What special fishing regulations apply at Yakima River?

Yakima River carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Washington's statewide 2026 rules, covering Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) and Rainbow trout. One of them reads: "Country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river; WDFW-distinctive Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; native interior-Columbia redband rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri); summer steelhead + spring chinook seasonal on listed Yakima Quality Management reach." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.

Do I need a fishing license to fish Yakima River?

Yes. Yakima River is in Washington, so a valid Washington fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Yakima River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Washington rules.

Do Yakima River's special rules replace Washington's statewide limits?

Only where they conflict. Washington's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Yakima River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.

Which species have special rules on Yakima River?

Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) and Rainbow trout have a water-body-specific rule on Yakima River, each linking to its full Washington regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Washington limits.

2026 regulation year

Yakima River 2026 — Washington Fishing Regulations

Washington statewide rules apply unless overridden below.

Last updated June 4, 2026

Yakima River carries 3 special-regulation overlays on top of Washington's 2026 fishing rules — covering Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout), Rainbow trout. Verify the agency booklet before launching: in-season changes are not yet wired to this page.

Get change alerts

Watch Yakima River (WA) and we'll email you when a season, bag limit, slot, or closure changes. Free while in beta.

State-level special regulation

Country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river; WDFW-distinctive Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; native interior-Columbia redband rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri); summer steelhead + spring chinook seasonal on listed Yakima Quality Management reach
Source: Washington special-water list

Per-species rules on Yakima River

Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) regulations →
Country's premier interior-Columbia summer-run steelhead Quality Management fishery; WDFW-distinctive Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required
Rainbow trout regulations →
Quality Management 0 / day catch-and-release-only + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required (WDFW-distinctive blue-ribbon interior-Columbia redband Quality Management); country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river

Official source

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) publishes the authoritative 2026 Washington fishing regulations. Special-regulation lakes and rivers are listed in the agency booklet — always verify before fishing.

Visit official Washington fishing regulations →

Emergency-order channel

In-season closures, slot-limit changes, and run-count-driven harvest pauses are posted to Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's emergency-order feed — check it before any Washington trip during the active season.

Other special-regulation waters in Washington

Browse all water bodies →

Frequently asked questions

What special fishing regulations apply at Yakima River?: Yakima River carries 3 special-regulation overlays that override Washington's statewide 2026 rules, covering Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) and Rainbow trout. One of them reads: "Country's premier blue-ribbon wild interior-Columbia redband rainbow trout Quality Management river; WDFW-distinctive Yakima Quality Management catch-and-release-only on Cle Elum to Roza Dam reach + artificial-fly-and-lure only + barbless single-hook required; native interior-Columbia redband rainbow (Oncorhynchus mykiss gairdneri); summer steelhead + spring chinook seasonal on listed Yakima Quality Management reach." Every overlay on this water body is listed in full above.
Do I need a fishing license to fish Yakima River?: Yes. Yakima River is in Washington, so a valid Washington fishing license is required just as it is anywhere else in the state, issued by Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). The special regulations on this page change the bag, size, slot, or gear rules for Yakima River; they do not waive the license requirement. Free-fishing days and youth exemptions follow the statewide Washington rules.
Do Yakima River's special rules replace Washington's statewide limits?: Only where they conflict. Washington's statewide 2026 regulations apply on Yakima River by default; the overlays above replace the matching statewide rules for the species or gear they name, while everything not specifically overridden still follows the statewide rule. When a water-body rule and the statewide rule disagree, the water-body rule wins.
Which species have special rules on Yakima River?: Steelhead (anadromous rainbow trout) and Rainbow trout have a water-body-specific rule on Yakima River, each linking to its full Washington regulations above. Species not listed here follow the statewide Washington limits.

← Back to Washington regulations overview