Hoh and Quillayute watersheds closing to all fishing

[ThomasM]

Looking from the back deck and seeing a shin deep Sol Duc, I had a feeling that this might be coming. Hopefully the sky spigot will open up soon.

Hoh and Quillayute watersheds closing to all fishing​ ​ ​ ​ Action: Closes all fishing. Effective dates: Oct. 19, 2026, until further notice. Species affected: All species. Locations (including all tributaries to listed waters): Bear Creek (Clallam County) a Bogachiel River Tributary. Bear Creek (Clallam County) a Sol Duc River Tributary. Beaver Creek (Clallam County). Bogachiel River (Clallam County) from the mouth to Olympic National Park boundary. Calawah River (Clallam County) including North and South Forks from the mouth upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary. Dickey River (Clallam County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream including the East and West forks. Hoh River (Jefferson County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary below mouth of South Fork Hoh. Hoh River, South Fork (Jefferson County) outside of the Olympic National Park boundary. Quillayute River (Clallam County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to confluence of the Sol Duc and Bogachiel rivers. Sitkum River (Clallam County). Sol Duc River (Clallam County) from the mouth upstream to the National Park boundary. Thunder Creek (Clallam County). Reason for action: This closure is needed to improve the chances of achieving salmon conservation goals in the Hoh and Quillayute watersheds by protecting vulnerable salmon populations. Factors that support this decision include fishery monitoring data and environmental conditions. In-season fishery monitoring in both basins shows that coho harvest is substantially lower than anticipated, suggesting that the 2026 return is lower than preseason projections. Additionally, below-average summer precipitation in the Hoh and Quillayute watersheds has contributed to low river flows, delaying salmon migration and causing Chinook and coho salmon to hold in lower river reaches rather than continuing upstream to their spawning areas. Recent rainfall has improved flows enough to allow some salmon to resume upstream migration, but low-water conditions persist in the region and continue to raise concerns about Chinook and coho migration patterns and escapement. Fishery managers will continue to evaluate river conditions and salmon migration throughout the watersheds and may reopen fisheries if conditions improve. Additional information: Fishing rules for waters within Olympic National Park boundaries can be found on the park website. Fishery managers encourage anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website before fishing. Refer to the Washington Sport Fishing Rules for current regulations. Download the Fish Washington® mobile app to stay up to date on the go. Information contact: Coastal Region, 360-249-4628.

 

[Matt B]

It’s almost like we are in a multi year regional drought.



Tell the blogging meteorologists.

 

[Mossback]

Everyone has their own....personal.....weather...

Someone to tell them why
Someone they like...

 

[LBL]

Looking from the back deck and seeing a shin deep Sol Duc, I had a feeling that this might be coming. Hopefully the sky spigot will open up soon.

Hoh and Quillayute watersheds closing to all fishing​ ​ ​ ​ ​ Action: Closes all fishing. Effective dates: Oct. 19, 2026, until further notice. Species affected: All species. Locations (including all tributaries to listed waters): Bear Creek (Clallam County) a Bogachiel River Tributary. Bear Creek (Clallam County) a Sol Duc River Tributary. Beaver Creek (Clallam County). Bogachiel River (Clallam County) from the mouth to Olympic National Park boundary. Calawah River (Clallam County) including North and South Forks from the mouth upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary. Dickey River (Clallam County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream including the East and West forks. Hoh River (Jefferson County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to the Olympic National Park boundary below mouth of South Fork Hoh. Hoh River, South Fork (Jefferson County) outside of the Olympic National Park boundary. Quillayute River (Clallam County) from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to confluence of the Sol Duc and Bogachiel rivers. Sitkum River (Clallam County). Sol Duc River (Clallam County) from the mouth upstream to the National Park boundary. Thunder Creek (Clallam County). Reason for action: This closure is needed to improve the chances of achieving salmon conservation goals in the Hoh and Quillayute watersheds by protecting vulnerable salmon populations. Factors that support this decision include fishery monitoring data and environmental conditions. In-season fishery monitoring in both basins shows that coho harvest is substantially lower than anticipated, suggesting that the 2026 return is lower than preseason projections. Additionally, below-average summer precipitation in the Hoh and Quillayute watersheds has contributed to low river flows, delaying salmon migration and causing Chinook and coho salmon to hold in lower river reaches rather than continuing upstream to their spawning areas. Recent rainfall has improved flows enough to allow some salmon to resume upstream migration, but low-water conditions persist in the region and continue to raise concerns about Chinook and coho migration patterns and escapement. Fishery managers will continue to evaluate river conditions and salmon migration throughout the watersheds and may reopen fisheries if conditions improve. Additional information: Fishing rules for waters within Olympic National Park boundaries can be found on the park website. Fishery managers encourage anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website before fishing. Refer to the Washington Sport Fishing Rules for current regulations. Download the Fish Washington® mobile app to stay up to date on the go. Information contact: Coastal Region, 360-249-4628.

Yep

 

[Porter2]

Yep, I received the email a couple days ago. Had planned an outing this upcoming week on the Hoh but canceled it after the notice. Now shuffling to see what other opportunities we might do or just reschedule for the spring (Steelhead) . This is starting to become a common event. Last couple of years (23’ and 24’) we had planned trips scheduled for the Big Hole > Divide MT. But they closed the river down a couple of weeks before each trip due to flows. We still went one time and fished the Bitterroot and Beaverhead, but spent to much time driving MHO. We had our accommodations in Divide. We cancelled the next year. Our goal was to fish the Divide stretch of the Big Hole, hit it hard for three full days. So now it’s adapt, improvise, and overcome !!!!

 

[chrome/22]

All those kegged up salmon in the estuaries must be getting hammered by the pinnipeds

 

[Pink Nighty]

Low catch rates = smaller run than anticipated. Close the river.

High catch rates= too much impact for the run we anticipated. Close the river.

Water too low= fish can't move through the system. Close the river.

Water too high= redds are getting scoured. Close the river.

Consistency.

 

[Run-n-Gun]

I never remember rivers closing because of low water except the last dozen years or so and I have records of lower water than this. WDFW patrols used to keep everyone honest and keep the salmon from getting hammered where they were staging to go, waiting for a freshet. I think the tribes say we are not going to fish so you can't either! I do know fall is the best time to cast a fly for whatever, and the lower the water the better. More and more of that opportunity is dissappearing not because of low numbers, but from WDFW either not willing to enforce or the tribes saying no.

 

[Salmo_g]

I think the tribes say we are not going to fish so you can't either!

And there you have the answer.

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

Low catch rates = smaller run than anticipated. Close the river.

High catch rates= too much impact for the run we anticipated. Close the river.

Water too low= fish can't move through the system. Close the river.

Water too high= redds are getting scoured. Close the river.

Consistency.

There are 3 commission seats opening up this December - you may want to consider one of those spots as this is the kind of statement that has upper level WDFW management written all over it. Lorna herself couldn't have said it better.

 

[Stonedfish]

Low catch rates = smaller run than anticipated. Close the river.

High catch rates= too much impact for the run we anticipated. Close the river.

Water too low= fish can't move through the system. Close the river.

Water too high= redds are getting scoured. Close the river.

Consistency.

That is a good list. In your area, you need to add the following which lead to closures.
1. Hatchery hasn’t gotten enough broodstock to meet egg take goal.
2. Wild chinook encounters limit exceeded.
SF

 

[Long_Rod_Silvers]

That is a good list. In your area, you need to add the following which lead to closures.
1. Hatchery hasn’t gotten enough broodstock to meet egg take goal.
2. Wild chinook encounters limit exceeded.
SF

Also....orcas. Just the word Orcas. Nothing else.

 

[Pink Nighty]

That is a good list. In your area, you need to add the following which lead to closures.
1. Hatchery hasn’t gotten enough broodstock to meet egg take goal.
2. Wild chinook encounters limit exceeded.
SF

Can we throw an asterisk on the hatchery, because it has never met its egg take goals, at least not since the dot com bubble burst?

Hatchery not meeting egg take*: Close river.

*Even those hatcheries rearing inbred out of basin brats in the face of exponentially diminishing returns that operate at an enormous taxpayer cost with zero taxpayer benefit. You know, the ones where if you squint you can see that they only exist to serve as a mechanism for closure *

 

[HauntedByWaters]

That is a good list. In your area, you need to add the following which lead to closures.
1. Hatchery hasn’t gotten enough broodstock to meet egg take goal.
2. Wild chinook encounters limit exceeded.
SF

Not enough chinook in the river - Close the river

Too many chinook encounters - Close the river

 

[Matt B]

Not enough chinook in the river - Close the river

Too many chinook encounters - Close the river

Not enough paper chinook - Close the river in advance

Too many chinook encounters some time in the past - Close the river in advance

Somebody had a premonition about a chinook encounter - Close the river in advance

 

[Pink Nighty]

Not enough paper chinook - Close the river in advance

Too many chinook encounters some time in the past - Close the river in advance

Somebody had a premonition about a chinook encounter - Close the river in advance

Somebody stepped on a Chinook carcass in nov: close the river.