WDFW closes Lake Washington coho fishing after weak Ballard Locks counts

Washington closed salmon fishing on Lake Washington effective Sept. 16, 2026, until further notice. WDFW’s emergency rule covers the lake north of the Highway 520 (Albert D. Rosellini Evergreen Point) Bridge, east of the Montlake Bridge, and the Sammamish River near Kenmore from the 68th Ave. NE Bridge downstream. Coho is the species named.

In-season counts at the Hiram M. Chittenden (Ballard) Locks drove the call. Managers say the Lake Washington / Lake Sammamish basin coho return is smaller than forecasted, and the close is needed to hit broodstock and natural spawning goals. Preliminary daily counts during survey hours stay on WDFW’s Lake Washington salmon-counts page.

The Kent Reporter’s Sept. 15 write-up cites that same WDFW language. North Puget Sound Region: 425-775-1311. Sign up for Fishing Rule Change emails and check the emergency-rules list before you wet a line.

Photo: Roger Tabor, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (coho), via Kent Reporter / Sound Publishing.

This is a The Gillnet news desk summary, not a reprint.

Source: WDFW — Salmon fishing to close in Lake Washington (emergency rule, posted Sept. 14, 2026). Also: Kent Reporter — No fishing for coho salmon in Lake Washington (Bailey Jo Josie, Sept. 15, 2026).