Lake Washington To Open For Coho Fishing September 16

September 8, 2016

Contact: Kyle Adicks, (360) 902-2664

OLYMPIA – Anglers will have the opportunity to fish for coho salmon in Lake Washington starting Sept. 16, state salmon managers announced today.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) initially planned to keep Lake Washington closed to salmon fishing due to the low number of coho forecast to return to the watershed this year.

However, the number of fish passing through the Ballard Locks in early September indicates a much stronger run of coho than anticipated, said Kyle Adicks, salmon fisheries policy lead for WDFW.

Earlier this year, state and tribal co-managers agreed to consider allowing a fishery in Lake Washington if more than 10,000 coho were expected to return. The co-managers had projected a run of 4,414 coho to return to Lake Washington this year.

"We now expect far more coho to return than forecast to Lake Washington, allowing for some salmon fishing opportunity," Adicks said.

Tribal co-managers also plan to hold coho fisheries in Lake Washington.

The recreational fishery will be open Sept. 16 through Oct. 31, as it has been in previous years. Anglers can keep two coho but are required to release chinook and sockeye salmon. More details about the fishery are available on WDFW's fishing rule change website at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/erule.jsp?id=1861

State and tribal co-managers also are evaluating the run of coho returning to the Green River. Similar to Lake Washington, the river has been closed to salmon fishing to protect coho.

WDFW and tribal co-managers likely will make a decision soon on whether to hold coho fisheries in the Green River, Adicks said. Any announcements on the recreational fishery will be posted on WDFW's fishing rule change webpage at https://fortress.wa.gov/dfw/erules/efishrules/