Washington State provides a vast and varied array of fisheries, offering much to anglers of all abilities and ages. With so many fish species entering Washington's freshwater lakes and rivers, opportunities for adults and children to fish together abound. Washington also has a productive saltwater fishery, offering the perfect environment for young children to experience their first fishing experience.
Species
Washington has runs of all five species of Pacific salmon---chinook, coho, sockeye, chum and pink salmon. Of these species, chinook will generally be too big and powerful for most children under 13. Coho, sockeye and chum will fight hard but will be manageable for any child 10 years or older. Pink salmon are smaller and suitable for all. The state also has rainbow trout, which make a suitable catch for anglers of all ages. Another resident fish, steelhead, are extremely strong, however, and will require a high degree of strength and skill to land.
Where to Fish
Many of Washington's rivers require potentially hazardous wading. In general, the smaller the river, the safer the wading. Productive smaller rivers in Washington include the Puyallup river, which has child-friendly runs of pink, sockeye and coho salmon. Washington also has a productive saltwater fishery. The area around Neah Bay has coho and pink salmon, while the Tacoma area has coho pink and chum salmon. Saltwater fishing in the confined space of a boat offers an inherent advantage when it comes to supervising children.
When to Fish
The Puyallup river fishes best in late summer and autumn. Pink salmon enter the river in August and remain there until the end of September. Coho run September to October. Chum salmon run in November. In saltwater, pink salmon enter Neah Bay in July and leave in August. Coho fishing is productive August to September. The Tacoma area has runs of pink salmon August to September. Coho are present September to October, while chum salmon run October to November.
Tackle
The tackle you use will always depend on the strength of the fish targeted. For coho, sockeye and chum salmon, use a medium-strength spin rod, capable of fishing 15- to 25-lb. breaking-strain line, or a fly rod for an 8- to 10-lb. line. Pink salmon require a light-spin rod and 10- to 15-lb. breaking-strain line, or a fly rod for a 7- or 8-lb. line. Rainbow trout require a light-spin rod and 6- to 10-lb. line, or a fly rod for 6-lb. line.
Considerations
When fishing with children, you have several options to help them get more from their day. If your child seems to struggle to land a species of fish, give the child more powerful tackle. Increasing the strength of the rod will enable your child to land fish more easily. If few of Washington's smaller rivers are fishing well and you are concerned about your child wading, try fishing the headwaters of the bigger rivers. The farther upriver you go, the smaller it will be. If a large river is fishing well, use this method to take advantage of it without having to fish the big, fast sections.
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