The catch-and-release season for chum salmon closed Nov. 15. The river is very low and clear, so it is unlikely any winter steelhead have moved into the river. Expect fishing to be very slow until later in the winter.

Due to a poor return of Chinook salmon, and conservation concerns about meeting spawning escapement goals, emergency regulation changes took effect for coastal rivers in the NW Zone on Nov. 1, 2018. As a result the Kilchis River is closed to fall Chinook fishing upstream of the Hwy 101 bridge. Downstream of the Hwy 101 bridge the bag limit for fall Chinook is reduced to one adult Chinook per day and a limit of 3 from Nov. 1 through the remainder of the season.