June 2024 Weekender Report: Get outside to enjoy a variety of outdoor activities this June  (2024)

Annual Trout Derby continues

The annual WDFW Trout Derby continues through Oct. 31. As the weather and water warms up, people are starting to catch derby fish. Thousands of tagged trout are stocked in 100+ lakes across the state. All you have to do is catch a tagged trout and you win a prize!Go to WDFW's Derby web page for info on how it works and how to claim your prize.

Many rivers and streams open for trout 

Dozens of rivers and streams across Washington are open for gamefish, including trout, steelhead, char, and whitefish, as well as numerous non-native fish species like bass and perch. Many streams hold surprisingly large native rainbow and cutthroat trout that can be caught using small spinners, spoons, jigs, or fly-fishing gear.

Many rivers and streams are managed under catch and release or selective gear rules—which prohibit using bait, barbs, and treble hooks—to protect wild steelhead and salmon. Be sure to check the fishing regulations and emergency Fishing Rule Changes or use the new and improved Fish Washington mobile app before heading out. Several rivers in the Puget Sound and coastal regions will remain closed to fishing this summer to protect Chinook salmon, including much of the Snohomish, Stillaguamish, and Nooksack river systems, as well as certain Willapa Bay tributaries.

Columbia River salmon and steelhead  
Spring Chinook fishing downstream of Bonneville Dam is open June 1-15 for hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead. The Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers are also open to hatchery Chinook in most areas through July 31.

Above Bonneville Dam, Drano Lake and Wind River are open for hatchery Chinook and hatchery steelhead. The Spring Chinook fishery in the Snake River remains closed. The mainstem Columbia River summer Chinook fishery below Bonneville Dam will be open June 16-19 below Bonneville Dam, with the stretch of river above Bonneville Dam to Priest Rapids open June 16-30 and closed to retention thereafter. Sockeye retention is expected to be allowed in the daily salmonid bag limit from June 16-July 31 for waters downstream of the Highway 395 Bridge in Pasco.

Puget Sound and coastal salmon 

The start to early summer salmon fishing begins June 1 when Marine Area 10 (Seattle/Bremerton) opens daily for coho fishing only. Marine Area 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island) opens June 5-30 on Wednesdays through Saturdays only of each week for hatchery Chinook and coho fishing (season may be adjusted or closed if quota or encounters approach allowable limits). Salmon fishing also continues in southern Puget Sound (Marine Area 13). The Tulalip Terminal Area Salmon Fishery is open each week between 12 a.m. Friday mornings to 11:59 a.m. Monday mornings (except closed on June 1 for a tribal fish ceremony). On the coast, Marine Areas 1, 3 and 4 (Ilwaco, La Push and Neah Bay) opens June 2 and Marine Area 2 (Westport-Ocean Shores) opens June 30-July 11 on Sundays through Thursdays, and then open daily beginning July 14. Marine Areas 2, 3, and 4 are scheduled to stay open until Sept. 15, and Marine Area 1 closes on Sept. 30. All ports could close sooner if catch quotas are met.

Get paid to fish
The 2024 Northern Pikeminnow Sport-Reward fishery, which pays anglers $6 to $10 for each qualifying fish, and up to $500 for a tagged fish, is open through Sept. 30. Funded by the Bonneville Power Administration, this program contributes to conservation by harvesting a portion of the largest pikeminnow preying on threatened salmon and steelhead populations in the Columbia and Snake River basins. In 2023, the top angler earned over $100,000—simply from fishing! Visit pikeminnow.org for more information, including registration, rules, and regulations, then watch the webinar on YouTube to get started.

The shad are coming
Record shad returns over the past decade have turned the Columbia River into one of the most consistent and easily accessible sport fisheries in the region. In 2023, over four million American shad migrated through the Columbia River system. With a similar run expected in 2024, anglers will be tracking shad counts in early June. While shad fishing is open in the lower Columbia currently, once daily counts at the Bonneville Dam fish ladder hit 20,000-plus shad is prime fishing conditions. For more information, read our recent blog.

Shrimping dates continue in June
Shrimping in several marine areas continues into June and there are some notable June shrimp openers, including:

Be sure to check all the regulations before going out, including area boundaries or closures. Non-spot shrimp fisheries are also available in certain areas.

Boating season is here! Clean, drain, dry your boat
Help prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species this summer by having your boat checked every time you pass a watercraft check station and by cleaning, draining, and drying it every time you take it out of the water. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are a huge threat to the state's native ecosystems, in particular, invasive mussels, recently found as close to Washington as the Snake River in Idaho, are a major concern but you can take some quick, easy steps to try to help prevent their spread.

First Turkey Program  
With the spring wild turkey hunting season wrapped up as of the end of May, now is the time to celebrate if this was your first turkey season. Send us your first turkey harvest information and receive an official WDFW First Turkey certificate. With the certificate, you can register your turkey with the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Washington state chapter to receive an official First Turkey pin.

Habitat at Home 

It’s a great time to get outside and see your local pollinators! From bees to butterflies and moths to hummingbirds, all of Washington’s pollinators have a role to play in plant reproduction. Discover who’s buzzing and fluttering around your neighborhood, and learn how to support their habitat. Plus, June 17-23 is National Pollinator Week! Keep an eye on our social media pages and events webpage for celebrations near you.

Watchable wildlife

Looking forward to spending more time outside in the summer sunshine? That means you’re likely going to find some wildlife! Providing plenty of space for critters you encounter will keep them and yourself safe and comfortable. Learn more about keeping your distance and ethical wildlife viewing practices on our webpage.

Heading to higher altitudes? We’re asking hikers to tell us when and where you’ve seen or heard pikas. With the simple click of a button on ArcGIS Survey 123, you can report pikas to WDFW’s researchers who are studying climate change effects on the species. Learn more about this project, pikas, and the simple steps you can take to help by reading our blog. Just want to see cute photos of pikas? The blog has that, too.