Voluntary Trip Report program

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is working to increase angler participation in our Voluntary Trip Report (VTR) program in all selective Chinook and coho fisheries occurring in Marine Areas 1 through 13. These reports provide critical information used by WDFW to maintain and increase salmon fishing opportunities. Learn more in our Puget Sound Recreational Mark-Selective Chinook Salmon Fisheries (PDF) brochure. 

For more information, please contact Ann Stephenson (360-902-2739, Ann.Stephenson@dfw.wa.gov) for Puget Sound/Strait of Juan de Fuca fisheries, or Erica Crust (360-249-1220, Erica.Crust@dfw.wa.gov) for Coastal fisheries.

Online trip report form

Anglers can complete the Voluntary Trip Report Form online or download and print a paper copy.

Download the form

Why is this data important?

Your VTR data is critically important in the evaluation of selective Chinook and coho fisheries, and planning of future selective fisheries. We use a combination of test boat and VTR data to estimate the mark rate and encounter rate of legal-sized and sublegal-sized Chinook and coho salmon.

Our objective is to obtain the most accurate estimates possible of the number of marked and unmarked Chinook and coho salmon encountered by anglers in each selective fishery. VTR data has increased our ability to maximize recreational salmon fishing opportunities each year. Without selective fishing and the VTR program, fishing seasons would be shorter. The information collected from your VTR does not count towards your daily catch and is not used in quota estimation. Additional information can be found in the Puget Sound Chinook Mark-Selective Fishery Sampling Methods publication.

How can you help?

WDFW staff stationed at boat ramps will hand out VTR forms. Anglers are asked to record the date, target species, Catch Record Card area, encountered species, whether the fish was kept or releases, total length, and whether the fish was adipose fin-clipped(marked) or not clipped (unmarked).

  1. Please use one VTR form (or more if needed) per day to record fishing information.
  2. Write in the date.
  3. Collect data only during selective Chinook and coho fisheries. Use the most recent WDFW Sportfishing Pamphlet, or visit wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations to determine season dates.
  4. Record data for Chinook and coho only.
  5. Measure fish from the tip of the nose to the end of the tail. Measure to the nearest 1/8 inch.
  6. Fish can be brought up to the gunnel of the boat to determine if it is legal to retain; illegal fish cannot be brought inside the boat.
  7. Do not sacrifice the health of the fish to collect data.
  8. Pencil works best on the rite-in-the-rain paper data forms.

How to handle the finished form

Anglers are asked to return their VTR forms to WDFW as soon as possible upon completing their fishing trip. Anglers can return the completed VTR form using any of the following methods:

  • Give the form directly to a WDFW ramp sampler stationed at the boat ramp.
  • Return via US mail (the VTR forms come pre-addressed with postage paid).
  • Insert the form into a VTR collection box located at the boat ramp or in the fishing resort, if available.
  • Scan or take a high resolution photo and email to VTR@dfw.wa.gov.