The Upper Snohomish River Has Been "Emergency" Closed to Fishing

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife suddenly announced an emergency closure to part of the Snohomish River starting September 26 through November 1, 2026.

This is not a conservation closure, but is only a budget problem.

These Parts of the Snohomish River Are Closed

The closure affects all fishing, all species, on the Snohomish River from the railroad bridge upstream of the Lincoln Avenue boat launch southeast of Snohomish to the confluence of the Skykomish and Snoqualmie rivers.

The closure runs from September 26 through November 1.

Game fish and salmon fisheries in the mainstem Snohomish River, downstream of the railroad bridge above the Lincoln Avenue boat launch, will still open September 26 like previously scheduled.

That means the lower section will still be fishable, but the upper section is off-limits until November 1, 2026.

Why Part of the Snohomish River is Being Closed

WDFW was direct in saying the targeted reductions to fisheries monitoring funds for the Skagit, Stillaguamish, and Snohomish rivers in the current fiscal year have resulted in decreased monitoring capacity.

Without enough staff and resources to monitor the entire river, the department is shrinking the geographic footprint of the open fishery so it can adequately monitor the portion that is open.

Budget cuts eliminated the capacity to oversee the full river properly, so they are closing the part they cannot watch.

What Anglers Should Do Right Now

Sign up for WDFW fishing rule change email notifications and check for emergency rules at the WDFW website before every trip this season.

Download the Fish Washington mobile app for real-time updates on the go, but if you have questions, contact the North Puget Sound Region office at 425-775-1311.