Marine Area 3
(From the Queets River north to Cape Alava)
Species |
Season |
Additional Rules |
Trout |
Year-round |
Catch-and-release |
Steelhead |
Year-round |
Daily limit 2 hatchery steelhead. |
Sturgeon |
Year-round |
Catch-and-release. |
Tuna and Mackerel |
Year-round |
No min. size. No daily limit except Northern bluefin, skipjack, and yellowfin tuna daily limit of 2 each. |
Herring, Sand Lance, and Smelt |
Year-round |
No min. size. Daily limit 10 lbs., all species combined. All smelt caught must be kept and count toward the daily limit except Closed to eulachon (Columbia River smelt). |
Anchovy and Sardine |
Year-round |
No min. size. Daily limit 25 lbs., all species combined. May be taken by a cast net. |
Pacific Halibut |
Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut or call (360) 902-2700 in April for information on Pacific halibut seasons and regulations. No min. size. Daily limit 1. Annual limit 4. See the Nearshore Halibut Fishery. Descending device required onboard vessels. |
|
Other Food Fish |
Year-round |
No min. size. Daily limit 2 of each species. See Definitions. |
All Other Fish |
CLOSED |
CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. |
Salmon |
||
Entire Area (see exception for La Push Late Season Salmon Area below) |
June 17-July 31, 2023 |
Chinook - min. size 24”. Coho - min. size 16”. Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 including no more than 1 Chinook. Release wild coho. |
Aug. 1-Sept. 30 |
Chinook - min. size 24”. Coho - min. size 16”. Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 including no more than 1 Chinook. Release wild coho and chum. |
|
May-June, 2024 |
Check the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov or call (360) 902-2700 in late April for information on the 2024 salmon season. |
|
La Push Late Season Salmon Area (see boundaries ) |
June 17-July 31, 2023 |
Chinook - min. size 24”. Coho - min. size 16”. Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 including no more than 1 Chinook. Release wild coho. |
Aug. 1-Sept. 30 |
Chinook - min. size 24”. Coho - min. size 16”. Other salmon species - no min. size. Daily limit 2 including no more than 1 Chinook. Release wild coho and chum. |
|
Oct. 3-Oct. 7 |
Chinook - min. size 24”. Daily limit 1. Release all salmon other than Chinook. Fishery may be closed if extreme freshwater temperature and/or flow events occur in the Quillayute basin in September. |
|
May-June, 2024 |
Check the WDFW website at wdfw.wa.gov or call (360) 902-2700 in late April for information on the 2024 salmon season. |
|
Bottomfish |
||
Second Sat. in Mar.-June 30 |
Daily limit is a total of 9 bottomfish (see Definitions) except surfperch and flatfish. Subject to individual limits and seasons shown below. Descending device required onboard vessels. |
|
July 1-July 31 |
Daily limit is a total of 9 bottomfish (see Definitions) except surfperch and flatfish. Subject to individual limits and seasons shown below. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). Descending device required onboard vessels. |
|
Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
Daily limit is a total of 9 bottomfish (see Definitions) except surfperch and flatfish. Subject to individual limits and seasons shown below. Descending device required onboard vessels. |
|
Lingcod |
Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31 |
Daily limit 2. |
June 1-July 31 |
Daily limit 2. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). |
|
Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
Daily limit 2. |
|
Surfperch |
Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31 |
No min. size. Daily limit 12 surfperch. Except shiner perch daily limit 15. Surfperch and shiner perch not included in bottomfish limit. |
July 1-July 31 |
No min. size. Daily limit 12 surfperch. Except shiner perch daily limit 15. Surfperch and shiner perch not included in bottomfish limit. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). |
|
Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
No min. size. Daily limit 12 surfperch. Except shiner perch daily limit 15. Surfperch and shiner perch not included in bottomfish limit. |
|
Third Sun. in Oct. - Second Fri. in Mar. |
No min. size. Daily limit 12 surfperch. Except shiner perch daily limit 15. Surfperch and shiner perch not included in bottomfish limit. |
|
Rockfish |
Second Sat. in Mar.-Apr. 30 |
No min. size. Daily limit 7. Release yelloweye. |
May 1-May 31 |
No min. size Daily limit 7. Release yelloweye, copper, quillback and vermilion. |
|
June 1-June 30 |
No min. size. Daily limit 7. Release yelloweye, copper, quillback and vermilion. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). |
|
July 1-July 31 |
No min. size. Daily limit 7. Release yelloweye, copper, quillback and vermilion. Fishing for or possession of rockfish other than yellowtail and widow is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). |
|
Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
No min. size. Daily limit 7. Release yelloweye. |
|
Cabezon |
Second Sat. in Mar.-May 31 |
No min. size. Daily limit 1. |
June 1-July 31 |
No min. size. Daily limit 1. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). |
|
Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
No min. size. Daily limit 1. |
|
Flatfish (Dabs, Sole, Flounder) |
Second Sat. in Mar.-June 30 |
No min. size. In addition to the 9 bottomfish daily limit, 5 additional flatfish may be retained. |
June 1-July 31 |
No min. size. In addition to the 9 bottomfish daily limit, 5 additional flatfish may be retained. Fishing for or possession is prohibited seaward of the 20 Fathom Depth Restriction except when halibut is open. (See 20 Fathom Depth Restricti). |
|
Aug. 1-Third Sat. in Oct. |
No min. size. In addition to the 9 bottomfish daily limit, 5 additional flatfish may be retained. |
|
Sixgill, Sevengill, and Thresher Sharks |
CLOSED |
CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. Sixgill shark may not be removed from the water. |
ADDITIONAL RESTRICTIONS
Halibut and Bottomfish Closure Area ("C"-shaped YRCA) Fishing for halibut and bottomfish is closed, and anglers may not fish for salmon with bottomfish aboard in the area described as an eastward facing “C” beginning at:
48°18’N, 125°18’W and continuing to
48°18’N, 124°59’W, then to
48°11’N, 124°59’W, then to
48°11’N, 125°11’W, then to
48°04’N, 125°11’W, then to
48°04’N, 124°59’W, then to
48°00’N, 124°59’W, then to
48°00’N, 125°18’W, and back to the point of origin.
20 Fathom Depth Restriction Bottomfish A line approximating 20 fathoms from the Bonilla-Tatoosh line south to the Queets River in Marine Area 3 and 4 as described by the coordinates below. Pacific cod, sablefish, lingcod, bocaccio, silvergray, canary, widow, and yellowtail rockfish retention is allowed seaward of 20 fathoms when halibut is open.
48°23.90’ N, 124°44.20’ W,
48°23.60’ N, 124°44.90’ W,
48°18.60’ N, 124°43.60’ W,
48°18.60’ N, 124°48.20’ W,
48°10.00’ N, 124°48.80’ W,
48°02.40’ N, 124°49.30’ W,
47°37.60’ N, 124°34.30’ W,
47°31.70’ N, 124°32.40’ W.
Note: Duncan and Duntze Rocks are seaward of the 20 fathom line.
La Push Late Season Salmon Area: Waters north of 47°50'N latitude and south of 48°00'N latitude
