IT’S TIME TO GO FISHING!
The snow is gone, and the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife has opened steelhead fishing on parts of the Sauk and Skagit Rivers through April 13, 2021. However, there are some restrictions.
All wild steelhead are catch and release only, fun, but you can retain two hatchery steelhead for your grill. Make sure your keepers are over 20” in length. What is the difference? Hatchery steelhead do not have an adipose fin, located between the dorsal fin and tail. A wild steelhead will have a fully intact adipose fin.
For the Sauk River, steelhead fishing is allowed from the mouth of the river to the Darrington Bridge (also known as the Sauk Prairie Road Bridge.) For the Skagit River, steelhead fishing is allowed from the Dalles Bridge in Concrete to the Cascade River in Marblemount.
Fishing is open Saturday through Tuesday but closed Wednesday through Friday. No night fishing, or powered vessels are allowed. Selective gear rules are in effect. Visit http://www.eregulations.com/washington/fishing/definitions/ for specific information on these rules.
The fishery will be monitored by WDFW to estimate impacts to both Skagit River and Sauk River winter steelhead as well as all incidental catch of other fish species. Anglers are required to cooperate with creel personnel collecting catch information.
