Washington

Humptulips River

Washington·Southwest Washington·47.15° N, 124.01° W

Steelhead & salmon

Run	Months	Peak	Now
Coho	Sep–Dec	Oct–Nov	Peak
Fall Chinook	Sep–Nov	Sep	In
Chum	Oct–Dec	Nov	In
Winter steelhead	Nov–Feb	Dec–Jan	From Nov
Summer steelhead	Jun–Sep	–	From Jun

Run timing is a guide, and seasons, closures and limits change. Check the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — Coastal Steelhead Management before you fish.

Solunar · next 7 days

About Humptulips River

The Humptulips drains the southwest corner of the Olympics and runs south to North Bay of Grays Harbor, and its fishing is built around the state hatchery just below the Highway 101 bridge. The hatchery raises fall Chinook, coho, winter steelhead and Van Winkle summer steelhead, so this is a numbers river more than a wild-fish river, and the drift from Highway 101 down Kirkpatrick Road can be busy. It is rain-fed and fairly gentle, with long gravel runs and launches every few miles, which makes it an easy river to row.

The year starts in September, when the first fall Chinook come in on the early rains, followed by coho with the first big storm and chum later in the fall. Hatchery winter steelhead show from late November and peak in December and January. The wild steelhead come later, and the 2026 permanent rules protect them: the season now closes at the end of February, selective gear rules apply below the highway from January, and the water above Highway 101 is selective gear from December with no fishing from a motorized boat. Expect a short wild-fish window, and plan winter trips for December and January.

Read the flows at the gauge below Highway 101. The river fishes across a wide range, but boats want roughly 600 to 2,000 CFS, with about 1,000 to 1,500 the sweet spot. Below 600 the upper drift gets bony; above about 2,000 it is pushy and colored, and past about 3,500 it is out. Like the other Grays Harbor rivers it comes up fast in a storm and drops in a few days, so fish the drop.

Species

Winter Steelhead
Primary (mostly hatchery) · Dec-Feb (peak Dec-Jan) · 6-15 lb
Hatchery fish return to the Humptulips hatchery below Highway 101 from late November and peak in December and January. Wild fish come later and must be released. The season closes the last day of February.
Steelhead (summer-run)
Present (hatchery) · Jun-Sep · 5-10 lb
The hatchery raises Van Winkle summer steelhead. A small run in low, clear summer water.
Chinook Salmon (fall run)
Common · Sep-Oct · 10-30 lb
The first fall salmon in, on the early September rains. Wild Chinook must be released, and from late October all Chinook are released.
Coho Salmon
Common · Oct-Nov · 6-12 lb
Coho come in with the first big storm of fall. Release wild coho.
Chum Salmon
Common · Nov · 8-15 lb
Late fall chum hold in the lower river and pull hard on a fly.
Coastal Cutthroat Trout
Common · Aug-Oct · 8-16"
Sea-run cutthroat in late summer and fall. Release cutthroat from November through February.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Winter Steelhead	Primary (mostly hatchery)	Dec-Feb (peak Dec-Jan)	6-15 lb
Steelhead (summer-run)	Present (hatchery)	Jun-Sep	5-10 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Sep-Oct	10-30 lb
Coho Salmon	Common	Oct-Nov	6-12 lb
Chum Salmon	Common	Nov	8-15 lb
Coastal Cutthroat Trout	Common	Aug-Oct	8-16"

Sections

3 reaches

The Forks to Highway 101

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The main stem from where the East and West Forks meet down to the Highway 101 bridge at Humptulips. Smaller, faster water with fewer boats, and the reach that protects the wild winter steelhead: from December through February it is selective gear only, with no bait and no fishing from a motorized boat, and the season closes at the end of February. Coho and fall Chinook salmon run up through it in the fall.

Best for: Wild winter steelhead on the swing under selective-gear rules, and fall coho salmon. Fewer boats than the water below the highway.

Highway 101 to Kirkpatrick Road

FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The main drift, from the launch off Hansen Road at Highway 101, past the Humptulips hatchery, down the stretch that Kirkpatrick Road follows, with launches at Reynvaan's Bar and Camp Bethel along the way. Long gravel runs and easy rowing. Hatchery winter steelhead home to the hatchery just below the bridge, so December and January put a lot of boats here, and in the fall it fills with fall Chinook, coho and chum salmon.

Best for: Hatchery winter steelhead in December and January, and fall Chinook, coho and chum salmon. The busiest drift on the river.

Kirkpatrick Road to Ocean Beach Road

FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The lower river near Copalis Crossing, slower and deeper as it nears tidewater, with the Dyke Road and Thorberg launches near the Ocean Beach Road bridge. Fresh fall Chinook, coho and chum salmon hold here on their way in, and it is the first water to get new winter steelhead. Night closure and single barbless hooks apply from mid-August through November.

Best for: Fresh fall salmon, especially coho and chum, and early winter steelhead.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 600–2,000 cfs
Blow-out: >3,500 cfs
Ideal water temp: 40–52°F

Best seasons

December and January for hatchery winter steelhead; the season closes at the end of February. September for fall Chinook, October and November for coho, November for chum. Read the gauge below Highway 101: about 600 to 2,000 CFS for a drift boat, with 1,000 to 1,500 the sweet spot. Below 600 the upper drift gets bony, above 2,000 it is pushy and colored, and past about 3,500 it is out. Fish the drop after a storm.

Regulations

The Humptulips runs under WDFW's permanent coastal steelhead rules, finalized in November 2025 and in force from February 2026. The whole river is open from the Saturday before Memorial Day through the last day of February. Above Highway 101 it is selective gear from December through February. Salmon seasons and limits can change each year and by emergency rule, so check WDFW before every trip.

