Confused On Summer Salmon Fishing In Puget Sound

[HauntedByWaters]

I know the agreed upon fisheries are 3 days in mid July for Chinook. Why do the WDFW regulation books, application, and special regulations all say July 1st? Is this just a total ball drop by WDFW? I know people planning on fishing for Chinook July 1 and I keep telling them it’s closed and yet I am wrong according to all available information.

It is honestly despicable that I know 3 families planning on going out this weekend to camp and fish in the islands and everything they can find says salmon is open…

 

[Billy]

i guess I am a little confused...How do you know it's closed then?

 

[HauntedByWaters]

i guess I am a little confused...How do you know it's closed then?

This is exactly what I am saying. Does anyone who works at WDFW sport fish and can they spot the problems with how they manage sports fisheries and their regulations?

Currently, many people are planning on going and fishing and just using the regulations as an excuse. Ironic right? I hope it works for them.

 

[Stonedfish]

Here is what the WDFW website is showing for agreed upon fisheries under the NOF link on their website.
Maybe a typo as that has happened many times before.
SF

Season summaries and agreed fisheries

Image Photo by Ken Stunz

wdfw.wa.gov

 

[HauntedByWaters]

Here is what the WDFW website is showing for agreed upon fisheries under the NOF link on their website.
Maybe a typo as that has happened many times before.
SF

Season summaries and agreed fisheries

Image Photo by Ken Stunz

wdfw.wa.gov

Yes but the regulation books, the phone app that updates daily, and the emergency regulations don’t show any of that and that NoF information has been available for months.

 

[Stonedfish]

Sounds like there is an error in the regs.
Might be worth contacting them to let them know and get clarification.
SF

General contact information

General contact information for WDFW programs, offices, facilities, and employees.

wdfw.wa.gov

 

[Brian Miller]

The Fish Washington app might be helpful. I like the "pick a spot on the map-shows the open seasons" format better than going through a mini-phonebook. In "Pamphlet Mode" it shows all open periods for the current regulation year so the emergency rules and other updates; that now load pretty quickly, are immediately visible without having to look elsewhere for them.

 

[DimeBrite]

Blame COVID

 

[HauntedByWaters]

The Fish Washington app might be helpful. I like the "pick a spot on the map-shows the open seasons" format better than going through a mini-phonebook. In "Pamphlet Mode" it shows all open periods for the current regulation year so the emergency rules and other updates; that now load pretty quickly, are immediately visible without having to look elsewhere for them.
View attachment 20242

It might be helpful to read my post above. The Fish Washington App says that Chinook are open from July 1 onward when in fact they are open July 14-16 and that is it (So say all other official regulation sources)

This weekend is the biggest saltwater salmon fishing weekend of the year for many and they don’t even realize what is about to happen. How would they know?

 

[HauntedByWaters]

WDFW does such a bad job people’s brains can’t even compute it. It just isn’t funny anymore.

 

[CRO]

It would help if they added the year along with month and date in the regs. They could of posted on their website both current and new regulations while we wait for the paper regs. Front of pamphlet only says valid till 6/30/222

 

[HauntedByWaters]

It would help if they added the year along with month and date in the regs. They could of posted on their website both current and new regulations while we wait for the paper regs. Front of pamphlet only says valid till 6/30/222

I am aware of the June 30 date in the regulations. I still expect some other sources of information to be available. The Fish Washington App says up to date….

You can’t expect the average person to know what North of Falcon is and know to click the link on their website.

 

[jasmillo]

I agree they don’t make it easy for anglers in WA. That said, the excuse of “I could not find the regs applicable to today when I looked 2 weeks ago so I fished anyway” excuse will not hold up for those out fishing MA 7 for chinook on 7/1. Make some calls and do the research before you head out if the regs applicable to that date are not available.

The average salmon fisherman should know what NOF is as well. It’s not the good old days. In 2022 you need to do your research and maybe get a law degree on the side of you want to fish PS for salmon .

