Washington

Nooksack River

Washington·Puget Sound·48.86° N, 122.30° W

Steelhead & salmon

Run	Months	Peak	Now
Coho	Aug–Dec	Oct	Peak
Fall Chinook	Aug–Oct	Sep	In
Chum	Oct–Dec	Nov	In
Spring Chinook	May–Jun	–	From May
Pink salmon	Aug–Sepodd years	–	From Aug 2027

Run timing is a guide, and seasons, closures and limits change. Check the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — Sport Fishing Rules (WAC 220-312-040, Puget Sound) before you fish.

Solunar · next 7 days

About Nooksack River

The Nooksack drains Mount Baker and the North Cascades. Its North, Middle and South Forks meet near Deming, and the main stem winds west through Whatcom County's dairy and berry farms past Everson and Lynden to Bellingham Bay. It is glacial, so it runs gray-green through the summer melt and colors fast in fall rain. It once had a steelhead fishery, but steelhead are now closed on the main stem and the forks: the hatchery return fell far short of its goal, and WDFW closed steelhead from December 2025 and the whole river in January 2026.

It is a salmon river now, and a good one. Seasons open August 1 on the lower and middle river for fall Chinook, coho and chum, and pink salmon fill it in odd years. Above the FFA barn marker in Deming, on the North Fork from the Highway 9 bridge to Maple Creek, and on the South Fork, salmon seasons open October 1. Coho are the best fly fish; chum peak from October into December and pull hard on a fly. A short hatchery Chinook season runs on the North Fork below the Kendall Creek hatchery in late May and June.

Read the flows at the North Cedarville gauge, between Deming and Everson. Because it is glacial, summer melt keeps flows up into August, and fall rain brings it up fast. As a rough guide, it fishes from about 1,500 to 4,000 CFS, and past about 7,000 it is high and brown. The forks carry their own gauges, and the South Fork is smaller and clearer than the main stem. The tribes co-manage the river, and rules change in season, so check WDFW before every trip.

Species

Coho Salmon
Primary · Sep-Nov · 6-12 lb
The best fly fish on the river. Up to 2 wild coho may be kept within the daily limit.
Chum Salmon
Common · Oct-Dec · 8-15 lb
Strong late-fall runs in the main stem and North Fork. Chum must be released on the North and South Forks.
Chinook Salmon (fall run)
Common · Aug-Oct · 10-30 lb
Fall Chinook from August. Only hatchery Chinook may be kept until October.
Pink Salmon
Common (odd years) · Aug-Sep · 3-6 lb
Pinks fill the river in odd years and take small pink flies readily.
Chinook Salmon (spring run)
Present · Late May-Jun · 10-25 lb
Native spring Chinook are protected. A short season for hatchery Chinook runs on the North Fork below the Kendall Creek hatchery from late May through June.
Winter Steelhead
Closed · Closed · 6-15 lb
Steelhead are closed on the main stem and forks after the hatchery return fell short of its broodstock goal.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Coho Salmon	Primary	Sep-Nov	6-12 lb
Chum Salmon	Common	Oct-Dec	8-15 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Aug-Oct	10-30 lb
Pink Salmon	Common (odd years)	Aug-Sep	3-6 lb
Chinook Salmon (spring run)	Present	Late May-Jun	10-25 lb
Winter Steelhead	Closed	Closed	6-15 lb

Sections

4 reaches

Everson to Lynden

Wade & FloatSalmon

The lower main stem through dairy and berry country from Everson to Lynden, slower and siltier. Fresh coho, Chinook and chum salmon come through here first, from August. Night closure and the anti-snagging rule apply.

Best for: Fresh salmon from August, especially coho and odd-year pinks.

The Forks to Everson

Wade & FloatSteelhead · Salmon

The main stem from the forks past Deming and the North Cedarville gauge to Everson. Braided, gravel-bar water that floats easily. Above the FFA barn marker in Deming it opens October 1; below it, August 1. Coho, Chinook and chum salmon run through it into December, and pink salmon fill it in odd years. Steelhead are closed.

