Steelhead Trout Fishing Season Opens Feb. 1 on Skagit and Sauk Rivers

The highly anticipated steelhead trout fishing season will commence on February 1, 2025, on the Skagit and Sauk rivers, with anglers permitted to retain up to two hatchery steelhead while wild steelhead must be released immediately. Forecasts from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) suggest a return of around 7,000 wild steelhead, facilitating the opening of fisheries managed by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community, Upper Skagit Indian Tribe, and Sauk-Suiattle Indian Tribe. Anglers can fish from February 1 until April 15, following catch and release regulations to protect the wild population. WDFW urges respect for tribal fishers and emphasizes that fishing for other species remains closed. Areas on the Skagit River, from the Dalles Bridge upstream to Cascade River Road, and on the Sauk River, from the mouth to Darrington Bridge, will be open for fishing.

Regulations include a ban on fishing from boats under motor power to safeguard early winter steelhead and other native fish. In-season monitoring will involve catch sampling and genetic testing to ensure sustainable practices. The new fishing license year begins on April 1, prompting anglers to prepare for the upcoming season.