Sockeye salmon, the third-most common form of Pacific salmon, are also known as red or blueback salmon, often growing to a length of 33 inches and weighing as much as 6 to 8 lbs. As the urge to spawn arises, the fish migrate from the ocean into freshwater, changing color from a blue-greenish, silvery hue in the Pacific to a bright red body and pale green head as they move into the freshwater lakes and streams of Washington state.
Stock Locations
In 1992, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the western Washington Treaty Indian tribes identified nine separate sockeye salmon stocks existing in the state, with Lake Washington holding three stocks and the Columbia River two. Washington state and the Columbia River system mark the southernmost extension of sockeye salmon in North America. In other words, if you want to fish for sockeye salmon in the U.S., the state of Washington is your only option.
Management
Sockeye typically spend two to four years in the ocean, growing to an average of 5 lbs., before returning to their freshwater spawning grounds inside Washington state. The months of June and July see the largest number of returning sockeye. Management of the population at Lake Washington is a joint effort between the WDFW and three Puget Sound Indian tribes: the Muckleshoot, Suquamish, and Tulalip tribes. Fishing seasons at the lake are determined by the count of sockeye entering the lake at the Ballard Locks.
Seasons
Surplus fish are made available for tribal fisheries and recreational enthusiasts if the run of sockeye into Lake Washington is estimated to exceed the spawning goal for the area. "The mid-July period is typically when more than 50 percent of the sockeye return has passed the Locks. A determination will be made in early to mid-July if there are sufficient sockeye to open fisheries, and the structure and duration of any fishing seasons will be announced," says the WDFW.
Rules
If the sport-fishing season is opened on Lake Washington, specific rules will depend on the particulars of that run and season. The WDFW says that in the past, catch limits at Lake Washington have ranged from one to six fish daily, with a limit of two being the typical rule. A minimum length of 15 inches is the standard requirement each season.
Tips
Morning fishermen tend to catch sockeye more easily than do afternoon or evening anglers. The WDFW advises trolling slowly and killing the motor of a boat; a drift normally is sufficient to attract the fish. "Past acoustic surveys showed a decided sockeye preference for depths from 30 to 60 feet (71 percent of the fish were located between 35 and 55 feet depths), but ranged to depths of 90 feet. Peak abundance was at approximately 40 feet," according to the state agency.
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