Skip to main content
Washington

Fishing

Fishing

Marine Area 12

(All waters south of the Hood Canal Bridge)

Map of Marine Area 12
Inset Map of Enetai Hatchery Outfall Closure Zone

1Sund Rock Conservation Area: Waters, tidelands, and bedlands enclosed by a line originating at the shore of Hood Canal, at the mouth of Sund Creek (47°26.4’N, 123°7.1’W), then due east to 123°6.9’W, then due south to 47°26’N, then due west until it intersects the beach, then north along the ordinary high water line to the point of origin, including all of the underwater feature known as Sund Rock, CLOSED to fishing for, harvesting, and possession of fish and shellfish except tideland owners and their families may still harvest clams, oysters, and mussels from their property.

2Enetai Hatchery Outfall Closure: Waters within 100 yards of the Enetai Hatchery outfall CLOSED year-round to fishing for food fish.

3Big Beef Closure: Aug. 1-Nov. 30: Waters within 100’ of the Seabeck Hwy. NW Big Beef Creek Bridge CLOSED to fishing for food fish.

4River Mouth Closures: July 1-Sept. 30: All waters within channels created by exposed tidelands are CLOSED to fishing for salmon.

ADosewallips River

BDukabush River

CHamma Hamma River

DDewatto River

ESkokomish River

5Octopus Hole Conservation Area: Waters, tidelands, and bedlands of Hood Canal from ordinary highwater to 200 yards due east in an area starting at latitude 47°26.67’N (the first bulkhead south of the sign for Octopus Hole) and extending north 1⁄3 of a mile to 47°27.02’N are CLOSED to harvest, except tideland owners and their families may still harvest clams, oysters, and mussels from their property.

6Waketickeh Creek Conservation Area: Waters and bedlands from Waketickeh Creek (located 1,000 yards NE of Cummings Pt.) out perpendicular to shore 500 yards, then parallel to shore northeast 1,700 yards, then back to shore along a line perpendicular to shore, excluding the area within 100’ of ordinary high water - CLOSED to fishing for, harvesting, and possession of fish and shellfish.

7Tarboo Bay: Waters of Tarboo Bay north of Broad Spit (northern Dabob Bay).

8Quilcene Bay: Waters north of a true east line from the mouth of Turner Creek to the Toandos Peninsula.

Species

Season

Additional Rules

Trout

Year-round

Catch-and-release.

Steelhead

Year-round

Daily limit 2 hatchery steelhead.

Sturgeon

Year-round

Catch-and-release.

Mackerel

Year-round

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Herring, Anchovy, Sardine, Sand Lance, and Smelt

Year-round

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Pacific Halibut

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Other Food Fish

Year-round

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

All Other Fish

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Salmon

North of Ayock Point
(see exception for Tarboo Bay below) (see A for Dosewalips River, B Duckabush River, and C Hamma Hamma River mouth closures)

July 10-July 31

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and chum. Bait prohibited and only 1 single-point barbless hook is allowed.

Aug. 1-Oct. 15

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and chum.

Oct. 16-Oct. 31

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook.

Nov. 1-Nov. 30

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and coho.

Tarboo Bay
(see 7 boundaries)

July 10-Sept. 15

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and chum. Bait prohibited and only 1 single-point barbless hook is allowed.

Sept. 16-Nov. 30

CLOSED.

South of Ayock Point
(see D for Skokomish River and E Dewatto River mouth closures)

July 10-Sept. 30

Chinook - min. size 20”. Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 4. Release chum and wild Chinook. See Mouth Closures . Anglers may fish with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement.

Oct. 1-Oct. 15

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and chum.

Oct. 16-Oct. 31

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook.

Nov. 1-Nov. 30

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and coho.

Hoodsport Hatchery Zone
(see below for boundaries)

July 10-Sept. 30

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release wild Chinook and chum. Night closure.

Oct. 1-Oct. 15

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and chum. Night closure.

Oct 16-Oct. 31

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook. Night closure.

Nov. 1-Nov. 30

No min. size. Daily limit 4. Release Chinook and coho. Night closure.

Bottomfish

See Definitions.

Flounders, Sole, and Sanddabs

Year-round

Open north of a true east line from the mouth of Turner Creek to the Toandos Peninsula in waters shallower than 120’ (20 fathoms). Daily limit is a total of 15. See 8. Descending device required onboard vessels.

Lingcod

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Surfperch

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Rockfish

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Pacific Cod, Pollock, Hake, and Wolf-Eel

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Sixgill, Sevengill, and Thresher Sharks

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. Sixgill shark may not be removed from the water.

Cabezon

CLOSED

CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.

Hoodsport Hatchery Zone: Waters within a 2,000' arc seaward of the yellow marker buoys at the mouth of Finch Creek. Visitors, please be aware that walking or wading onto private property or tidelands adjacent to the hatchery without permission is considered criminal trespass and will be enforced. Please stay within the state-owned tidelands in front of the hatchery complex. The north and south boundaries are clearly marked by signs and floating buoys for your benefit. Closure of these waters may occur if trespassing continues.

Hoodsport Hatchery ADA Access Site: All waters between 2 yellow buoys at the mouth of Finch Creek and the hatchery weir (walkway); and all waters within the channel created by Finch Creek on exposed tidelands, and fishing from any part of the Hoodsport Hatchery structure, CLOSED to fishing yearround, except persons with disabilities who permanently use a wheelchair AND who have a designated harvester companion card may fish from the ADA-accessible site at the Hoodsport Salmon Hatchery, provided such persons follow all applicable rules and regulations of the adjoining waters of Marine Area 12.