Rules & Regulations
Cast net laws in Washington
Legal with restrictions (marine only)Informational only — this is not legal advice
Fishing regulations change, sometimes with little notice, and can vary further by county, water body, or season within a state. This page is a starting point for research, not a substitute for the law. Always verify current rules directly with your state's fish & wildlife agency or TakeMeFishing.org before you fish. BasicGear is not responsible for citations, fines, or gear seizures resulting from reliance on this page.
Last verified: 2026-07-08 — regulations are re-checked periodically; see the date above before assuming this is current.
Summary
Legal only as forage-fish gear (anchovy/sardine) in specific marine areas.
Size, mesh & licensing
- Max size
- 10 ft diameter (5 ft radius) — Washington states this explicitly as a diameter
- Mesh
- Maximum 1 in stretched mesh
- Water type
- Saltwater only
- License
- Yes — standard Washington fishing license
Recommended BasicGear net
Cast Net — Basic Series — Choose a size up to 5 ft radius — any Basic Series mesh option is inside Washington's 1 in stretched-mesh cap.
Official source
Last verified: 2026-07-08
See all 50 states, or shop the cast net lineup for Washington.