Best for: Coho, chum and Chinook salmon from August, and odd-year pink salmon.

North Fork — Highway 9 to Maple Creek

Wade & FloatSalmon

The North Fork from the Highway 9 bridge up past the Kendall Creek hatchery to Maple Creek, along the Mount Baker Highway. Glacial, gray-green water that fishes for coho and Chinook salmon from October, with chum later in the fall. Open October 1 through November 30, with night closure and the anti-snagging rule; release chum all season, and wild Chinook until mid-October. The water below the Highway 9 bridge is closed. A short hatchery Chinook season runs below Kendall Creek in late May and June.

Best for: October coho and Chinook salmon near the Kendall hatchery, with chum to catch and release later in the fall.

South Fork — Saxon Bridge to the Forks

Wade & FloatSalmon

The South Fork from the Saxon Road bridge, where its gauge sits, down the Acme valley to the forks near Deming. Smaller and clearer than the main stem, and a good place for fall coho salmon. Open October 1 through December 31 with one single-point hook, night closure and no motorized boats. Release chum, and release wild Chinook until mid-October.

Best for: Fall coho salmon in clearer, smaller water.

At a glance

Ideal wading flow: 1,500–4,000 cfs
Blow-out: >7,000 cfs
Ideal water temp: 40–58°F

Best seasons

August and September for fall Chinook and, in odd years, pink salmon on the lower and middle river. September through November for coho, October through December for chum. The forks and the river above Deming open October 1. Read the North Cedarville gauge: as a rough guide about 1,500 to 4,000 CFS, and past about 7,000 it is high and brown. Summer glacial melt keeps it up and colored into August.

Regulations

The Nooksack follows WDFW's Puget Sound rules and the 2026-27 salmon seasons. Steelhead are closed on the main stem and the forks. From the Lummi Reservation boundary to the FFA barn marker in Deming, salmon open August 1; above the marker, on the North Fork from the Highway 9 bridge to Maple Creek, and on the South Fork, they open October 1. In-season changes are common, so check WDFW before every trip.

Steelhead: closed on the main stem and forks
Lummi Reservation boundary to the FFA barn marker in Deming, August 1 through September 30: daily limit 6, no more than 2 wild coho, 2 chum and 2 hatchery Chinook; release wild Chinook
Lummi Reservation boundary to the FFA barn marker, October 1 through December 31: daily limit 6, no more than 2 wild coho, 2 chum and 2 Chinook
FFA barn marker to the forks: open October 1 through December 31, daily limit 6, no more than 2 wild coho, 2 chum and 2 hatchery Chinook
North Fork, Highway 9 bridge to Maple Creek: open October 1 through November 30; release chum, and release wild Chinook until October 15
North Fork below the Highway 9 bridge: closed
South Fork, mouth to Skookum Creek: open October 1 through December 31, one single-point hook, no motorized boats; release chum, and release wild Chinook until October 15
Below Lynden, from the marker about 0.65 miles above the Slater Road bridge down to the Lummi Reservation, game fish close October 26, and the emergency rules of winter 2025-26 closed it from December
Night closure and the anti-snagging rule on the main stem and North Fork during the salmon seasons
Washington freshwater license and a catch record card for salmon

WDFW closed steelhead on the Nooksack and its forks on December 1, 2025, after a hatchery forecast of 41 fish against a 160-fish broodstock goal, and closed all species on the lower river in January 2026. Rules here are from WAC 220-312-040 as certified in July 2026 and WDFW's 2026-27 freshwater salmon seasons.

Source: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — Sport Fishing Rules (WAC 220-312-040, Puget Sound). Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Deming, WA

~20 min from Bellingham; ~2 hrs from Seattle

Fly shops

The Confluence Fly ShopBellingham

Camping: Bellingham has the most lodging and services. Deming, Everson and Lynden have food and fuel, and the Mount Baker Highway has cabins and Forest Service campgrounds toward Glacier.

