Upper Snohomish stays closed to all fishing from Sept. 26 through Nov. 1

The upper Snohomish River does not open with the rest of the system this weekend. A Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife emergency rule posted Sept. 22, 2026, closes all fishing from Sept. 26 through Nov. 1 on the Snohomish from the railroad bridge upstream of the Lincoln Avenue boat launch, southeast of Snohomish, up to the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers. Every species is off.

The reason is monitoring capacity, not a new fish count. WDFW says targeted cuts to fisheries-monitoring money for the Skagit, Stillaguamish, and Snohomish this fiscal year left the department unable to cover the whole river. Shrinking the footprint is how they keep a creel on the water that will be open.

That open water is downstream. Game fish and salmon on the mainstem Snohomish below the railroad bridge above the Lincoln Avenue launch are still scheduled to open Sept. 26 under the sport pamphlet. Questions go to the North Puget Sound Region office at 425-775-1311. Confirm the live emergency-rule page before you launch — this is not a permanent pamphlet change.

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

Source: WDFW — Upper Snohomish River to remain closed to all fishing until Nov. 2, 2026 (emergency rule, Sept. 22, 2026).