Additional fishing days are coming to the Westport and Ilwaco areas this month

Photo created by KXRO using WDFW logo

Westport already had days on the books coming up this month for openings, but fishery managers announced on Thursday that halibut anglers will now have extra days to reel in halibut this season, adding Ilwaco to the openings.

The additional halibut fishing dates include:

Ilwaco (Marine Area 1), LaPush (Marine Area 3), and Neah Bay (Marine Area 4)

June 9, 11, 16, 18, 23, 25, and 30 for the Washington North Coast subarea
June 13 and 20 for the Columbia River subarea.

Anglers are reminded that Westport (Marine Area 2) is scheduled to be open June 15, 18, 22, and 25 and Puget Sound (Marine Area 5-10) is open June 1-30, all dates are pending available quota.

The public is also invited to a 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. virtual meeting on Wednesday, June 7. At this meeting, managers will present a 2023 season harvest summary and review the Pacific Fishery Management Council catch sharing plan. Additional meetings will also be scheduled for August and September 2023 to plan for the 2024 halibut season.

For more information on the halibut season-setting process reference the PFMC’s website. More information about the June 7 virtual meeting is available on WDFW’s website.

Because halibut fisheries are managed to a quota, closures can happen quickly.

Anglers should check the WDFW website or Fish Washington App to ensure a specific area is open prior to fishing. Complete information on recreational halibut regulations and seasons is available on WDFW’s website.

Anglers must record their catch on a WDFW halibut catch record card.