It’s a fishing day

Skagit River fishing conditions · Washington

Now until 5 pmSteelhead

The bite peaks at 57. Wind builds to 21 mph out of the southeast by tonight at 7:00 pm.

Wind Advisory until Sunday 4 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 57 for steelhead, marginal · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Steelhead, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 571 pm
  2. 57
  3. 57
  4. 574 pm
  5. 35
  6. 20
  7. 177 pm
  8. 10
  9. 10
  10. 1010 pm
  11. 17
  12. 32Sun
  13. 321 am
  14. 32
  15. 32
  16. 324 am
  17. 32
  18. 40
  19. 407 am
  20. 40
  21. 40
  22. 3310 am
  23. 40
  24. 40
  25. 401 pm
  26. 35
  27. 35
  28. 334 pm
  29. 33
  30. 33
  31. 437 pm
  32. 43
  33. 43
  34. 4310 pm
  35. 43
  36. 43Mon
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
No reading

Steelhead range 40–55°

Wind
7 mph

From the southeast

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:41 pm

Sky
Cloudy

3% chance of rain

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Washington regulations for these waters.

Steelhead

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

57MarginalNow until 5 pm

Water

No water reading here right now. Steelhead bite in 40–55° water, best near 48°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 2–60 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Game fish open Jun 1–Jan 31: hatchery steelhead 20" minimum, 2 a day, wild steelhead released. Selective gear rules in June; night closure in summer and fall.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Skagit River, Hwy 536 bridge at Mount Vernon to Gilligan Creek

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on steelhead

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

–Not scoredNo targeting

No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.

Water

No water reading here right now. Chinook salmon bite in 42–58° water, best near 50°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Chinook salmon is here Apr–Oct. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. Chinook may not be kept on this reach. Salmon fishing opens only for sockeye in July and coho Aug 16–Oct 31; release any chinook.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Skagit River, Hwy 536 bridge at Mount Vernon to Gilligan Creek

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

–Not scoredNo targeting

No targetingClosed to targeting. Release any you hook at once.

Water

No water reading here right now. Coho salmon bite in 44–58° water, best near 53°.

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Coho salmon is here May–Oct. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

12" minimum · 4 a day (Aug 16–Sep 30); 12" minimum · 2 a day (Oct 1–Oct 31)

Closed to targeting. Release any you hook at once. Coho Aug 16–Sep 30: 12" minimum, 4 a day including no more than 2 wild coho. Oct 1–31: 2 a day. Closed to salmon the rest of the year apart from the July sockeye season.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Skagit River, Hwy 536 bridge at Mount Vernon to Gilligan Creek

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.83 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:41 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:06 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:10 pm–4:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:30 am–7:30 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Washington WDFW publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The largest river draining into Puget Sound — a major chinook, coho, pink, and chum salmon system with a storied (and tightly managed) wild steelhead run through the North Cascades foothills. Drifted and bank-fished from Mount Vernon to the upper river.

Mount Vernon to Gilligan Creek: chinook must be released. Coho Aug 16–Sep 30, 4 a day (no more than 2 wild), and 2 a day in October; sockeye only in July. Game fish open Jun 1–Jan 31 with hatchery steelhead 20" and 2 a day; wild steelhead released.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Puget Sound (Seattle)59 mi · WashingtonBest now until 5 pmGale Warning
75Worth the trip
First Beach (La Push)112 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 12 pm to Monday 1 amStorm Warning
75Worth the trip
Pacific Beach State Park122 mi · WashingtonBest now until 2 pmHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
82Worth the trip
Ocean Shores131 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 8 am to Monday 1 amHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
75Worth the trip
Westport Light State Park136 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 10 am to Monday 1 amHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
75Worth the trip
Twin Harbors State Park138 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 9 am to Monday 1 amHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
75Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Skagit River?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Skagit River you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Skagit River?

Skagit River is listed on this site for 3 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Steelhead. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Skagit River?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Skagit River against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Skagit River have?

Skagit River has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Mount Vernon to Gilligan Creek: chinook must be released. Coho Aug 16–Sep 30, 4 a day (no more than 2 wild), and 2 a day in October; sockeye only in July. Game fish open Jun 1–Jan 31 with hatchery steelhead 20" and 2 a day; wild steelhead released.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Skagit River?

state agency regulations apply at Skagit River. Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Skagit River tidal water?

No. Skagit River is non-tidal — water level varies with rainfall, seasonal flow, and (where applicable) upstream dam releases rather than tidal exchange.