It’s a fishing day

Skagit River fishing conditions · Washington

Today, 1 pm–4 pmChinook salmon

The bite peaks at 68.

Log a trip here
Right now: 53 for chinook salmon, sit it outTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Chinook salmon, 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. 53Mon
  2. 53
  3. 53
  4. 533 am
  5. 58
  6. 55
  7. 556 am
  8. 55
  9. 55
  10. 589 am
  11. 58
  12. 58
  13. 6012 pm
  14. 68
  15. 68
  16. 683 pm
  17. 58
  18. 58
  19. 586 pm
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 589 pm
  23. 58
  24. 68
  25. 68Tue
  26. 65
  27. 60
  28. 603 am
  29. 60
  30. 58
  31. 586 am
  32. 58
  33. 58
  34. 589 am
  35. 58
  36. 55
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now

Water
No reading

Chinook salmon range 42–58°

Wind
2 mph

From the north-northeast

Light
Dark

Sunrise 7:45 am

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

6% chance of rain

Air
44°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Rising

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
100% lit

Full

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.

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

68MarginalToday, 1 pm–4 pm

Water

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

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Catch and release only today. Washington: every river is closed to salmon unless the special rules list a season for that reach. Limits, minimums and which salmon must be released change by reach and date, and emergency rules often adjust them in season.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Washington

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

68MarginalToday, 1 pm–4 pm

Water

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

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

no harvest

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Washington: every river is closed to salmon unless the special rules list a season for that reach. Many reaches allow only hatchery coho, and emergency rules often adjust seasons in season.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Washington

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Steelhead

Steelhead

Oncorhynchus mykiss

68MarginalToday, 1 pm–4 pm

Water

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

Why

Light chop — baitfish active, fish willing to feed. Holds 2–60 ft down.

Keep

20" minimum · 2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Washington statewide: 20" minimum, 2 hatchery steelhead a day; all wild steelhead must be released. Open during the game fish or salmon seasons of each water.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Washington

Season here: Oct–Apr. More on steelhead

The water

  • Water temperatureNo reading
  • Barometer29.97 inHg, rising

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunrise today7:45 am
  • Sunset today6:00 pm
  • MoonFull, 100% lit
  • Major solunarSunday 11:50 pm–1:50 am
  • Minor solunarToday 8:10 am–9:10 am
  • Major solunarToday 12:10 pm–2:10 pm

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 tomorrow 8 am–12 pm
86Go
First Beach (La Push)112 mi · WashingtonBest tonight 11 pm to tomorrow 12 pmSmall Craft Advisory
75Worth the trip
Pacific Beach State Park122 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 4 am–12 pm
100Go
Ocean Shores131 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 12 am–12 pm
100Go
Westport Light State Park136 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 12 am–12 pm
100Go
Twin Harbors State Park138 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 2 am–12 pm
100Go

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.