
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