WSR 25-24-052
EMERGENCY RULES
DEPARTMENT OF
FISH AND WILDLIFE
[Order 25-292—Filed November 26, 2025, 1:58 p.m., effective December 1, 2025]
Effective Date of Rule: December 1, 2025.
Purpose: This emergency rule changes wild trout release requirements, game fish season closing dates, bait restrictions, and steelhead daily limits in Olympic Peninsula/northern coastal streams.
Citation of Rules Affected by this Order: Repealing WAC 220-312-02000Y; and amending WAC 220-312-020.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 77.04.012, 77.04.020, 77.12.045, and 77.12.047.
Under RCW 34.05.350 the agency for good cause finds that immediate adoption, amendment, or repeal of a rule is necessary for the preservation of the public health, safety, or general welfare, and that observing the time requirements of notice and opportunity to comment upon adoption of a permanent rule would be contrary to the public interest.
Reasons for this Finding: This emergency rule is necessary to change wild trout release requirements, game fish season closing dates, bait restrictions, and steelhead daily limits in Olympic Peninsula/northern coastal streams. Theses rule changes implement permanent rules adopted by the fish and wildlife commission on November 14, 2025. Permanent rule making has been initiated under WSR 25-17-071.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Comply with Federal Statute: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Federal Rules or Standards: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Recently Enacted State Statutes: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted at the Request of a Nongovernmental Entity: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted on the Agency's own Initiative: New 1, Amended 0, Repealed 1.
Number of Sections Adopted in Order to Clarify, Streamline, or Reform Agency Procedures: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Number of Sections Adopted using Negotiated Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; Pilot Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0; or Other Alternative Rule Making: New 0, Amended 0, Repealed 0.
Date Adopted: November 26, 2025.
Kelly Susewind
Director
NEW SECTION
WAC 220-312-02000BFreshwater exceptions to statewide rules—Coast.
Effective December 1, 2025, until further notice, the following provisions of WAC 220-312-020, regarding game fish seasons, bait restrictions, wild trout release requirements, and hatchery steelhead daily limits for northern coastal tributaries are changed as described in this section. All other provisions of WAC 220-312-020 not addressed in this section, unless otherwise amended by emergency rule, remain in effect:
(1) Big River (Clallam County), outside Olympic National Park:
January 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(2) Bogachiel River (Clallam County): From the mouth to Olympic National Park Boundary:
(a) From the mouth to Highway 101 Bridge:
(i) December 1 through December 31:
(A) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(B) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(ii) January 1, until further notice:
(A) All species: Bait prohibited.
(B) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(C) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) From Highway 101 Bridge to Olympic National Park boundary:
December 1, until further notice:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(3) Calawah River: (Clallam County):
(a) From the mouth to the Hwy. 101 Bridge
(i) December 1 through December 31:
(A) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(B) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(ii) January 1, until further notice:
(A) All species: Bait prohibited.
(B) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(C) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) From the Hwy. 101 Bridge to the forks:
December 1, until further notice:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(4) Calawah, South Fork (Clallam County), from the mouth to Olympic National Park boundary:
December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(5) Cedar Creek (Jefferson County), outside Olympic National Park boundary:
December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(6) Clallam River (Clallam County):
December 1 through January 31:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(7) Dickey River (Clallam County), from the Olympic National Park boundary upstream to the confluence of the east and west forks:
(a) December 1 through December 31:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) January 1, until further notice:
(i) All species: Bait prohibited.
(ii) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(8) Dickey River, East Fork and West Fork (Clallam County):
December 1, until further notice:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(9) Goodman Creek (Jefferson County), outside of Olympic National Park boundary:
December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(10) Hoh River (Jefferson County):
(a) From Olympic National Park boundary (near mouth) upstream to the DNR Oxbow Campground Boat Launch:
(i) December 1 through December 31:
(A) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(B) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(ii) January 1, until further notice:
(A) All species: Bait prohibited.
(B) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(C) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) From the DNR Oxbow Campground Boat Launch to Morgans Crossing boat launch:
December 1, until further notice:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(c) From Morgans Crossing boat launch to Olympic National Park boundary below mouth of South Fork Hoh River:
(i) December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(ii) March 1, until further notice:
All species: Closed.
(11) Hoh River, South Fork (Jefferson County), outside of Olympic National Park boundary:
(a) December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) March 1, until further notice:
All species: Closed.
(12) Hoko River (Clallam County):
(a) From mouth to 100 feet downstream of the hatchery fish ladder:
December 1 through March 15:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) From the hatchery fish ladder to upper Hoko Bridge:
December 1 through March 15:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(13) Kalaloch Creek (Jefferson County), outside Olympic National Park boundary:
December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(14) Lyre River (Clallam County), from the mouth to falls near river mile 3:
December 1 through January 31:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(15) Mosquito Creek (Jefferson County), from Olympic National Park boundary upstream to Goodman 3000 Mainline Bridge:
December 1 through February 28:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(16) Pysht River (Clallam County):
December 1 through January 31:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(17) Quillayute River (Clallam Co.), outside the Olympic National Park boundary:
(a) December 1 through December 31:
(i) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(ii) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(b) January 1, until further notice:
(i) All species: Bait prohibited.
(ii) Hatchery steelhead daily limit is 2.
(iii) Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(18) Sekiu River (Clallam County), from mouth to forks:
December 1 through January 31:
Trout: Statewide minimum size/daily limit, except release cutthroat and wild rainbow.
(19) Sol Duc River (Clallam County), from mouth to concrete pump station at Sol Duc Hatchery:
January 1, until further notice:
All species: Bait prohibited.
(20) Thunder Creek (Clallam Co.), from mouth to D2400 Rd.:
December 1, until further notice:
All species: Closed.
Reviser's note: The typographical error in the above section occurred in the copy filed by the agency and appears in the Register pursuant to the requirements of RCW 34.08.040.
REPEALER
The following section of Washington Administrative Code is repealed, effective December 1, 2025:
WAC 220-312-02000Y
Freshwater exceptions to statewide rules—Coast. (25-279)