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Baker Lake Will Open For Sockeye Fishing
July 17th, 2010 | 31 Comments » 
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For the first time, anglers will be able to fish for sockeye salmon in Baker Lake, where the fish are returning in significantly higher numbers than expected.
From July 22 until further notice, anglers can retain up to two adult sockeye salmon that exceed 18 inches in length from Baker Dam upstream to the mouth of the Baker River.
All other salmon must be released, and no fishing will be allowed between the dam and the log boom at the lower end of the lake.
More than 10,000 sockeye have returned to hatchery facilities and artificial spawning beaches on the lake, exceeding this year’s 6,300-fish escapement goal, said Brett Barkdull, a fish biologist for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).
“People have been waiting a long time to be able to fish for sockeye salmon in Baker Lake,” Barkdull said. “This year’s run isn’t huge by historical standards, but we’ve exceeded our goals for both hatchery-reared sockeye and naturally spawning fish needed for production.”
Harvest opportunities for returning fish will be shared by recreational and tribal fisheries, he said.
Barkdull said improving ocean conditions have helped to boost survival rates for young sockeye returning to the watershed. Meanwhile, the installation of a juvenile-collection facility at the upper Baker Dam has improved the transfer of out-migrating smolts downstream to Puget Sound, he said.
But the biggest boon to area sockeye fishing may be the completion of a new hatchery facility on Baker Lake, Barkdull said. Starting next year, smolt production in the watershed is expected to increase significantly at the new facility built by Puget Sound Energy as part of a 2008 hydroelectric licensing agreement.
“We hope to eventually produce enough sockeye fry to bring 75,000 adult fish back to the watershed,” Barkdull said. “We’ve been working toward that goal for a long time and we know what it would mean for sockeye fishing in the watershed.”
In addition to the upcoming opening at Baker Lake, anglers can also catch sockeye salmon on the Baker and Skagit rivers today (July 16) through Sunday (July 18) under rules announced earlier this week by WDFW.
The Baker River open to sockeye fishing from the mouth to the Highway 20 bridge. The Skagit River is open from the Dalles Bridge at Concrete to a point 200 feet above the east bank of the Baker River.
The daily limit in those areas is two sockeye salmon. The anti-snagging rule and night closure are in effect in both areas.
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July 19th, 2010 at 7:47 pm
its kind of a bullshit year, you let the indians in with their nets before the anglers this year when usually its the other way around. the anglers are let in two weeks prior to the indians…….and you have record breaking counts this year????? and your truck drivers are so tired and cant keep up with hauling the fish to the hatchery and you have had to open the gate 2 times that i know of because the hatchery cant hold all the fish, you should open the mouth of the baker for the rest of july, added, i am a fisher of ten yours i get my license and pay the taxes and sombody up there has there head where it shouldnt be, in other words they are wearing their ass for a hat. so i dont know about you but i feed my family of 6 with my fish…..
July 19th, 2010 at 7:50 pm
im not the only one who feels this way. if you want to, send a reporter up to concrete and have them ask how everyone feels about this situation. the fly in is in the next week or so, so i encourage to to see how the people feel about this.
July 20th, 2010 at 11:01 pm
Where do I go to fish from shore on Baker Lake?
What do I use?
Is there a chance that the river will be open again this coming weekend, July 23-25?
August 22nd, 2010 at 10:08 pm
baker lake sockeye was hot this july my son a me caught 10 pound sockeye the game department has made a great future sockeye program for baker lake i cant wait till 2011 i will be up their every day of season lets give brett barkdull a big thankyou everybody for his hard work we are going to have a sockeye fishing on baker lake for years to come fish on
March 8th, 2011 at 11:00 pm
get ready for 2011 baker lake sockeye their going ahead with a season almost 25.000 back they say start tieing red hooks all campsites on baker lake already taken got mine for 2 weeks all waterfront sites taken by feb 1 2011 no need to go to canada to fish sockeye fish on good luck
April 1st, 2011 at 4:36 pm
get ready 2011 baker lake sockeye see you up their
April 14th, 2011 at 9:58 pm
baker lake is filling up with water for the 2011 sockeye fishing june 20 i cant wait fish on
April 24th, 2011 at 5:35 pm
sounds like baker lake sockeye could start around july 10 2011 maybe
April 27th, 2011 at 12:55 pm
geez ste lee are u the promotor for fishing baker or what. making some pretty wild predicitions
April 27th, 2011 at 9:45 pm
you bet scott its going to happen on baker in july also did you see we can kept wild silvers on nooksack in 2011 iam the fishermen who got this change for us fishing is coming back to whatcom county see you up at baker july 24