The Mount Baker Highway (SR 542) follows the North Fork, with access near the Kendall Creek hatchery. The South Fork is reached off Saxon Road and the Acme valley. The main stem has bridge and park access at Deming, Everson and Lynden. Much of the bank is farmland, so use public access.

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Run

Months

Peak

Now

Coho

Aug–Dec

Oct

Peak

Fall Chinook

Aug–Oct

Sep

Chum

Oct–Dec

Nov

Spring Chinook

May–Jun

–

From May

Pink salmon

Aug–Sepodd years

–

From Aug 2027

About Nooksack River

Species

Coho Salmon

Primary · Sep-Nov · 6-12 lb

The best fly fish on the river. Up to 2 wild coho may be kept within the daily limit.

Chum Salmon

Common · Oct-Dec · 8-15 lb

Strong late-fall runs in the main stem and North Fork. Chum must be released on the North and South Forks.

Chinook Salmon (fall run)

Common · Aug-Oct · 10-30 lb

Fall Chinook from August. Only hatchery Chinook may be kept until October.

Pink Salmon

Common (odd years) · Aug-Sep · 3-6 lb

Pinks fill the river in odd years and take small pink flies readily.

Chinook Salmon (spring run)

Present · Late May-Jun · 10-25 lb

Native spring Chinook are protected. A short season for hatchery Chinook runs on the North Fork below the Kendall Creek hatchery from late May through June.

Winter Steelhead

Closed · Closed · 6-15 lb

Steelhead are closed on the main stem and forks after the hatchery return fell short of its broodstock goal.

Species	Abundance	Best Season	Size
Coho Salmon	Primary	Sep-Nov	6-12 lb
Chum Salmon	Common	Oct-Dec	8-15 lb
Chinook Salmon (fall run)	Common	Aug-Oct	10-30 lb
Pink Salmon	Common (odd years)	Aug-Sep	3-6 lb
Chinook Salmon (spring run)	Present	Late May-Jun	10-25 lb
Winter Steelhead	Closed	Closed	6-15 lb

At a glance

Ideal wading flow

1,500–4,000 cfs

Blow-out

>7,000 cfs

Ideal water temp

40–58°F

Best seasons

Regulations

Steelhead: closed on the main stem and forks
Lummi Reservation boundary to the FFA barn marker in Deming, August 1 through September 30: daily limit 6, no more than 2 wild coho, 2 chum and 2 hatchery Chinook; release wild Chinook
Lummi Reservation boundary to the FFA barn marker, October 1 through December 31: daily limit 6, no more than 2 wild coho, 2 chum and 2 Chinook
FFA barn marker to the forks: open October 1 through December 31, daily limit 6, no more than 2 wild coho, 2 chum and 2 hatchery Chinook
North Fork, Highway 9 bridge to Maple Creek: open October 1 through November 30; release chum, and release wild Chinook until October 15
North Fork below the Highway 9 bridge: closed
South Fork, mouth to Skookum Creek: open October 1 through December 31, one single-point hook, no motorized boats; release chum, and release wild Chinook until October 15
Below Lynden, from the marker about 0.65 miles above the Slater Road bridge down to the Lummi Reservation, game fish close October 26, and the emergency rules of winter 2025-26 closed it from December
Night closure and the anti-snagging rule on the main stem and North Fork during the salmon seasons
Washington freshwater license and a catch record card for salmon

Source: Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife — Sport Fishing Rules (WAC 220-312-040, Puget Sound). Regulations change annually. Verify before fishing.

Getting there

Deming, WA

~20 min from Bellingham; ~2 hrs from Seattle

Camping: Bellingham has the most lodging and services. Deming, Everson and Lynden have food and fuel, and the Mount Baker Highway has cabins and Forest Service campgrounds toward Glacier.

Nooksack River

Steelhead & salmon

About Nooksack River

Species