Location

• The state of Washington is situated in the northwest corner of the U.S. It is bisected by the Cascades range of mountains, and there are numerous smaller streams in addition to the larger Columbia, Snake, and Clearwater rivers that border the state. The Pacific salmon has adapted to virtually all waters in Washington.
  
  

Salmon in Rivers and Lakes

• There is Pacific salmon in the rivers and lakes of the state. They are naturally found from California to Alaska, and from Siberia to Japan. Atlantic salmon is bred in hatcheries.
  
  The largest of the Pacific salmon is the Chinook salmon. It can weigh more than 100 lbs., although most mature fish are under 50 lbs. It is found in large rivers, as they need high water flow for spawning. Chinook salmon can go up the rivers both in spring or fall, although fall runs typically end closer to the sea.
  
  Pink salmon are also called humpback salmon, as the male develops a large hump on his back during spawning. It is the smallest of the salmon species in Washington. They occur only in odd-numbered years.
  
  The sockeye salmon spawns in rivers, but the fry require lakes. In Washington, it is found in Lake Washington, Baker Lake, Ozette Lake, Quinault Lake and Lake Wenatchee.
  
  

Salmon in Smaller Streams

• Two types of salmon are found in smaller streams and rivers. The chum salmon is also called the dog salmon, since the males develop large oral appendages that look like dog teeth. The chum salmon spawn in small streams, closer to saltwater than the coho salmon. The coho salmon is smaller, and uses small coastal streams to spawn. It needs cold, clean streams with year-round water flow. They can be found in virtually all such streams in Washington. The fish usually wait for the water flow to increase, for instance after heavy rains, before going up the rivers.
  
  

Fishing Season

• Salmon cannot be caught all year. Coastal rivers are best for chum, Chinook and coho salmon in October. The same goes for the Columbia river, although here Chinook can be caught in spring and summer as well.
  
  In saltwater around the coast, Chinook salmon can be caught in spring, and all other species of salmon in fall. This is also true in Puget Sound, although the catch is limited for conservation purposes.
  
  

Fishing Licenses

• To fish in the state of Washington, a license is required for anyone over the age of 15, except when fishing for common carp, crawfish, bullfrogs or smelt. Anglers must complete a catch record card (CRC), recording the number of halibut, steelhead, salmon, sturgeon or Dungeness crab they catch. A separate endorsement is needed to fish for salmon and steelhead in the Columbia River.