North Cascades

Fishing Regulations

SPECIAL REGULATIONS

Water	Season	Species	Catch Limit	Min. Size	Special Regulations
Big Beaver Creek beaver ponds & tributary streams From 1/4 mile marker upstream	July 1 - Oct. 31	All gamefish	0	-	CATCH and RELEASE ONLY * Selective fishery regulations apply.
Big Beaver Creek beaver ponds & tributary streams Ross Lake to 1/4 mile upstream	Closed Waters
Cascade River	Jun 1 - Feb. 28	Trout Dolly Varden Other gamefish	2 2 STWD	14" 20" STWD	Legal to retain Dolly Varden/bull trout as part of the catch limit. Must count towards daily Trout limit. STWD = Statewide Regulations. For complete information, consult a current copy of the Washington Sport Fishing Rules that is available wherever fishing licenses are sold.
Hozomeen Lake	July 1 - Oct. 31	All gamefish	STWD	STWD
Lake Chelan	Aug. 1 - Mar. 31	Salmon Trout Lake Trout Other gamefish Kokanee/Burbot	0 5 None STWD 5	- None None STWD None	CLOSED. (Always closed North of line between Purple Point at Stehekin and Painted Rocks.) Release wild Cutthroat Lake Trout (Mackinaw) are not included in the Trout daily limit. Only natural bait with two single hooks per bait; only one hook on sinking lines. Kokanee are not included in trout daily limit. Burbot-one set line with up to 5 hooks allowed.
Newhalem Ponds	Closed Waters
Nooksack River	Jun. 1 - Feb. 28 Oct. 16 - Dec. 31	Trout Salmon	2 2	14" 12"	Wild steelhead release. Release Chinook and Coho.
Ridley Lake	July 1 - Oct. 31	Trout All gamefish	1 STWD	18" STWD	* Selective fishery regulations apply. Trout possession limit - 1.
Ross Lake	July 1 - Oct. 31	Trout All gamefish	3 STWD	13" STWD	* Selective fishery regulations apply. All other tributaries are closed from lake to 1 mile upstream.
Ruby Creek	Closed Waters
Skagit River Bacon Creek to Gorge Powerhouse	June 1 - Feb. 28	Trout Dolly Varden Steelhead Other gamefish	2 2 STWD	14" 20" STWD	Legal to retain Dolly Varden/bull trout as part of the trout catch limit. Retaining steelhead is prohibited.
Skagit River Gorge Powerhouse to Dam	Closed Waters
Stehekin River Mouth to Agnes Creek	Mar. 1 - June 30	All gamefish	0	-	CATCH and RELEASE ONLY * Selective fishery regulations apply. Must release Cutthroat.
Stehekin River Above Agnes Creek	July 1 - Oct. 30	Trout Other gamefish	2 STWD	15" STWD	* Selective fishery regulations apply.
Stetattle Creek	Closed Waters
Trapper Lake	Year Around	Trout Other gamefish	2 STWD	None STWD

* Selective Fishery Regulations = Only artificial flies or lures with a barbless hook are allowed. You must stop fishing after you possess the catch limit. Bait is prohibited, including any substance which attracts fish by scent or flavor.

Trout = Cutthroat, golden, kokanee, lake, and rainbow trout but not eastern brook trout, steelhead, Dolly Varden or bull trout.

Gamefish = Bass, burbot, catfish, crappie, grayling, perch, sunfish, all trout, kokanee, and steelhead but not salmon.

STATEWIDE REGULATIONS

These statewide regulations apply to all waters not listed above under special regulations.
The Possession limit for Game Fish is 2 Daily Limits in any form.

Water	Season	Species	Catch Limit	Min. Size	Special Regulations
All Waters	Closed	Chinook salmon			All park and recreation area waters are closed to the harvest of salmon.
Statewide Lakes, Ponds & Reservoirs (unless covered by special regulation listed above) Abbreviated = STWD	Year Around	Trout	5	None	The combined daily catch limit for all trout (including eastern brook trout and Dolly Varden) is 5. When fishing with bait, all Trout (except Steelhead) equal to or greater than the minimum size are counted as part of the daily limit whether kept or released.
	Year Around	Eastern brook trout	5	None
	Year Around	Whitefish	15	None
	Closed *	Dolly Varden/bull trout			* All freshwater areas are closed to Dolly Varden/Bull Trout unless listed as open in Special Rules above. It is illegal to take bull trout from any lake or pond within the park and recreation areas.
Statewide Rivers, Streams, and & Beaver Ponds (unless covered by special regulations listed above) Abbreviated = STWD	Jun 1 - Oct. 31	Trout	2	8"	These count as part of the combined daily catch limit of 5 for all trout (including eastern brook trout and Dolly Varden).
	June 1 - Oct. 31	Eastern brook trout	5	None	No more than 5 Trout total, and no more than 2 can be other Trout species.
	June 1 - Oct. 31	Whitefish	15	None
	June 1- Nov. 30	Steelhead	2	20"	These count as part of the combined daily catch limit of 5 for all trout.
	Closed *	Dolly Varden/bull tout			* All freshwater areas are closed to Dolly Varden/Bull Trout unless listed as open in Special Rules above.

This information presents a summary of the commonly used Washington State fishing regulations in effect within the boundaries of North Cascades National Park, Lake Chelan and Ross Lake National Recreation Areas. For complete information, please consult the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Game Fish Regulations pamphlet that is available wherever fishing licenses are sold.