2026 regulation year
Chinook salmon (king salmon) Fishing Regulations by State (2026)
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Last updated
Chinook salmon (king salmon) is regulated separately by each state. This page compares the open-season window, daily bag limit, and size or slot rule for chinook salmon across the 8 states fishregs covers deeply for 2026 — 4 set a defined harvest season and 4 keep it open year-round. Rules vary by state and often by individual water body, so confirm on the linked state page before fishing. New to bag, slot, and size limits? The glossary explains every term.
Chinook salmon regulations comparison by state
| State | Open season | Daily bag | Size / slot |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 2 / day when open; zone-dependent | 20–24 in minimum depending on management area (ocean recreational, when open) | |
| Idaho | Open year-round | 2 / day + 4 in possession (IDFG annual rule — varies by reach + season window) | No minimum on hatchery-marked fin-clipped salmon; native-strain wild salmon catch-and-release-only |
| Indiana | – · Lake Michigan Indiana waters – · Trail Creek + Little Calumet + St. Joseph River tributaries | 5 / day combined salmon + trout (chinook + coho + steelhead + brown + lake trout) Lake Michigan + tributaries; no more than 3 may be lake trout | 14 in min (uniform for all salmon + trout) Lake Michigan + tributaries; IDNR Trout & Salmon Stamp REQUIRED |
| Michigan | Open year-round | 5 / day (combined Pacific salmon — chinook + coho + pink) | 10 in minimum |
| North Dakota | Open year-round | 5 / day per angler on Lake Sakakawea | No statewide minimum on chinook salmon |
| Oregon | – · Columbia mainstem + Willamette + listed tribs – · Columbia mainstem + Hanford Reach + Snake – · Columbia mainstem + Snake + lower Snake tribs + coastal | 1 / day adult spring chinook on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; 2 / day adult fall chinook on Columbia mainstem; punch-card tagging required on every harvested fish under Combined Angling Tag | 24 in min adult on Columbia mainstem; reach-specific minimums on listed coastal + Willamette + Rogue + Umpqua + Deschutes tribs |
| South Dakota | Open year-round | 5 / day per angler on Lake Oahe (part of the combined trout + salmon + splake daily limit) | No statewide minimum on chinook salmon |
| Washington | – · Columbia mainstem + Snake + Wenatchee + Methow + listed tribs – · Columbia mainstem + Snake + Wenatchee + Methow + Entiat tribs – · Columbia mainstem + Snake + Puget Sound (13 marine areas) + Olympic Peninsula coastal | 1 / day adult spring chinook on Columbia mainstem + listed tribs; 1 / day adult summer chinook on mid-Columbia (WDFW-distinctive separate summer chinook quota); 2 / day adult fall chinook on Columbia mainstem + Snake; Catch Record Card recording required on every harvested fish | 24 in min adult on Columbia mainstem + Snake; reach-specific minimums on listed Puget Sound + Olympic Peninsula coastal + Wenatchee + Methow tribs |
Figures are statewide defaults for 2026. Specific lakes, rivers, and coastal zones can carry their own chinook salmon rules — open any state row for the full season map, gear restrictions, and named water-body overrides.
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Frequently asked questions
- Is there a nationwide chinook salmon season or bag limit?
- No. Each US state sets its own chinook salmon rules. Across the 8 states covered here, 4 keep harvest open year-round while 4 define a closed season, and daily bag and size limits differ from state to state. Use the table above to compare, then open a state page for the exact current rule.
- Does my fishing license cover chinook salmon in every state?
- No. A fishing license is valid only in the state that issued it, apart from a few border-water reciprocity agreements. To fish chinook salmon in another state you generally need that state's non-resident license — compare non-resident fees on the license-fees page and check the reciprocity page for shared-water exceptions.
- Why do chinook salmon rules vary so much between states?
- Chinook salmon (king salmon) (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) is a anadromous (sea-run) species, and each state manages it for its own water temperatures, spawning timing, population health, and fishing pressure. Many states also set tougher rules on specific lakes or rivers, so the statewide figure shown here can be overridden on a named water body — always confirm on the linked state page before fishing.
- Why does one state show more than one chinook salmon season?
- Several states split chinook salmon into management zones — different coasts, river drainages, or regions open and close on different dates. Where that happens the table shows each zone's window; the state page lists the full zone map.