 

[HauntedByWaters]

I agree they don’t make it easy for anglers in WA. That said, the excuse of “I could not find the regs applicable to today when I looked 2 weeks ago so I fished anyway” excuse will not hold up for those out fishing MA 7 for chinook on 7/1. Make some calls and do the research before you head out if the regs applicable to that date are not available.

The average salmon fisherman should know what NOF is as well. It’s not the good old days. In 2022 you need to do your research and maybe get a law degree on the side of you want to fish PS for salmon .

It’s all good now. I did WDFW’s job for them and have several disappointed coworkers that are for some reason not thanking me…

I can’t afford a salt water boat so none of this applies to me. It’s just not fun to rain on their parade.

 

[Merle]

Now the fish Washington app shows no salmon fishing in area 7 until August 16. So not even the July 14-16 three day season.

 

[Divad]

No emergency ruling in MA7 or any indicating July 1.




There are your dates agreed upon.

The only confusion you should be having right now is with the app, which as @Merle mentioned currently shows closed in pamphlet mode. But it will likely show the 3 days once the 14th arrives (stupid I know) as open in the regular mode.

If you are using the app as your resource be sure to screen shot the reg you are reading the MORNING OF! We had a run in with WDFW on a river showing open for trout but was an "input error", screen shot turned the whole situation into a relaxed shoot-the-sh** wisdom exchange and on your way.

Also I was belittled with a "JUST USE THE APP!" by a resource officer when it first came out, thus I use the app as my sole means of regulations [when it suits me]. But in all reality they need to fix the protocol of events for that app, this year a couple lakes showed open before opener.

 

[Bruce Baker]

It would help if they added the year along with month and date in the regs. They could of posted on their website both current and new regulations while we wait for the paper regs. Front of pamphlet only says valid till 6/30/222

Both the current and new regs are available on the WDFW website

Washington Fishing Seasons & Rules

Official Washington Fishing rules and regulations. License and permit information, season dates, size and creel limits and more.

www.eregulations.com

2022-23 Sport Fish Regs

 

[Brian Miller]

It might be helpful to read my post above. The Fish Washington App says that Chinook are open from July 1 onward when in fact they are open July 14-16 and that is it (So say all other official regulation sources)

This weekend is the biggest saltwater salmon fishing weekend of the year for many and they don’t even realize what is about to happen. How would they know?

Sorry I missed which area you were referring to

I agree they don’t make it easy for anglers in WA. That said, the excuse of “I could not find the regs applicable to today when I looked 2 weeks ago so I fished anyway” excuse will not hold up for those out fishing MA 7 for chinook on 7/1. Make some calls and do the research before you head out if the regs applicable to that date are not available.

The average salmon fisherman should know what NOF is as well. It’s not the good old days. In 2022 you need to do your research and maybe get a law degree on the side of you want to fish PS for salmon .

It is terrible that rules can change and that there can be errors in the rules spoiling someone's trip plans but I've wondered what would happen if I went out when the Fish Washington app said a body of water was open, got nabbed because there was an error in the app, and showed the LE what the app says, also taking a timestamped screenshot if ticketed.

 

[Irafly]

I just keep reminding myself, that we are lucky to have some seasons at all.

 

[jasmillo]

Sorry I missed which area you were referring to



It is terrible that rules can change and that there can be errors in the rules spoiling someone's trip plans but I've wondered what would happen if I went out when the Fish Washington app said a body of water was open, got nabbed because there was an error in the app, and showed the LE what the app says, also taking a timestamped screenshot if ticketed.

I agree but that was not the case here. The old regs cover through 6/30/22. The new regs clearly state the open dates for the MA the OP was talking about.

You could make the argument the new regs covering salmon fishing should have been released sooner than 2 days before they go into effect. You could not make the argument the regs we were wrong though. I assume the response you would get is “you were referencing outdated regs”.

Edit: I will say I do not use the app, so if that was actually wrong that’s obviously an issue.