March 13, 2025
Action: Opens Eulachon smelt retention for two additional days in the lower Cowlitz River.
Rules: Daily limit is ten pounds only. Harvesters may use handheld dipnets only. It is unlawful to harvest smelt from a vessel.
Effective dates: From 8 a.m. through 1 p.m. on Wednesday, March 19 and Saturday, March 22, 2025.
Species affected: Eulachon smelt.
Location: Cowlitz River, from Highway 432 Bridge to the Al Helenberg Memorial Boat Ramp (located approximately 1,300 feet upstream of the Highway 411/A Street Bridge in Castle Rock).
Reason for action: Landings from the mainstem Columbia River commercial fishery indicate the Eulachon smelt run size is large enough to approve additional recreational opportunity, per guidance from the 2023 Washington and Oregon Eulachon Management Plan. The recreational fishery also serves as an important opportunity to collect additional biological data.
Additional information: The lower Cowlitz River is also open for Eulachon smelt retention on Saturday, March 15.
A recreational fishing license is required. Each harvester must be actively participating, and all smelt caught must be retained up to the daily limit.
In the field, it is unlawful for each person harvesting smelt to fail to use a separate container to hold their catch. The container must be in the harvester's presence or identified with the harvester's name (per WAC 220-315-040). Violation of this subsection is an infraction, punishable under RCW 77.15.160.
Hand dip net gear may not exceed 36 inches across the bag frame with a maximum mesh size of 5/8 inch stretch mesh size and must have a rigid handle.
For more details including a map showing fishing boundaries and popular access areas, visit the Cowlitz River smelt fishing webpage.
Fishery managers encourage anglers to sign up for Fishing Rule Change email notifications and to check for emergency rules on the WDFW website prior to fishing. Refer to the 2024-25 Washington Sport Fishing Rules pamphlet for fishing rules.
Information contact: Southwest Region office, 360-696-6211