2024-2025 fishing regulations

S

Smalma

Life of the Party
Checked all last week looking for a hard copy of the new regulations - none to be found. Even WDFW employees did not have a copy. As of this afternoon (Sunday 6/2) there still is not an electronic copy on WDFW's web siter. A WDFW news release Friday talking about statewide summer salmon opportunities provide a link to the new regulations and that too took me to the 2023-2024 regulations - WTF!

I guess I can see that some sort of snafu with the printing or shipping of the hard copies could happen that delay the availability of the hard copies but see no excuse for not having an update electronic copy on WDFW's website.

This situation seems to underline the concerns many have with the current WDFW and WDFW commission that they have limit concern about serving the traditional user base of the agency - the fishers and hunters.

Without those regulations are those of use that fished this weekend know whether they were legal or not.

Curt
 
Current rules in effect until June 30th? But your overall point is spot on.
 
I've pretty much given up on the printed Regs from WDFW, and now use the Fish Washington app. I also keep a shortcut link to the WDFW web site on my phone as well. With all the rule changes that happen mid season I don't know why they would bother wasting the $$$ to print the regs.
 
Tom Butler said:
Current rules in effect until June 30th? But your overall point is spot on.
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"Washington State recreational fishing seasons and regulations for July 1, 2023 - June 30, 2024."
 
Tom H said:
I've pretty much given up on the printed Regs from WDFW, and now use the Fish Washington app. I also keep a shortcut link to the WDFW web site on my phone as well. With all the rule changes that happen mid season I don't know why they would bother wasting the $$$ to print the regs.
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Careful, the app has been off from the written regs. Best bet is email info and ask. And always check the ERs
 
The Coho King said:
Careful, the app has been off from the written regs. Best bet is email info and ask. And always check the ERs
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While this is obviously true, i also think you've got a pretty good case to show the Fish & Wildlife officer the app and say "This is why I'm fishing here, it says it's open".

On some level it's the WDFW's responsibility to keep that updated.
 
My apologies, it appears I got the dates wrong. Though it does seem odd that several salmon seasons were printed and covered by the 2023-2024 regulations prior approval in the most recent NOF process. For example, the season for the MA 10 marine coho season in June 2024 where the starting date was approved in the NOF process, and it was not a given that the dates would be the same as last year. In the case of some of the freshwater salmon regs (Skagit spring Chinook and sockeye) the 2024 approved dates differ from those listed in the 2023-2024 regulations, so they were "corrected" by emergency regulations. But then we should be used to managing salmon by emergency regulations and the heck with long range planning our fishing.
 
I'm going to Montana and Idaho for a month to give them time to get their shit together. When I get back it will be full on Sockeye since they have that figured out already.
 
Josh said:
While this is obviously true, i also think you've got a pretty good case to show the Fish & Wildlife officer the app and say "This is why I'm fishing here, it says it's open".

On some level it's the WDFW's responsibility to keep that updated.
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To that note a couple yrs ago I opened the app and saw a local river open in the winter. I freaked, rang a buddy and we headed out at dawn. On the second run a game officer showed up, ironically the same one that told me to “just use the app” when I talked to him in passing a yr prior. I had a screenshot of the reg on the app and was told without it I would have been getting a ticket.

Take a screenshot of what you see that morning before going out. If they’re pushing the app so heavily on fisherman they should push the updates too.
 
The Coho King said:
Careful, the app has been off from the written regs. Best bet is email info and ask. And always check the ERs
Josh said:
While this is obviously true, i also think you've got a pretty good case to show the Fish & Wildlife officer the app and say "This is why I'm fishing here, it says it's open".
On some level it's the WDFW's responsibility to keep that updated.
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I'll admit that I rarely target salmon or steelhead and fish coastal rivers below barriers to anadromous runs that are the most volatile for changes. That may be why I've never been checked for a license or selective gear regs in over 50 years of fishing. I did see my car get checked for a Discover Pass at Bullfrog the first year it was implemented but the officer didn't walk the extra 50 yds to check my license and hooks. The Fish WA app has been accurate the vast majority of the time for me and does get the emergency changes. I do however subscribe to WDFW email updates, *read them, and check the app if it's at location that can affect me to see if the app is updated.
*I have also reported an emergency rule not made in the app the one time could & did affect me.
Divad said:
Take a screenshot of what you see that morning before going out. If they’re pushing the app so heavily on fisherman they should push the updates too.
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^^^^ I've done that for coastal rivers.
 
Josh said:
While this is obviously true, i also think you've got a pretty good case to show the Fish & Wildlife officer the app and say "This is why I'm fishing here, it says it's open".