May 23rd, 2011 at 10:44 pm
get ready for baker lake sockeye theirs a few showing up at the mouth of skagit its a good sign it could be a early run for july
June 9th, 2011 at 8:01 pm
get ready for baker lake sockeye 2011 the lake got its first sockeye put in lake today its going to happen in july
June 13th, 2011 at 5:33 pm
Hey Ste Lee,
Do you know the escapement goal for the lake? I hit the lake last year and looking forward to a fishery this year. That one sox has the whole lake to himself…
June 13th, 2011 at 9:55 pm
i dont know the escapement for 2011 but their will be plenty of fish for 2011 the season will start on july 2011 or july 10 all campsites taken except for the new swift creek what a fine job they did their get ready
June 21st, 2011 at 7:59 pm
51 sockeye in baker lake june 21 2011 they are coming they are on time for the july 20 opening
June 28th, 2011 at 7:53 pm
sockeye are coming in big time a trap in concrete
i think july 10 willbe opener 2011
June 29th, 2011 at 7:35 pm
the mouth of skagit is full of baker sockeye fishermen call wdfw tell them open baker lake for the july 4 weekend their is plenty of fish the hatchery has their fish for 2011 lets role everybody is ready for the opener look at the news on the web its on fire lets go
July 6th, 2011 at 7:45 pm
truck a daY of bright sockeye to baker dam everyday know it will open soon when 250 sockeye are in lake i think its a go for sunday july 10 or 13 FOR 2011 BAKER LAKE SOCKEYE SEASON THATS WHAT I HERE OUT THEIR SEE YOU UP THEIR ON OPENER
July 7th, 2011 at 1:24 pm
U can’t be serious…u think they will open it when there is 250 sox in lake? really? i think more like 14,000. let’s hope we see 2000 per truck and then there will be an opener
July 7th, 2011 at 1:27 pm
I meant 1400! but 14000 would be a fun fishery and it should happen. latest i heard was july 15 for opener
July 7th, 2011 at 11:05 pm
they have plenty of fish in lake july 7 you might be right on for july 15 mill creek wdfw said she was told from pse 250 sockeye in lake for opener i think it will be a notice july 8 baker lake open for sockeye july 11 2011 they wont open on weekend because of crowds at boat lanch is your boat ready see you up their
July 8th, 2011 at 11:17 pm
up date they need 1400 fish this week they got what they need baker lake 2011 sockeye opens july 15 final report see you up their
July 19th, 2011 at 4:44 pm
sorry about the start date of july 15 i was wrong but i have the offical opening july 23 and we get 3 sockeye a day and their will be a huge amount of fish in lake its bigger than 2010 all fish are going to lake this week we are talking a 1000 fish day i think by july 23 their will be 6000 fish in front of noisy creek fish on get ready to be on water at 430 see you up their
July 19th, 2011 at 7:27 pm
Official press release from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Baker Lake Sockeye Fishery Opens July 23
July 23rd, 2011 at 8:54 pm
baker lake july 23 hot hot hot 150 boats on opener go during the week 40 ft down smiley blade and shrimp is the ticket on opener
August 8th, 2011 at 12:17 am
baker lake is hot for sockeye filled a punch card alreday use a flasher and coon shrimp at 50 ft good luck
August 12th, 2011 at 11:50 pm
baker lake sockeye fishing is almost over fish today for the last time 1 fish in 6 hours theirs still fish in lake but sockeye bite is slow i think their getting spooked i am looking forward for the 2012 season you think 2011 was good wait till 2012 70,000 to 90,000 are coming back to baker lake i will update in the the spring 2012 see you in 2012
December 7th, 2011 at 10:32 pm
very good news the sockeye that spawned in front of pandorma boat Launch on baker lake was in the 1000 i went up their to see them i will be talking to wdfw in jan 2012 to get a idea on the the 2012 sockeye season but i think it will happen the last week of july 2012 get your campsites reserved in feb 2012 i am going to get mine for 14 days starting july 26 2012 see you jan 2012 happy new year
December 31st, 2011 at 12:56 am
hey baker lake sockeye sports fishermen its dec 30 2011 i got the forcast today from a good source for the 2012 sockeye season i will give you a hint its called big news and their is a couple other great things happening on skagit river and on baker lake 2012 i will let you know january 1 2011 happy new year stay tune
January 1st, 2012 at 1:39 pm
happy new year big news for the 2012 baker lake sockeye fishing i was told that the skagit river will be open for sockeye sports fishing and that baker lake will be open sooner because of the the crowds on the lake and hear is the big news 40.000 to 50.000 run size for 2012 baker sockeye you think 2011 was great wait till july 2012 the count down starts today for the 2012 baker lake sockeye season it will be open get ready
January 22nd, 2012 at 1:43 pm
good morning baker lake 2012 sockeye fishermen it is jan 22 2012 and i wanted to let you know that the the campgrounds at baker lake are starting to get reserved fast for the huge 2012 baker lake sockeye season got my campsite already get yours befor its to late get ready good luck