Looking to plan a salmon fishing trip in 2023? Consider the Nisqually River, located in the deep south sound and a popular destination for chinook salmon during the summer and fall.
The river begins on the southern glacier-covered flanks of Mount Rainier and runs into Alder dam, forming Alder lake.
Water clarity is a major factor when fishing for salmon, and understanding the dynamics specific to each river can help you catch more fish. As the summer wears on and more water is released from Alder lake, the silt will gradually make its way towards the dam, impacting the entire salmon season in some years.
Most of the returning chinook salmon are bound for the hatchery, which is run by the Nisqually tribe. The lower part of the river below the Mounts Road bridge is tidally influenced, with a new batch of fish arriving on each tide. Plan your fishing trip accordingly to maximize your chances of catching the best biters.
Forecast for 2023 Nisqually River Fall Chinook
Forecasts are for total run-size, total return isn’t available until estimated catch has been calculated and released.
This is the return map published as part of North of Falcon, you need to look for Nisqually River on the map and interpret the color.
This is the forecast map published as part of North of Falcon, you need to look for Nisqually River on the map and interpret the color.
I’m not sure about the “neutral” rating on the 2023 forecast as I’ve consistently heard concerns about the return of chinook in 2023 on the Nisqually River. The official forecast shows it down about 5,000 returning chinook, so if it’s neutral it’s very close to that “poor” designation.
Forecast for 2023 Nisqually River Pink
This is the forecast map published as part of North of Falcon, you need to look for Nisqually River on the map and interpret the color.
454k returning to the Nisqually is a truly insane number. These numbers are estimated from outmigration sampling from the 2021 spawn, so there’s some accuracy in these projections if ocean conditions are good enough (which they seem to be).
Ideally, water clarity will hold up because catching pinks on jigs and spinners in a small river like the Nisiqually is about as fun as it gets!
Forecast for 2023 Nisqually River Coho
Forecasts are for total runsize, total return isn’t available until estimated catch has been calculated and released.
This is the return map published as part of North of Falcon, you need to look for Nisqually River on the map and interpret the color.
Coho returns were “poor” on the Nisqually in 2022, which is a bummer as it seems the Nisqually constantly struggles with having a healthy coho return.
This is the forecast map published as part of North of Falcon, you need to look for Nisqually River on the map and interpret the color.
Coho is expected to be neutral in 2023, but very near poor just like chinook.
Fishing Regulations for Nisqually River Salmon 2023
These reflect what’s been made available electronically to the public regarding permanent fishing regulations on the Nisqually River
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from mouth to the military tank crossing bridge (located 1 mile upstream of mouth of Muck Creek) CRC (786) | ||
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All species |
Night closure. Barbless hooks required. Anti-snagging rule. | |
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Aug. 6-Aug. 30 |
CLOSED to all fishing Sundays, Mondays, and Tuesdays; and Aug. 31. | |
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Sept. 3-Nov. 15 |
CLOSED to all fishing Sundays and Mondays. | |
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Trout |
July 1-Nov. 15 |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
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Other game fish |
July 1-Nov. 15 |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
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Salmon |
July 1-Nov. 15 |
Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release wild Chinook, wild coho, and chum. |
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from the military tank crossing bridge (located 1 mile upstream of mouth of Muck Creek, river mile 12) to 400’ below LaGrande Powerhouse CRC (786) | ||
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All species |
Selective gear rules. | |
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Trout |
July 1-Oct. 31 |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout. |
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Other game fish |
July 1-Oct. 31 |
Statewide min. size/daily limit. |
Always make sure you fully understand the fishing regulations and check emergency regulations to avoid a costly ticket
Emergency Fishing Regulations for Nisqually River Salmon 2023
The above permanent regulations for the Nisqually 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 Salmon on the Nisqually River
I would start with getting the float fishing technique dialed in for chinook salmon. These chinook salmon are great egg biters, so properly presenting a glob of eggs in the river will get hookups pretty consistently
You should also read our guide to river fishing for salmon.
If you’re looking for a good float rod, I would recommend reading my article about the best fishing rod for salmon as I break down my favorite rod specs. However, if you’re just looking for a helpful link on Amazon, here you go:
Pair the above rod with the below casting reel and you have a great setup!
How to catch Pink Salmon on the Nisqually River?
With Pink Salmon, there are two really great techniques you can use if water clarity is good:
- Casting spinners
- Twitching jigs
The below YouTube video should help you with the twitching jig technique:
You should also review our guide to Pink Salmon Fishing here.
In terms of the perfect pink salmon rod for these techniques of throwing jigs and spinners, I would go with the below rod:
And this spinning reel:
