Coastal Cutthroat Trout in Washington
Washington rules and water for coastal cutthroat trout.
- 2 dailylimit
- 12.00 lbsrecord
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coastal cutthroat trout in the Evergreen State
Washington freshwater rules place coastal cutthroat trout on the line labelled "Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout, Tiger Trout, and Grayling". Word for word, the row gives: In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: Min. size 8". Daily limit 2.
WDFW credits W. Welsh with the record, 12.00 lbs out of Lake Crescent, Clallam County in 1961. This guide links it to 300 Washington waters, beginning with Lake Washington, Riffe Lake and Lake Whatcom. For 311 waters, the pamphlet prints a Special Rule about it. Its Latin name is Oncorhynchus clarkii clarkii.
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| Pamphlet row | Waters | Limit as printed | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout, Tiger Trout, and Gray | rivers, streams, and beaver ponds | In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: Min. size 8". Daily limit 2. | Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31 (statewide river season, p.23) |
| Brown Trout, Cutthroat Trout, Rainbow Trout, Golden Trout, Tiger Trout, and Gray | lakes, ponds, and reservoirs | In lakes, ponds, and reservoirs: No min. size. Daily limit 5. | Year-round (statewide lake season, p.23) |
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), PDF page 27 (pamphlet PDF; eRegulations statewide freshwater page), read October 31, 2026.
Salt water where WDFW prints a coastal cutthroat trout rule
- Marine Area 1marine area 1
- Marine Area 2, Marine Area 2-1, Marine Area 2-2marine area 2
- Marine Area 3marine area 3
- Marine Area 4marine area 4
- Marine Area 5marine area 5
- Marine Area 6marine area 6
- Marine Area 7marine area 7
- Marine Area 8-1, Marine Area 8-2marine area 8
- Marine Area 9marine area 9
- Marine Area 10marine area 10
- Marine Area 11marine area 11
- Marine Area 12marine area 12
- Marine Area 13marine area 13
Printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), as posted on eRegulations; read October 31, 2026.
Waters with their own coastal cutthroat trout rule
Labels like "cutthroat trout", "other trout" and "trout" appear on 311 waters in the Special Rules tables.
Waters that break from statewide rules
Special Rules as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), pamphlet page 26 (pamphlet PDF), read on eRegulations October 31, 2026.coastal cutthroat trout, every form together
- Cutthroat Trout, Coastal, residentWDFW listing
- Cutthroat Trout, Coastal, sea-runWDFW listing
WDFW species listings, grouped on one page here.
Record weight for Washington coastal cutthroat trout
| Listing | Weight | Angler | Water | Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cutthroat Trout, Coastal, resident | 12.00 lbs | W. Welsh | Lake Crescent, Clallam County | July 1, 1961 |
| Cutthroat Trout, Coastal, sea-run | 6.00 lbs | Bud Johnson | Carr Inlet, Pierce County | May 1, 1943 |
WDFW sport fish records, read October 31, 2026; record list.
Lakes, rivers and sound with coastal cutthroat trout
Washington lakes with coastal cutthroat trout
- Lake Washington21,934 acres
- Riffe Lake11,326 acres
- Lake Whatcom4,924 acres
- Lake Sammamish4,853 acres
- Kachess Lake4,378 acres
- Lake Cushman4,015 acres
- Yale Reservoir3,612 acres
- Alder Lake2,877 acres
- Keechelus Lake2,408 acres
- Lake Shannon2,060 acres
- Mayfield Lake2,022 acres
- Spada Lake1,687 acres
- Bumping Lake1,354 acres
- Lake Union1,030 acres
- Wynoochee Lake1,003 acres
- Lake Cavanaugh833 acres
- Lake Samish810 acres
- Skookumchuck Reservoir552 acres
- Big Lake536 acres
- Lake Goodwin536 acres
- Dickey Lake515 acres
- Summit Lake (Thurston County)511 acres
- Lake Pleasant493 acres
- Lake Scanewa399 acres
Rivers with coastal cutthroat trout
- Skagit RiverSkagit County
- Kalama RiverCowlitz County
- Chehalis RiverLewis County
- Humptulips RiverGrays Harbor County
- Klickitat RiverKlickitat County
- Skykomish RiverSnohomish County
- Snoqualmie RiverKing County
- Black RiverThurston County
- Bogachiel RiverClallam County
- Nooksack RiverWhatcom County
- Sol Duc RiverClallam County
- Cowlitz RiverLewis County
- Lewis RiverSkamania County
- Naselle RiverPacific County
- Skokomish RiverMason County
- Wishkah RiverGrays Harbor County
- Wynoochee RiverGrays Harbor County
- Baker RiverWhatcom County
WDFW Fish Washington and high lake layer species lists, WDFW SWIFD distribution, record waters and 2026 trout plants; largest waters first.
Kin of coastal cutthroat trout in the WDFW tables
- Atlantic Salmonfreshwater
- Brown Troutfreshwater
- Bull Troutfreshwater
- Chinook Salmonfreshwater
- Chum Salmonfreshwater
- Coho Salmonfreshwater
- Lahontan Cutthroat Troutfreshwater
- Westslope Cutthroat Troutfreshwater
- Dolly Vardenfreshwater
- Brook Troutfreshwater
- Golden Troutfreshwater
- Lake Troutfreshwater
Photographs of fishing water around Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
Photo: NOAA's National Ocean Service, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Bureau of Land Management Oregon and Washington, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Forest Service- Pacific Northwest Region, Public domain
coastal cutthroat trout in Washington: questions anglers bring
What does WDFW allow for coastal cutthroat trout each day?
WDFW prints: In rivers, streams, and beaver ponds: Min. size 8". Daily limit 2.
How big is the Washington record coastal cutthroat trout?
It weighed 12.00 lbs, out of Lake Crescent, Clallam County in 1961; angler W. Welsh.
Where do coastal cutthroat trout live in Washington?
It is on 300 pages, Lake Washington, Riffe Lake and Lake Whatcom first.
Do Washington hatcheries release coastal cutthroat trout?
No hatchery plant of it is on file for 2026.
On which Washington waters does the coastal cutthroat trout rule shift?
On 311 waters the line changes.
Is the coastal cutthroat trout season open now in Washington?
The row prints: Sat. before Memorial Day-Oct. 31 (statewide river season, p.23). An emergency rule may still close it.
Is a freshwater license enough for coastal cutthroat trout?
Anglers 16 and older need a Washington Freshwater license ($39.95 resident, $115.85 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license; salmon, steelhead and sturgeon also take a catch record card.
Who checks a new Washington coastal cutthroat trout record?
WDFW verifies records at its offices after a certified-scale weighing witnessed by two people.
Pick Washington water for coastal cutthroat trout
Ramps, limits and maps sit on each page above.