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Cowlitz River

The rule for this water, with the receipt.

Regulated stretches: see the pamphlet rules below

Cowlitz/Lewis County · River · WA

Has its own special rules
How to read this page:Official text quoted regulationParsed fields from the ruleDerived calculated from rulesContext conditions, not a ruleAdvice our suggestion

The rules for this water, verbatimOfficial text

Straight from WA's official regulations. Rules in force today lead; out-of-season rows are dimmed. Nothing is paraphrased. Not legal advice: verify the posted rules at the water.

The reach you are on
CRC 561from boundary markers at mouth to Lexington Bridge
  • All species
    Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older). Two-Pole allowed.
  • TroutApr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day (dates as written)
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • TroutSat. 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 fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonJan. 1-July 31
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • SalmonAug. 1-Dec. 31 (out of season today)
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 3 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
Other reaches in this official entry
CRC 561from Lexington Bridge to Mill Creek
  • All species
    Two-Pole allowed. Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older).
  • TroutApr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day (dates as written)
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • TroutSat. before Memorial Day-Mar. 31
    Min. size 8”. Daily limit 5. Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • Steelhead (hatchery)Year-round
    Min. size 20”. Daily limit 3.
  • Other game fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonJan. 1-July 31
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • SalmonAug. 1-Dec. 31 (out of season today)
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 3 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
CRC 561within a 100’ radius of the new Cowlitz Trout Hatchery outfall structure
  • All species
    Two-Pole allowed. Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older). 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.
  • TroutApr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day (dates as written)
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • TroutSat. 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 fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonJan. 1-July 31
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • SalmonAug. 1-Dec. 31 (out of season today)
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 3 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
CRC 561from Mill Creek to 400’ or posted markers below the Barrier Dam
  • All species
    Fishing from any floating device prohibited. Two-Pole allowed. Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older).
  • All speciesApr. 1-Nov. 30
    Night closure. Anti-snagging rule.
  • TroutApr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day (dates as written)
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • TroutSat. 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 fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonJan. 1-July 31
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • All speciesMay 1-June 15 (out of season today)
    Fishing from south side of river is prohibited.
  • SalmonAug. 1-Dec. 31 (out of season today)
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 3 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
CRC 561within a 100’ radius of the new Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery wheelchair ramp (within the posted fishing boundary)
  • All species
    Open only to anglers with disabilities who have a designated harvester companion card. These anglers may fish within posted markers. Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older).
  • All speciesApr. 1-Nov. 30
    Night closure.
  • TroutApr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day (dates as written)
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • TroutSat. 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 fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonJan. 1-July 31
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • SalmonAug. 1-Dec. 31 (out of season today)
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6. Daily limit 6 including no more than 3 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
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
  • All species
    CLOSED WATERS.
CRC 561from 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
  • All species
    Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older).
  • TroutApr. 1-Fri. before Memorial Day (dates as written)
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • TroutSat. 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 fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonJan. 1-July 31
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • SalmonAug. 1-Dec. 31 (out of season today)
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 3 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery coho.
from 400’ below Mayfield Powerhouse upstream to Mayfield Dam
  • All species
    CLOSED WATERS.
CRC 559from the posted PUD sign on Peters Rd. to the Forest Rd. 1270 (old Jody’s Bridge)
  • All species
    Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older). Closed to all angling within posted “Closed Waters” signs around the adult fish release site.
  • TroutYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: Release wild cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • Other game fishYear-round
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.
  • SalmonYear-round
    Min. size 12”. Daily limit 6 including no more than 2 adults. Release all salmon other than hatchery Chinook and hatchery coho.
Out of season today
  • All speciesSept. 1-Oct. 31 (out of season today)
    Anti-snagging rule. Night closure.
CRC 559from Forest Rd. 1270 (old Jody’s Bridge) upstream and tributaries
  • All species
    Selective gear rules. Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement (CRSSE) required for salmon and steelhead fishing (ages 15 and older).
  • TroutSat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
    Statewide min. size/daily limit. Except: release cutthroat trout and wild rainbow trout.
  • Other game fishSat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31
    Statewide min. size/daily limit.

Statewide base layerParsed

These defaults apply where the rules above do not modify them.

Season
Saturday before Memorial Day through Oct. 31Statewide
Gear
One line, up to 3 hooks; barbed or barbless; single, double, or treble hooks allowedStatewide
Bait
Allowed. Chumming prohibited unless a water's special rules permit itStatewide
Poles
1 pole. A two-pole endorsement covers lakes and ponds only.Statewide

Where the verbatim rules above name a species, season, or limit, they replace the rows below. Each row is tagged with the layer it comes from.

