Steelhead Closures - Five River Systems in Puget Sound

While we have known that such early closures on the remainder of our Puget Sound streams would in fact take place it would have nice if the WDFW would have done such with a little better notice.

Here's the run down on what the WDFW has done.

Rivers closing to steelhead fishing February 18th (Next Thursday).

Puyallup River System:
Puyallup River mainstem from the 11th St. Bridge in Tacoma to Electron Power Plant Outlet
Carbon River from the mouth to Hwy. 162 Bridge
White (Stuck) River from the mouth to R Street Bridge in Auburn

Nooksack River System:
Nooksack River from the mouth to the confluence of the North and Sout Forks
North Fork Nooksack from the mouth to Nooksack Falls
South Fork Nooksack from mouth to Skookem Creek
Middle Fork Nooksack from mouth to headwaters

Samish River System:
Samish River from mouth to the Hickson Bridge

Stillagumish River System:
Stillagumish River from sloughs south of Marine Drive to forks
North Fork of the Stillagumish from the mouth to Swede Heaven Bridge
South Fork of the Stillagumish from the mouth to the Mt. Loop Hwy. Bridge (above Granite
Falls
Canyon Creek from the mouth at the South Fork of the Stillagumish to the forks

Snohomish River System:
Snohomish River from the mouth (Burlington-Northern railroad bridge) to the confluence of
the Skykomish and Snoqualimie rivers including all channels, sloughs, and interconnecting
waterways
Snoqualimie River from the mouth to the boat launch at Plum Landing (1/4 mile below Total
Creek)
Skykomish River from the mouth to the forks
North Fork of the Skykomish from the mouth to Deer Falls (about 1/4 mile upstream of
Goblin Creek)
South Fork of the Skykomish from the mouth to Sunset Falls Fishway
Plichuck River from the mouth to the Snohomish city diversion dam
Sultan River from the mouth to the diversion damat river mile 9.7
Tolt River from mouth to confluence of the North and South fork
Raging River from the mouth to the Hwy 18 Bridge

The Wallace River, Tokul Creek and Snoqualimie River above the boat ramp at Plum Landing will close Feb 28th.

Reopening dates for all of these waters will be noted in the 2010-2011 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet.

All of these closure are due to poor returns upon our wild steelhead as they all are expected to have under escapement this season. All Puget Sound streams have seen continuing declines in wild steelhead populations for a number of years. The way things have been going over the past years it would not amaze me to see all of these streams as well as those already closed to see these early closures the norm in future years.

So if you are wanting to get in a little steelheading locally I would do such in the next five days and don't forget that the Sauk and Skagit will close on Monday 15th.