Open the Saturday before Memorial Day through the last day of February
Mouth to Highway 101: night closure, single-point barbless hooks and the anti-snagging rule August 16 through November 30; selective gear rules January 1 through the end of February
Highway 101 to the forks: selective gear rules and no fishing from a boat with an internal combustion motor December 1 through the end of February; night closure and single-point barbless hooks August 16 through November 30
Release wild steelhead (adipose fin present) and wild rainbow trout
Release cutthroat trout November 1 through the end of February; 14-inch minimum the rest of the season
Salmon, September 1 through October 24: daily limit 6, up to 1 adult; release wild coho and wild Chinook
Salmon, October 25 through December 31: daily limit 6, up to 1 adult; release all Chinook and wild coho
Washington freshwater license and a catch record card for steelhead and salmon

The 2026 permanent rules moved the closing date from March 31 to the last day of February and extended selective gear rules to protect wild winter steelhead late in the season.

Source: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — Coastal Steelhead Management. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Humptulips, WA

~2.5 hrs from Seattle; ~30 min from Aberdeen and Hoquiam

Camping: Humptulips is a store and a few houses on Highway 101. Aberdeen and Hoquiam, half an hour south, have motels, fuel and groceries, and Lake Quinault, about 40 minutes north, has lodges and campgrounds.

The upper launch is off Hansen Road at Highway 101, near the hatchery. Kirkpatrick Road follows the river south from the Humptulips store, with launches at Reynvaan's Bar and Camp Bethel. The lower launches, at Dyke Road and Thorberg, are near the Ocean Beach Road bridge by Copalis Crossing, and the WDFW Morley access sits about a mile above the mouth. The WDFW sites need a parking pass, so check WDFW's current rules. Most of the river runs through private and timber company land, so stay on public access.

More in Washington

View all 27 rivers

Southwest Washington

Cowlitz River

3,710 cfs

Good

North Fork Lewis River

2,580 cfs

Good

Satsop River

391 cfs

Fair

Washougal River

305 cfs50.4°F water

Good

Wynoochee River

299 cfs

Fair

Other regions

Bogachiel River

606 cfs48°F water

Good

Calawah River

388 cfs48°F water

Good

Green River

466 cfs

Good

Hoh River

906 cfs

Good

Icicle Creek

89 cfs43.9°F water

Fair

Klickitat River

624 cfs41.7°F water

Fair

Run

Months

Peak

Now

Coho

Sep–Dec

Oct–Nov

Peak

Fall Chinook

Sep–Nov

Sep

Chum

Oct–Dec

Nov

Winter steelhead

Nov–Feb

Dec–Jan

From Nov

Summer steelhead

Jun–Sep

–

From Jun

About Humptulips River

Species

Winter Steelhead

Primary (mostly hatchery) · Dec-Feb (peak Dec-Jan) · 6-15 lb

Hatchery fish return to the Humptulips hatchery below Highway 101 from late November and peak in December and January. Wild fish come later and must be released. The season closes the last day of February.

Steelhead (summer-run)

Present (hatchery) · Jun-Sep · 5-10 lb

The hatchery raises Van Winkle summer steelhead. A small run in low, clear summer water.

Chinook Salmon (fall run)

Common · Sep-Oct · 10-30 lb

The first fall salmon in, on the early September rains. Wild Chinook must be released, and from late October all Chinook are released.

Coho Salmon

Common · Oct-Nov · 6-12 lb

Coho come in with the first big storm of fall. Release wild coho.

Chum Salmon

Common · Nov · 8-15 lb

Late fall chum hold in the lower river and pull hard on a fly.

Coastal Cutthroat Trout

Common · Aug-Oct · 8-16"

Sea-run cutthroat in late summer and fall. Release cutthroat from November through February.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Winter Steelhead	Primary (mostly hatchery)	Dec-Feb (peak Dec-Jan)	6-15 lb
Steelhead (summer-run)	Present (hatchery)	Jun-Sep	5-10 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Sep-Oct	10-30 lb
Coho Salmon	Common	Oct-Nov	6-12 lb
Chum Salmon	Common	Nov	8-15 lb
Coastal Cutthroat Trout	Common	Aug-Oct	8-16"

At a glance

Ideal wading flow

600–2,000 cfs

Blow-out

>3,500 cfs

Ideal water temp

40–52°F

Best seasons

Regulations

Open the Saturday before Memorial Day through the last day of February
Mouth to Highway 101: night closure, single-point barbless hooks and the anti-snagging rule August 16 through November 30; selective gear rules January 1 through the end of February
Highway 101 to the forks: selective gear rules and no fishing from a boat with an internal combustion motor December 1 through the end of February; night closure and single-point barbless hooks August 16 through November 30
Release wild steelhead (adipose fin present) and wild rainbow trout
Release cutthroat trout November 1 through the end of February; 14-inch minimum the rest of the season
Salmon, September 1 through October 24: daily limit 6, up to 1 adult; release wild coho and wild Chinook
Salmon, October 25 through December 31: daily limit 6, up to 1 adult; release all Chinook and wild coho
Washington freshwater license and a catch record card for steelhead and salmon

The 2026 permanent rules moved the closing date from March 31 to the last day of February and extended selective gear rules to protect wild winter steelhead late in the season.

Source: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — Coastal Steelhead Management. Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Humptulips, WA

~2.5 hrs from Seattle; ~30 min from Aberdeen and Hoquiam

Humptulips River

Steelhead & salmon

About Humptulips River

Species