Coho salmon fishing has reopened along Bellevue's Lake Washington shoreline after a two-day emergency closure, with the season open through Oct. 31.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced Friday, Sept. 18, that fish counts at the Ballard Locks had rebounded enough to lift the ban. The agency said counts had improved significantly over the previous week, reversing concerns that prompted the shutdown just days earlier.

The Bellevue Reporter reported that the reopened waters include Lake Washington north of the SR 520 Bridge, east of the Montlake Bridge, and the portion of the Sammamish River near Kenmore from the 68th Ave. NE Bridge downstream. Those are the same stretches WDFW closed on Wednesday, Sept. 16.

The closure had been triggered by in-season data showing the coho return to the Lake Washington and Lake Sammamish basin was smaller than forecasted. When WDFW announced the ban on Tuesday, Sept. 15, the agency said the restriction was necessary to protect broodstock and ensure natural spawning goals were met.

The turnaround was fast. The closure took effect Wednesday, Sept. 16, and was lifted by Friday morning, a two-day span.

WDFW monitors salmon passage at the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks (Ballard Locks) continuously. The agency demonstrated it can act within days when counts drop, as it did with the Sept. 16 emergency closure. Preliminary counts are posted on the WDFW Lake Washington salmon counts page. Fish have been counted at the locks each year since 1972.

Bag limits and daily retention rules for coho are not listed in the reopening announcement. Anglers should verify regulations through the WDFW Fish Washington app or the annual fishing pamphlet before heading out.

For questions, WDFW's North Puget Sound Region can be reached at 425-775-1311.