Message from WDFW

Washingtonians and visitors alike appreciate Washington’s diverse fishing activities across numerous waterways with opportunities happening throughout the year, from freshwater to coastal waters and lakes abound.

At the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) we work hard to ensure these fisheries we manage are around to appreciate for generations to come.

As part of our commitment, WDFW listens closely to public input, finds solutions that best serve all interested participants, and works transparently by keeping an open door when it comes to public expectations for the state’s fisheries. WDFW also works closely with tribal co-managers to provide sustainable fishing and shellfish gathering for all.

Part of those solutions come from our launch of the new MyWDFW mobile application, a comprehensive mobile licensing tool for anglers. We’re excited about this new modern resource for WDFW licensing products, and it seems as if we’re not the only ones — at the time of publication more than 100,000 anglers and hunters made the switch to mobile licensing for 2026!

The new app supports license purchases and displays active fishing license privileges. Features of the new MyWDFW mobile app and the newly updated Fish Washington® app include electronic catch record card (eCRC) functionality for select fish species and an Enforcement View for WDFW officers, along with access to customer licensing profiles.

The eCRCs are a new faster, easier way to instantly record and report your salmon, steelhead, halibut, sturgeon or Puget Sound Dungeness crab catch while using a mobile device. For anglers who still prefer paper, we offer license and catch record card options on 8.5 x 11 paper, which customers can print at home or from a WDFW license dealer.

Also new this year, our recently launched WDFW Code of Conduct reflects something most anglers already value — respect. Our staff and volunteers work across the state to protect fish, wildlife, and the places we all enjoy. Treating each other with courtesy and respect helps ensure everyone can do their part safely and effectively. You may also see the Code of Conduct highlighted on signs, printed materials, or referenced by WDFW staff and volunteers in the field as a reminder of the shared respect that helps keep Washington's outdoor opportunities welcoming for everyone.

Turning to our fishing opportunities, the 2026-2027 North of Falcon salmon season setting process concluded this past spring and happens every year with the collaborative effort by tribal co-managers, state and federal fishery partners, and advisory groups. We also take the public’s feedback seriously to help inform our current and future management strategies. The Department strives to make decisions that meet conservation goals to aid the recovery of salmon and steelhead, including constraints under the federal Endangered Species Act.

The 2026-2027 salmon fishing season resulted in several meaningful gains for anglers, including an extra two weeks of summer Chinook fishing in the Bellingham Bay terminal area fishery in eastern Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), the return of Chinook fishing in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) in April of 2027, and expanded coho fishing opportunities in Puget Sound marine areas and the lower Columbia River, creating the potential for the highest statewide coho catch in more than two decades.

In late April, our statewide lowland lakes trout fishery got underway and an estimated 125,000 anglers converged to hundreds of seasonal lakes stocked with nearly 15.5 million trout, with a diverse number of places to fish throughout the year.

As you read this pamphlet, we’d like to thank you for your commitment to keeping all of Washington’s time-honored fishing activities alive. At the Department, we appreciate everything you do to support fisheries conservation in our great state! We’ll see you out on the water!

To learn more about the Fish Washington mobile licensing app for anglers, visit the Fish Washington app page.