Washington Seasonal Calendar
2026 planning figures for Puget Sound and coastal seasons. Quotas and dates reset every year through WDFW's "North of Falcon" process and can change in-season.
Always check WDFW for current regulations before you fish or dig — seasons, quotas and bag limits change, sometimes with only days of notice. This page reflects 2026 information gathered mid-year and is not a substitute for the official rules at wdfw.wa.gov.
Puget Sound Salmon (Chinook / Coho)
2026 tentative: MA 9 opener July 16–18; MA 10 opener July 23–25Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) & Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton)
Tentative summer hatchery Chinook openers — MA 9 quota 2,650 fish, MA 10 quota 1,300 fish. Additional days possible if quota remains. Winter "blackmouth" (resident Chinook) typically runs late winter/early spring in MA 10. 2026–27 seasons were set April 12, 2026; some summer Chinook windows are shorter than prior years, with expanded non-mark-selective coho fishing planned.
Halibut
2026: April 2 – June 30 (7 days/week, until quota met)Puget Sound & Strait of Juan de Fuca
80,512 lb quota — the season may close early once it's taken, with possible August/September re-openings if quota remains. Limit: 1 fish/day, no minimum size, 6-fish annual limit. Requires a halibut catch record card ($5.50). Marine Areas 11, 12 and 13 are closed to halibut for rockfish protection.
Dungeness Crab (recreational)
Summer 2026: July 2 – September 1Puget Sound Marine Areas 4, 5, 6, 8-1, 8-2, 9
Central/south-central Puget Sound (Seattle/Tacoma) is limited to 2 days/week due to lower abundance. Marine Area 12 (Hood Canal south of Ayock Point) and Marine Area 13 are closed until further notice. Winter season historically opens around October 1 in several areas — confirm dates closer to fall. Requires a combo or shellfish license (16+) plus a Puget Sound Crab Endorsement and catch record card.
Razor Clams
2025–26 confirmed dig series: Dec 31–Jan 6, Jan 15–21, Feb 26–Mar 4, Apr 1–7; tentative Apr 17–22 & Apr 30–May 6Washington coast
Digs run as short multi-day series, each confirmed about a week ahead based on marine-toxin testing. The 2026–27 dig calendar is expected in early fall 2026 and was not yet available as of this writing.
License fees (2026)
| License | Fee |
|---|---|
| Resident annual freshwater | $32.40 |
| Resident annual saltwater | $32.40 |
| Resident combo (fresh + salt + shellfish) | $58.75 |
| Nonresident combo | $124.65 |
| 15 and under | Free |
| Halibut catch record card add-on | $5.50 |
Salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut and Puget Sound Dungeness crab all require a Catch Record Card. Anglers 16 and older need a saltwater or combo license.
Copper River salmon
Copper River salmon (Alaska) isn't a Washington season, but it drives Seattle seafood-counter pricing every spring. The 2026 commercial opener was May 22, with the season running into September. The fish migrate 300+ miles upriver, building unusually high fat content — flown to Seattle on Alaska Airlines and on Pike Place counters within a day of the opener. Prices are highest at the season's start and drop substantially as it progresses.