While many Washington anglers will be out fishing this Memorial Day weekend, some have chosen to wait until June 1st - when rivers and streams generally open for trout fishing.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife generally waits until spawning season is over before opening many rivers and streams for trout fishing. This is part of an ongoing effort to protect wild trout.
Cedar River will be among the rivers open June 1 for trout fishing. The fishery has selective gear rules, and is catch and release only.
Other rivers to try on the June 1 opener for steelhead are the Stillaguamish North Fork (fly-fishing only), Snoqualmie (no bait allowed), Soleduck, Hoh, Bogachiel, Green, Skykomish, Satsop, Elochoman, Skagit, Calawah and Chehalis.
You might want to keep in mind that you're not allowed to keep and possess bull trout on the Skagit river.
Also until further notice the Cowlitz River is closed to all fishing. This closure will assist the Cowlitz Trout Hatchery which serves to release large numbers of hatchery smolts and also traps hatchery adult broodstock.
The fly fishermen at Lone and Pass lakes are doing quite well on trout. Other trout lakes worth checking out are Meridian, Jameson, Warden, Cassidy, Roesiger, Green, Martha, Pine, Lone, Cottage, Mayfield, Rattlesnake, Langlois, McMurray, Wilderness, Bosworth, Spanaway, Angle, Wapato, Spectacle, Deer and Tanwax.
If you don't have a fishing license yet, you might want to mark June 9th and 10th on your calendar! These days have been designated free fishing days (meaning, that no license is required for residents or non-residents). However, a catch record card is still required to fish for or retain Dungeness crab, steelhead, salmon, sturgeon and halibut in most waters.
Want to know which trout streams are under fished in Washington? Click here.
Good luck!
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