From cutthroat trout to squid jigging, Washington anglers get a month of diverse options

From cutthroat trout to squid jigging, Washington anglers get a month of diverse options

KIRO 7 News Staff

Mon, December 1, 2025 at 6:27 PM UTC

5 min read

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife says December is packed with fishing and shellfishing opportunities throughout the state, offering what the agency calls a seasonal “fishy wish list” for anglers and crabbers.

The roundup covers everything from sea-run cutthroat trout in South Puget Sound to razor clam digs, winter crabbing, steelhead fishing, and lake whitefish on Banks Lake.

It also outlines special regulations, gear guidance, and updates affecting various fisheries.

WDFW says winter is a productive time to target catch-and-release sea-run cutthroat trout along South Puget Sound’s beaches, bays, estuaries and inlets.

Trout often hold close to shore during soft incoming or outgoing tides or at slack water, when baitfish gather.

The agency advises avoiding strong tidal exchanges, which can scatter fish.

Rocky beaches with larger gravel in 15- to 20-foot depths are ideal.

Fly anglers often use marabou Clouser Minnow and Muddler patterns, while poppers or floating baitfish imitations can also work.

For hardware, small spoons and size two or three spinners are common.

Dark colors are recommended in clear or bright conditions; brighter colors may help when water is cloudy.

Barbless hooks are required in all Puget Sound marine recreational fisheries.

Anglers may also encounter resident coho in many areas.

The 2025–2026 razor clam season began in October with strong catch rates at Long Beach, Twin Harbors, Copalis and Mocrocks.

Approved digs continue Dec. 2–8, with tentative digs set for Dec. 18–23 and Dec. 31 through Jan. 6, 2026.

Additional January and February digs are expected, with final confirmation issued about a week before each series begins.

Digging is allowed only from noon to midnight, and not all beaches are open every day.

WDFW urges diggers to monitor weather, surf forecasts and the agency’s razor clam webpage for updated conditions and approvals.

Many Washington rivers face seasonal closures, but WDFW notes that options remain across the coast and inland.

Some salmon fisheries ended Nov. 30, though a handful of coastal rivers remain open.

In Puget Sound, the upper Skykomish River — particularly the Reiter Ponds area — is a popular spot for early hatchery winter steelhead.

Tokul Creek is open for hatchery steelhead through Feb. 15, though fishing is prohibited between 5 p.m. and 7 a.m.

The Cowlitz River continues to draw anglers targeting late-arriving hatchery coho and steelhead.

The Skagit and Cascade rivers recently closed after meeting coho catch guidelines.

In Eastern Washington, trout fishing can remain strong in spring creeks such as Rocky Ford and Crab Creek, and the Yakima River may produce fish during warm stretches.

WDFW recently announced coastal winter steelhead seasons, though the agency cautions that many wild steelhead populations remain below spawning escapement goals.

Managers aim to allow meaningful fisheries where possible while prioritizing conservation.

WDFW highlights lake whitefish as an overlooked species that offers strong winter action and good eating.

Banks Lake — a 27-mile reservoir along Highway 155 — is one of the state’s top fisheries for the species, with about 91 miles of shore access.

Whitefish commonly measure 18–24 inches and occasionally surpass 30 inches.

The state record of 7.86 pounds came from Lake Roosevelt in winter 2022–2023, and WDFW has sampled even larger fish there, though Banks Lake remains a favorite.

A lightweight six-foot rod with a sensitive tip helps detect the species’ subtle bite.

Shrimp, maggots, salmon eggs and small jigs or spoons are among the recommended baits and lures.

The daily limit is 15 whitefish with no size minimum.

WDFW reports productive winter crabbing across Puget Sound, even with lower participation compared to summer seasons.

In 2024, 33,743 winter catch record cards were issued, and anglers retained 134,075 crabs — about 3.9 crabs per person on average.

The numbers closely mirror 2023.

Marine Areas 4, 5, 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2, 9, 10 and 12 north of Ayock Point remain open daily through Dec. 31.

Traps may only be set or pulled from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset.

The daily limit includes five male Dungeness crabs in hard-shell condition at least 6¼ inches across.

Crabbers may also keep six red rock crabs and six Tanner crabs per day within minimum size requirements.

WDFW is also asking crabbers to watch for hundreds of tagged Dungeness crabs in Marine Areas 9 and 10.

Each carries a two-inch green “floy tag.”

Crabbers are asked to call or text the phone number on the tag if they catch one.

The Swinomish Tribe conducted a similar study earlier this year in Area 8-1 using blue tags.

WDFW also highlighted:

• Rufus Woods triploid rainbow trout — A consistent winter fishery where hatchery-raised trout commonly weigh two to six pounds, with some exceeding 20 pounds. Most anglers focus near the net pen operations.

• Eastside burbot — Found in numerous lakes including Banks, Chelan, Roosevelt, Kachess, Keechelus and others. WDFW recommends jigheads tipped with nightcrawler pieces or fish chunks. The limit is five burbot per day.

• Deep South Puget Sound winter Chinook — Marine Area 13 anglers often target hatchery Chinook around tidal movements and concentrations of baitfish. Productive locations include Point Gibson, Point Fosdick, Anderson Island, Lyle Point, Devils Head and Budd Inlet.

• Jumbo rainbow trout plantings across the state — WDFW recently stocked 64,350 trout in 29 lakes throughout Western and Eastern Washington. The agency also notes that 230,000 trout have been stocked in 67 lakes statewide this fall, though not all lakes remain open year-round.

• Squid jigging — Market squid have begun showing up at piers from Mukilteo to Tacoma. Squid feed mostly at night under lights, but daytime catches are possible when numbers are high. Anglers typically use glow jigs, a light trout rod and a bucket.

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