On some level it's the WDFW's responsibility to keep that updated.
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This happened on Lake Whatcom a few years ago. For some reason the app showed it open year round, and when I talked to an officer about people fishing there before the “opener” they said that they couldn’t do anything about the poaching because there was an error on the app showing it open.
 
An interest example of WDFW's priorities occurred recently on the upper Skagit (HWY 535 bridge to Cascade River Rd bridge). It was scheduled in the pamphlet as opening June first. Under an emergency regulation it was opened May 29 for hatchery Chinook (springs) but not game fish. With only a 3 day difference why not coordinate the salmon and game fish openers? If the game fish impacts were so great that a May 29th opener would not work than maybe folks should not also be fishing Chinook until June first.

Curt
 
So...you need to purchase a new license April 1st. The regs don't come out until June -ish. It would seem that we are required to to make an uninformed decision with our money on April 1st if we want to purchase an annual license. I smell a class action lawsuit...
 
Smalma said:
An interest example of WDFW's priorities occurred recently on the upper Skagit (HWY 535 bridge to Cascade River Rd bridge). It was scheduled in the pamphlet as opening June first. Under an emergency regulation it was opened May 29 for hatchery Chinook (springs) but not game fish. With only a 3 day difference why not coordinate the salmon and game fish openers? If the game fish impacts were so great that a May 29th opener would not work than maybe folks should not also be fishing Chinook until June first.

Curt
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I don't claim to fully understand all the reasons behind opening and closing streams but wonder if the Skagit situation was caused by law or an agency policy regarding opening & closing streams? I have worked with both a local Regional Bio and the Fishery Program Manager on opening a couple of closed streams that were "mistakenly" closed.

During the first mass salmon ESA closure of Puget Sound rivers a stream I had fished for over 10 years with a barrier to anadromous fish passage was mistakenly closed. I called WDFW and was put in contact with the Regional Bio who agreed it was mistake and that the closures were implemented before they could do adequate studies to comply with the Federal deadline. I found out that emergency changes for an opening (or closure) were limited to 180 days by law or policy so it could either open on the general opener and close earlier than the general closure or vise versa. Since the water levels in early spring were typically too high for wading-fishing on the opener the Bio suggested having the stream opened later so it would close on the general stream closure. He also said there was a priority to "maximize fishing opportunities" whenever possible and needed reasons that met specific criteria to implement the Selective Gear/C&R or Fly Only regs that I suggested. But the Bio did ask me what the average size fish was then to set the minimum size for retention and set it for 3" longer than my average that he estimated would allow the fish at least one chance to spawn.

Just 2 or 3 years ago on another stream the Program Manager was able to do a temporary change to open the stream but I cannot recall if it was a 180 day "emergency" change. They couldn't do a permanent change because by law or policy there was a specific timeframe (2, 3 years?) that a permanent change must remain in place. The mistaken change was permanent and made within the last year so they would have had to wait another year or two to make another permanent change. The Program Manager was able to make a temporary change in time to open when it dropped into shape in the spring, and somehow renewed the change to essentially restore the historical regulations for the following year until the change could be made permanent again. He also was glad I had brought these "mistakes" to their attention so they could make changes to "maximize fishing opportunities".

But the 2022 "WDFW 10 Year Plan" may have changed their "official" priorities

WDFW 10 Year Recreational Strategy Draft-Should We Be Concerned?

I wasn't aware of this until just now but in reading it it appears that a number of proposals, if enacted, would have an effect on us. Starting on about pg. 29 there appears to be changes mentioned on the use of undesignated roads and trails along with streamside access. Unfortunately, the...
pnwflyfishing.com pnwflyfishing.com
 
Smalma said:
An interest example of WDFW's priorities occurred recently on the upper Skagit (HWY 535 bridge to Cascade River Rd bridge). It was scheduled in the pamphlet as opening June first. Under an emergency regulation it was opened May 29 for hatchery Chinook (springs) but not game fish. With only a 3 day difference why not coordinate the salmon and game fish openers? If the game fish impacts were so great that a May 29th opener would not work than maybe folks should not also be fishing Chinook until June first.

Curt
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You gotta follow the science. Those three days are critical to the diversity and equity interests of the agency.
 
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_WW_ said:
So...you need to purchase a new license April 1st. The regs don't come out until June -ish. It would seem that we are required to to make an uninformed decision with our money on April 1st if we want to purchase an annual license. I smell a class action lawsuit...
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Why can't a licence be good for 365 days. That way the wdfw can get it together whenever they want and your permit is good for the year. Or we could go Jan 1. There's so much mystery about the best ruin agency.
 
Dustin Chromers said:
Why can't a licence be good for 365 days. That way the wdfw can get it together whenever they want and your permit is good for the year. Or we could go Jan 1. There's so much mystery about the best ruin agency.
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Look man...they got you buying a pig in a poke. Why would they change it?
 
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