Bellingham
Fishing Access
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The Bellingham area has
many fishing opportunities, both in the city limits and close by.
From lakes such as Padden,
Whatcom,
Toad, and the Chuckanut Mt. lakes, to
Whatcom Creek and the lower
Nooksack River, to the
San Juan Islands, fishing in
Bellingham can be accessed easily.
Several of the lakes in Bellingham are stocked yearly with catchable
size rainbow trout. Lake Padden is a popular lake on opening day,
the first Saturday in April, and is usually overrun with anglers
looking to catch a few trout for the grill. Whatcom Creek offers
fall runs of salmon, and is usually crowded with anglers. For bass
anglers in Bellingham, Lake Whatcom offers excellent smallmouth bass
fishing.
Bellingham Bay offers a gateway to the San Juan islands, and
opportunities for saltwater salmon fishing,
bottomfish, crabbing, and shrimping. There are harbors in downtown
Bellingham at Squalicum Harbor, and in Fairhaven at Fairhaven
Harbor.
Bellingham rivers
Bellingham lakes
Marine Area 7
More Whatcom County lakes and rivers >>
While fishing in Bellingham can be good, it is the areas nearby that
offer excellent year round angling opportunities. Near Bellingham,
there are great fishing opportunities for salmon, steelhead, trout
and more in freshwater lakes, rivers, and the saltwater areas of the
San Juan Islands. In
Whatcom County itself, the
Nooksack River offers good
opportunity for salmon and steelhead fishing in the fall and into
the winter. Originating high up near Mt. Baker, the Nooksack rivers
flows through the heart of Whatcom County to dump into Bellingham
Bay. Public access can be found along all branches of the Nooksack
river, and fishing can be good.
Take a short drive south to Skagit County
and fish the Skagit River for
Salmon, Steelhead, Bull trout, and more. The Skagit River,
originating in Canada and flowing down through Mt. Vernon and into
the bay, has great runs of salmon and steelhead with huge runs of
pink salmon every other year. Along with the main Skagit River,
several of the tributaries like the Sauk
river and Cascade river offer
great fishing as well.
Bellingham is a short drive from British Columbia, Canada as well.
Numerous salmon, steelhead, trout, and saltwater fishing
opportunities abound in Canada. An out of state license is required,
and can be purchased online. For more information on fishing in
Canada, try searching the
Fish Whatcom
forum for reports and information.
Disclaimer: The information presented on this page and the subsequent lakes and rivers pages of Fishwhatcom.com is intended as informational only and is not guaranteed in any way. The information is deemed accurate, but not guaranteed. Anyone choosing to use the following information is urged to read the rules and regulations laid forth by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife before fishing to avoid a potential ticket. Fishwhatcom.com works to keep the information presented up to date and accurate, however fishing rules and regulations are subject to change at any time so Fishwhatcom.com does not guarantee the information in any way.