Salmon anglers fishing Washington’s North Coast will be able to keep up to two Chinook a day starting Saturday, state managers announced this afternoon.

The daily Chinook bag for both Marine Areas 3 and 4, La Push and Neah Bay, is being increased from one and is effective July 8 through the end of the season, unless king catch guidelines are met beforehand. The overall daily salmon limit remains two in both waters.

Chinook catch rates so far this season on these waters at the northern tip of the Olympic Peninsula have been slow, with just 6 and 17 percent of the guidelines landed through July 2, according to the most recent WDFW catch data.

So, given the amount of kings still available in the guideline, WDFW requested the limit boost and earlier today the National Marine Fisheries Service signed off on it.

Below are the actual fishing rule change notices emailed out from WDFW this afternoon.

Marine Area 3 (La Push) recreational salmon season update

Action: Opens coastal salmon fisheries.

Effective date: July 6 through Oct. 7, 2023

Species affected: Salmon.

Location: Marine Area 3 (La Push).

Rules:

• Immediately through July 7: Daily limit is two including no more than one Chinook. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho.
• July 8 through July 31: Daily limit is two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho.
• 1 through Sept. 30: Daily limit is two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho and chum.
• 1 through Oct. 2: Closed.
• 3 through Oct. 7: Open only in the area north of 47°50’00 N. lat. and south of 48°00’00” N. lat. Daily limit is one Chinook only. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Release all salmon other than Chinook.

Additional information: The catch quotas for recreational fisheries North of Cape Falcon in 2023 are 39,000 Chinook and 159,600 marked coho, with a Marine Area 3 Chinook guideline of 1,440 and Marine Area 3 coho quota of 4,150, and a late season Marine Area 3 Chinook quota of 150.

Marine Areas 1 through 4 are scheduled to close Sept. 30, with an additional late season opening in Area 3 in early October, but areas could close earlier if quotas are met.

Information contact: Fish Program 360-902-2700.

Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay) recreational salmon season update

Action: Opens coastal salmon fisheries.

Effective date: July 6 through Sept. 30, 2023.

Species affected: Salmon.

Location: Marine Area 4 (Neah Bay).

Rules west of Bonilla-Tatoosh line:

• Immediately through July 7: Daily limit two including no more than one Chinook. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho.
• July 8 through July 31, 2023: Daily limit two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho.
• 1 through Sept. 30: Daily limit two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho and chum.

Rules east of Bonilla-Tatoosh line:

• Immediately through July 7: Daily limit two including no more than one Chinook. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho.
  
  Waters east of a north-south line through Sail Rock are closed.
  
• July 8 through July 31: Daily limit two. Chinook minimum size is 24 inches. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release wild coho.
  
  Waters east of a north-south line through Sail Rock are closed.
  
• 1 through Sept. 30: Daily limit two. Coho minimum size is 16 inches. Other salmon species no minimum size. Release Chinook, wild coho and chum.
  
  Kydaka Point Area is closed to salmon fishing (waters south of a line from Kydaka Point westerly approximately 4 miles to Shipwreck Point).

Additional information: The catch quotas for recreational fisheries North of Cape Falcon in 2023 are 39,000 Chinook and 159,600 marked coho, with a Marine Area 4 Chinook guideline of 8,710 and Marine Area 4 coho quota of 16,600.

Marine Areas 1 through 4 are scheduled to close Sept. 30, but areas could close earlier if quotas are met.

Information contact: Fish Program 360-902-2700.