SpeciesDaily limitSize
Trout
2min. 8"Statewide
Steelhead
Release all wild steelhead.
2min. 20"Statewide
Whitefish
15-Statewide
Bass (largemouth and smallmouth)
No size restriction or daily limit in rivers, streams, and beaver ponds.
No limit-Statewide
Walleye
No size restriction in rivers and streams.
No limit-Statewide
Channel catfish
No min. size in rivers and streams.
No limit-Statewide

How this answer was assembled

  1. StatewideStatewide river rules are the base layer: default season, gear, bait, and limits.
  2. This waterSpecial rules written for this exact water replace the statewide defaults where they speak.
  3. Emergency orderEmergency orders in effect today override everything else. They sync quietly when the phone has coverage and never lock you out of the app.

Where this stretch begins and ends

Loading map…

The drawn shape is the named water, matched from the official list against OpenStreetMap and accepted only because the name resolved to a single feature in this water's county.

  • boundary markers at mouth(no geocodable landmark class)
  • Lexington Bridge(road: not found near line)
  • Mill Creek(tributary: mill creek)
  • 400’ or posted markers below the Barrier Dam(dam: not found near line)
  • 400’ or posted markers below the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery barrier dam(dam: not found near line)
  • boundary markers near the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery water intake located about 1,700’ upstream from the Cowlitz Salmon Hatchery barrier dam(dam: not found near line)
  • 400’ below Mayfield Powerhouse(no geocodable landmark class)
  • Mayfield Dam(dam: mayfield dam)
  • the posted PUD sign on Peters Rd.(road: not found near line)
  • the Forest Rd. 1270(road: forest)

0 of 10 stretch boundaries resolved to points on the line (failed). Landmark pins are approximate where the law names a landmark; confirm posted boundaries at the water. Unresolved ends stay open rather than guessed.

Season at a glanceDerived

J
F
M
A
M
J
J
A
S
O
N
D
opensome stretchesclosedunknown

Sampled mid-month from the dated rows; short windows can slip between samples. The rows above are authoritative.

At the water nowContext

Today
66°F
Sunny
Wind 0 to 3 mph · 0% precip
Tonight
52°F
Mostly Clear
Wind 0 to 3 mph · 0% precip
Friday
74°F
Sunny
Wind 1 to 5 mph · 0% precip

Streamflow: 497 cfs at cowlitz river at packwood, wa (2026-07-30 08:00)

Forecast: National Weather Service. Flow: nearest active USGS gauge in this water's area, which may sit on a different reach. Conditions are context, not rules.

What are you fishing for here?Advice

Pick from the species named in Cowlitz River's rules. Setups are checked against the gear rules in force today, and your picks are remembered on this device only. These are rule-aware suggestions, not a claim about what is biting; advice, not law, and the rules above govern.

You also need (Washington)

  • Fishing license. Everyone age 16 and older needs a fishing license. Under 16 fishes license-free.
  • Catch record card. Required for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and halibut, at every age including under 16. Electronic catch record cards are available in the MyWDFW and Fish Washington apps. Where a water's pamphlet entry shows a CRC code, record your catch against it.
  • Two-pole endorsement. Lets you fish a second pole on most lakes, but only where the water's rules honor it. Lake Washington, for example, does not.
  • Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement. Required for salmon and steelhead fishing on listed Columbia basin waters (ages 15 and older). The pamphlet entry says so where it applies, for example the lower Yakima River.
  • On this water: record salmon and steelhead on your catch record card under codes 561, 559.
  • On this water: parts of this river require the Columbia River Salmon and Steelhead Endorsement; the stretch rules above say where.

Checked against WDFW fishing licenses and catch record cards on July 2, 2026.

Receipts

Statewide rules
Statewide
2026-27 WA Sport Fishing Rules - statewide freshwater rules & species rules (rivers)
Checked against this official source on July 2, 2026.
Special rules - Cowlitz River
This water
2026-27 WA Sport Fishing Rules - columbia basin rivers special rules, a c
Checked against this official source on July 7, 2026.
These rules matched the official source when we last checked (July 3, 2026). If a future check ever disagrees, this page gets flagged automatically. How we check our data

Local services near Cowlitz River

Tackle shops, guides, and boat launches that serve this water will appear here - a separate lane below the rules, so a local business can reach you without ever getting between you and the regulation.

Run a shop or guide service on Cowlitz River? Get listed.