The Cowlitz River flows from the southeast side of glacier surrounded Mount Rainier. The Cowlitz flows freely through miles of mountain forest and valleys west of Highway 12 until it hits Mossyrock Dam. Stopped up flows create Riffle Lake as a large reservoir in southwestern Washington.
From there, the Cowlitz River flows a short distance before hitting Mayfield Dam, creating a smaller reservoir in Mayfield Lake. Downstream from Mayfield lake is the Barrier Dam spillway and below that is the section of river that most anglers are interested in as all of the hatchery salmon and steelhead return to hatcheries in this stretch.
The Cowlitz River later flows into the Columbia River and then into the Pacific.
This blog article attempts to concentrate in one place the angling opportunity, fishing regulations and hatchery data to make your research and fishing trip planning to the Cowlitz River as simple as possible.
Updated Status of returning Summer Steelhead on the Cowlitz River
These graphs will automatically update as fish start to return to the hatchery
Historical Run Timing of Summer Steelhead on the Cowlitz River
Summer steelhead can be caught as early as late April, but the real push gets going in late May and into June.
You can catch summer steelhead all the way through October in most years as well.
Forecast for 2023 Cowlitz River Summer Steelhead
Escapement history just counts fish at the hatcheries that report escapement, total runsize combines escapement plus estimated catch of hatchery fish.
As you can see, runs have been improving since the super low return year of 2017. Will we get back to some of the big numbers we saw in 2014-2016?
Fishing Regulations for Cowlitz River Summer Steelhead 2023
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from boundary markers at mouth to Lexington Bridge CRC (561) | ||
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All species |
Anglers may fish with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement. | |
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July 1-Sept. 30 |
Night closure. For salmon and steelhead fishing only. | |
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Trout |
Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
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Sat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31 |
Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. | |
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Steelhead (hatchery) |
July 1-July 31 |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 1. |
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Aug. 1-Aug. 31 |
Closed. | |
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Sept. 1-Sept. 30 |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 1. | |
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Oct. 1-June 30 |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. | |
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Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
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Salmon |
Jan. 1-July 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
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Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho and hatchery Chinook. | |
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from Lexington Bridge to Mill Creek CRC (561) | ||
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All species |
Anglers may fish with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement. | |
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Trout |
Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild rainbow trout and wild cutthroat trout. |
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Sat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31 |
Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Release wild rainbow trout and wild cutthroat trout. | |
|
Steelhead (hatchery) |
Year-round |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
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Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
|
Salmon |
Jan. 1-July 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
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Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho and hatchery Chinook. | |
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within a 100’ radius of the new Cowlitz Trout Hatchery outfall structure CRC (561) | ||
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All species |
Anglers may fish with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement. Open only to anglers with disabilities who permanently use a wheelchair and who have a designated harvester companion card. These anglers may fish within posted markers when adjacent waters are open. | |
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Trout |
Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
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Sat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31 |
Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. | |
|
Steelhead (hatchery) |
Year-round |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
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Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
|
Salmon |
Jan. 1-July 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
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Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho and hatchery Chinook. | |
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from Mill Creek to 400’ or posted markers below the Barrier Dam CRC (561) | ||
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All species |
Anglers may fish with two poles with Two-Pole Endorsement. Fishing from any floating device prohibited. | |
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Apr. 1-Nov. 30 |
Night closure. Anti-snagging rule. | |
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May 1-June 15 |
Fishing from south side of river is prohibited. | |
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Trout |
Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
|
Sat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31 |
Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. | |
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Steelhead (hatchery) |
Year-round |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
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Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
|
Salmon |
Jan. 1-July 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
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Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho and hatchery Chinook. | |
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within a 100’ radius of the new Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery wheelchair ramp (within the posted fishing boundary) CRC (561) | ||
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All species |
Open only to anglers with disabilities who have a designated harvester companion card. These anglers may fish within posted markers. | |
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Apr. 1-Nov. 30 |
Night closure. | |
|
Trout |
Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
|
Sat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31 |
Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. | |
|
Steelhead (hatchery) |
Year-round |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
|
Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
|
Salmon |
Jan. 1-July 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
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Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho and hatchery Chinook. | |
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from 400’ or posted markers below the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery barrier dam to boundary markers near the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery water intake located about 1,700’ upstream from the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery barrier dam | ||
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All species |
CLOSED WATERS. | |
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from boundary markers near the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery water intake located about 1,700’ upstream from the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery barrier dam to 400’ below Mayfield Powerhouse CRC (561) | ||
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Trout |
Apr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
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Sat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31 |
Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. | |
|
Steelhead (hatchery) |
Year-round |
Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3. |
|
Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
|
Salmon |
Jan. 1-July 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
|
Aug. 1-Dec. 31 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 3 adults may be retained of which up to 1 may be a Chinook. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho and hatchery Chinook. | |
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from 400’ below Mayfield Powerhouse upstream to Mayfield Dam. | ||
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All species |
CLOSED WATERS. | |
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from the posted PUD sign on Peters Road to the Forest Rd. 1270 (old Jody’s Bridge) CRC (559) | ||
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All species |
Closed to all angling within posted “Closed Waters” signs around the adult fish release site. | |
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Sept. 1-Oct. 31 |
Anti-snagging rule. Night closure. | |
|
Trout |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
|
Other game fish |
Year-round |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
|
Salmon |
Year-round |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Up to 2 adults may be retained. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho. |
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from Forest Rd. 1270 (old Jody’s Bridge) upstream and tributaries CRC (559) | ||
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All species |
Selective gear rules. | |
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Trout |
Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31 |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: release cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
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Other game fish |
Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31 |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
If you are reading the above regulations prior to July 1st, they may be out of date (reflecting the prior year) and you should consult WDFW for the permanent regulations, this message will be removed once the current year regulations are reflected here
Emergency Fishing Regulations for Cowlitz River Summer Steelhead 2023
The above permanent regulations for the Cowlitz River are subject to change at any time and without being updated on this blog. One must consult the WDFW Emergency Regulations before any trips to ensure they are in full compliance with state laws regulating fisheries.
How to fish for Summer Steelhead on the Cowlitz River
Coming soon
