UTERWhite sturgeon fishing in Washington Coast and Puget Sound
In Washington Coast and Puget Sound, white sturgeon peak May–July and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. May: Columbia estuary from Ilwaco and Chinook — check WDFW for retention days.
No note for October — see the months around it.
White sturgeon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchAround
- AprilArrivingWillapa Bay and Grays Harbor sturgeon.
- MayPeakColumbia estuary from Ilwaco and Chinook — check WDFW for retention days.
- JunePeakPeak.
- JulyPeak
- AugustLeavingThinning.
- SeptemberAround
- OctoberAround
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish white sturgeon near Ilwaco, Westport, La Push
An exposed outer coast (Westport, La Push, Neah Bay), the Columbia mouth and Willapa Bay at the south end, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound and Hood Canal — deep, cold fjords with points, kelp and steep shelves.
What to use for white sturgeon
- Ghost shrimpThreaded on a #4 to 1/0 baitholder hook on a Carolina rig in the surf or the bay — the surfperch, corbina and sturgeon bait.
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader15–30 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#2–2/0
- Braid10–20 lb
Feeds in 46–66°F water, best at 50–60°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch white sturgeon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Peak season is May–July. White sturgeon are here year-round. May: Columbia estuary from Ilwaco and Chinook — check WDFW for retention days.
Where do white sturgeon hold in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Look on channel edge, pass / inlet, river — around Ilwaco, Westport, La Push, Neah Bay, Sekiu, Seattle.
What is the best bait for white sturgeon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Live bait: ghost shrimp, herring, salmon eggs (roe). Ghost shrimp: Threaded on a #4 to 1/0 baitholder hook on a Carolina rig in the surf or the bay — the surfperch, corbina and sturgeon bait. Tackle: leader 15–30 lb fluorocarbon, hook #2–2/0, braid 10–20 lb.
What are the rules for white sturgeon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and change — read the current rule at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/fishing.
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