Fishing King Salmon in Washington

Although the king salmon is the official state fish of Alaska, it inhabits the Pacific coastline from Alaska all the way down to California's San Francisco Bay. The king salmon is also called the Chinook salmon. The average king salmon will live 4 to 5 years and is revered by fishermen not only for its large size but also because many consider it to have the best taste of any fish in the salmon family.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Fishing license for the state of Washington Fishing rods Bait Fishing line

1. Get a fishing license. Anyone over the age of 15 caught fishing for king salmon without a fishing license will face heavy fines. The best way to get a fishing license is to go visit the Washington state Department of Natural Resource's website, where you can apply for the license online. The price of a fishing license can be between $20.26 and $43.80, depending on where you'll be fishing and your residency.

2. Plan ahead. The best time to catch king salmon in Washington is July and August. You are not allowed to fish for king salmon in May. If you are planning on making use of one of the charter fishing companies, you will want to book your trip several months in advance; during peak season the companies have very few openings.

3. Know the rules. Due to the declining number of king salmon in Washington state, any wild king salmon caught has to be thrown back. If the numbers improve this policy might change. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has a downloadable pamphlet of the current rules available on their website.

4. If you would like to eat the king salmon that you catch you need to make sure the fish was born in a hatchery. Hatchery salmon can be found all over the state. You can identify hatchery salmon by the lack of adipose fins, which are removed before the fish are released from the hatchery. The adipose fins are fleshy fins located directly behind the dorsal fin. Wild king salmon are considered an endangered species, which is why they are a catch-and-release fish.

5. Purchase your supplies. If you are fly fishing in the middle of one of Washington's rivers you will need to have hip-high waders, a 12- to 26-foot fiberglass (or graphite) rod, a fly line and a fly reel. If you prefer sitting on the shore and just dropping your line into the water, you will need a 15- to 20-pound fishing line and a 10-foot rod. The same types of rods are used when fishing for salmon in the middle of the Pacific Ocean. You will also have to make sure you have a seaworthy boat. You should always make sure that you have a spare rod and extra fishing line in case something gets tangled or breaks.

6. Hang corky on your line. Corky is a term that refers to a bit of bright orange plastic used to attract the attention of salmon. When you are fishing for king salmon your corky should be a #8. The corky should be placed just above your fishing hook.

7. Prepare your bait. The best type of bait to use when you are fishing for king salmon is cured salmon eggs (often called roe). You'll need to attach the egg sac to your hook. Some salmon fishermen like to have a second hook a few inches above their baited hook, the second hook increases the chances of the salmon hooking itself when it attacks the line. Ghost shrimp also make good salmon bait

8. Pack a camera and a spare set of fully charged batteries in a waterproof bag. The camera is an excellent way to record your memorable fishing vacation.

Tips & Warnings

• If you have a child under the age of 15 who is fishing for king salmon, he is required to fill out a catch-record card. These cards can be found at the DNR office. The first card is free. Puget Sound is an excellent place for catching king salmon. Other places that are favored by salmon include the Gulkana River, the Klutina River and Copper River Valley.

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