Washington
Fishing License 2026.

License required?

Yes

Where to apply?

Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife (WDFW). Online at fishhunt.dfw.wa.gov, WDFW offices, and 600+ license dealers.

Cost

Resident Combination (fresh + salt + shellfish): $55.35. Resident Freshwater: $29.50. Resident Saltwater: $30.05. Resident Shellfish/Seaweed: $16.70. Non-resident Combination: $124.65. Non-resident Freshwater annual: $84.50. Non-resident 1-day: $20.50. Two-Pole Endorsement: $24.50.

Validity

Annual (Apr 1 – Mar 31) or 1-day / 2-day / 3-day

Available online?

Yes

Washington runs the most complex license system on the West Coast — you need the base license PLUS free Catch Record Cards (CRCs) for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut, and Puget Sound Dungeness crab. Fees rose 38% on July 1, 2025 after state legislation. Required for ages 15+. CRCs must be filled out in ink before the fish leaves the water and submitted by Apr 30 or May 1 depending on species. Electronic CRCs (eCRC) in the Fish Washington app are now accepted statewide.

Closed seasons

Salmon seasons set annually by the North of Falcon process each April — Puget Sound chinook often restricted to specific marine areas + days. Steelhead: wild stocks are catch-and-release only on most rivers, with full closures on the Olympic Peninsula Dec–Apr. Razor clams: managed by emergency digs announced a week in advance.

Catch limits

Chinook salmon Puget Sound: typically 2/day with one hatchery (adipose-clipped) required, mark-selective. Coho: 2/day hatchery-marked in most areas. Steelhead: 1/day hatchery only statewide. Halibut: 1/day 32" min, 2-fish annual limit (Area 2 / Puget Sound / Coastal set by IPHC). Dungeness crab (Puget Sound): 5 males/day 6-1/4" min.

Prohibited methods

Snagging banned statewide. Barbless hooks mandatory in most salmon/steelhead waters. Bait banned on many OP steelhead rivers (selective gear rules). White sturgeon: catch-and-release only Columbia below Bonneville.

Catch & Release

Mandatory for all wild (unmarked) steelhead. Mandatory for all wild coho on some Puget Sound rivers. Mandatory for white sturgeon below Bonneville year-round.

Puget Sound salmon regulations are set Marine Area by Marine Area (1–13) and can change mid-season by emergency rule. Always check the WDFW emergency rule hotline or app the morning of your trip. Tribal co-management (Boldt decision) means half the harvestable fish go to treaty tribes — season structure reflects that.

Best season

Puget Sound summer chinook: July–August. Buoy 10 Columbia fall chinook: August. Coho: September–October. OP winter steelhead: December–March. Albacore offshore: August–September. Razor clam digs: October–April by announcement.

Freshwater

8,000+ lakes + 40,000 river miles. Columbia system dominates salmon/steelhead production. Lake Roosevelt + Banks Lake for walleye + kokanee. Yakima River blue-ribbon cutthroat + rainbow fly water.

Saltwater

3,000 miles of marine shoreline once you count Puget Sound's islands. Strait of Juan de Fuca + Pacific outer coast (Westport, La Push, Neah Bay) for salmon/tuna/bottomfish.

Equipment

Sportco Outdoor Emporium (Fife). Outdoor Emporium (Seattle). Three Rivers Marine (Woodinville). Countless OP fly/steelhead shops (Piscatorial Pursuits, Forks Outfitters).

Fishing guides

$250–$350/person Puget Sound salmon charter (6-pack). $350–$500/day OP steelhead drift boat (2 anglers). $200–$275/person Westport offshore tuna/halibut day trip. $900–$1,400 Columbia sturgeon charter.

Transport

SEA (Sea-Tac) primary hub. GEG (Spokane) for Columbia Basin / Lake Roosevelt. Rental car essential; OP rivers are 3–4h drive from Seattle. Ferries connect Seattle to the Kitsap Peninsula.

Safety

Hypothermia risk year-round — Puget Sound surface temps 45–55°F. OP winter rivers run high and cold — wade belt + studded boots mandatory. Rip currents on the outer coast. Cougar + black bear in OP rainforest — uncommon but present.

License fees

$20.50–$124.65 depending on duration + residency + endorsements

Guide prices

$250–$500 guided day; $900–$1,400 sturgeon / multi-day

Daily budget

Budget DIY: $100–$150/day. Charter day: $250–$500/person. Multi-day OP steelhead lodge: $700–$1,000/day.