Samish River

[simmsfisherman]

Hello,

Anyone know when the kings roll into this river or ditch as some refer too it as. Thanks, and also have many people fished it for coho in the fall and steelies ?

Adam

[spenny1823]

Not sure about the kings, but the coho would start showing up in september. My personal opinion if you want to fish for silvers or steelies go to the skagit.

[JoshH]

Hatchery Steelhead in the Skagit may not be seen for some time. Won't have much luck targeting something that is not there. Native Steelies are completely of-limits there, no C&R fishing for them even.

Kings I believe are usually August - Sept in the Samish.
Steelhead as far as I know are all natives, not hatchery fish. Usually Nov-Dec.

If you haven't King fished the Samish before, look up some You-Tube videos of it. Full contact fishing at it's finest!

[spenny1823]

Hatchery Steelhead in the Skagit may not be seen for some time. Won't have much luck targeting something that is not there. Wild Steelies are completely of-limits there, no C&R fishing for them even.

don't know how i forgot this.....

[simmsfisherman]

Thank you all for the advice and information. I have seen the combat fishing. I am coming down from BC and we have it when our sockeye opens, as they rarely open them up on the fraser river and it is the same style of fishing but usually i am in a boat on the fraser... I just want to try a few and get a lunker out of there as our chinook tend to be a bit smaller down here... and looking to fish coho in other rivers and try fishing around wa state.. again thanks for the info, if you ever want to know about coming up to bc to fish, send a pm and more than willing to help direct you..

Adam

[spenny1823]

If you want a closer river to bc to fish the nooksack does alright for silvers. That's my home river and do quite well there. Fish are a bit smaller and less numerous, but easier to find in my opinion. You can't go for kings on that river and the steelhead situation is the same as the skagit, but its closer.

[DannyL]

Samish kings usually don't show up until the 3rd week of August. But with the river at only 25 CFS you wont really see anything probably until September.

[KMR]

Just a heads up hatchery steelhead will continue to return for the next two seasons because there are still hatchery fish in the salt from releases two years ago. Also you can't keep coho on the samish. It says release wild coho but seeing how there is no hatchery coho program and there hasn't been one for a long time your pretty much outta luck there

[DannyL]

I have ran into stray hatchery coho on Samish, they do come up. Yes the majority are wild and are released . Please be aware that the very few steelhead that do come up Samish do not open until December 1st.

[fear_no_fish]

Please be aware that the very few steelhead that do come up Samish do not open until December 1st.

I will just leave this here. Pulled straight out of the book. Good luck

SAMISH RIVER (Skagit Co.) from mouth (Bayview-Edison Rd.) to I-5
Bridge
(816)
ALL SPECIES - Aug. 1-Nov. 30: night closure and only one single-point hook allowed. We each must clean
up after ourselves and pets. Refer to Human and Pet Waste Advisory (page 5).
TROUT First Sat. in June-Nov. 30 Min. size 14". Daily limit 2.
Other Game Fish First Sat. in June-Nov. 30 Statewide min. size/daily limit.
SALMON Aug. 1-Nov. 30 Min. size 12". Daily limit 2. Only fish hooked inside the mouth may be retained. Release wild COHO.
All Game Fish Dec. 1-Dec. 31 Catch-and-release except up to 2 hatchery STEELHEAD may be
retained. Selective gear rules.

The terms "TROUT", "All Game Fish", and
"Other Game Fish" include the TROUT and
Game Fish species on the definitions pages
10-11,

TROUT: The combined daily limit for an angler that fishes in both rivers and lakes on the same day is 5 TROUT. In the combined
daily limit, only 2 TROUT may be from rivers, except as provided for EASTERN BROOK TROUT.
BROWN TROUT CUTTHROAT TROUT
RAINBOW TROUT LAKE TROUT
GOLDEN TROUT KOKANEE
TIGER TROUT
GRAYLING
In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: Min. size 8". Daily limit 2. When fishing with bait, all TROUT
(except STEELHEAD) equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit
whether kept or released.
In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: No min. size. Daily limit 5. When fishing with bait, all TROUT (except
STEELHEAD) equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether
kept or released.
EASTERN BROOK TROUT
(EBT)
In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: No min. size. Daily limit 5. Anglers may keep up to 5
EASTERN BROOK TROUT, but no more than 5 TROUT total, and no more than 2 can be other
TROUT species. In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: Count as part of the 5 TROUT daily limit.
STEELHEAD Min. size 20". Daily limit 2. No more than 2 STEELHEAD may be retained as part of TROUT combined
daily limit. STEELHEAD may be caught and released until the daily limit is retained unless Mandatory
Hatchery Steelhead Retention rule is in effect (see page 16). No annual limit for hatchery STEELHEAD.
WILD STEELHEAD RETENTION RULES: ONE wild STEELHEAD per license year may be retained
from ONE of the following rivers: Bogachiel River, Calawah River, Clearwater River, Dickey River, Hoh
River, Quillayute River, Quinault River, or Sol Duc River, as listed in the special rules.

[JoshH]

My understanding is that they stopped hatchery steelhead planting in the samish in 2008.

[DannyL]

Went and scoped out the mouth area yesterday. Was high tide so couldent see anything moving and didn't have any spinners or eggs to try. May try this weekend.

[MaxOut]

I know I’m 5 years late to the game, but if anyone’s still alive, is there any steelhead left? Just the Combat fishing kings? Thanks