Ok, first off it's my understanding that Chinook, and King are both the same salmon, just different names for them and the 'Blackmouth' is just ANOTHER name for them. With that being said, can anyone help me with the winter Blackmouth season here in the great Pacific Northwest? The regs say nothing under 22 inches for Chinook so that means no 'Blackmouth' under 22" right? Also, they have to be hatchery fish not wild, I understand that. Is there some way to tell when they are running or is it just word of mouth? I'd like to go after them but I'm not freezing my heinie off for nothing! Any suggestions/advice will be appreciated.
                   Have fun out there, be safe and pay it forward,

Prober,

Looking at the WA regs is a little more difficult than OR, but it look's to me as it depends on where you plan to fish.  Like OR, WA has closed all of it's rivers to retention of Salmon on Dec 31.  So you'll just have to get your backside frozen going after Steelhead.  There are Spring Chinook on the Columbia and tribs such as the Lewis and Cowlitz you can fish for, just make sure before you go.
JustDave

JustDave,
While you're probably right about the rivers (I haven't looked the regs over recently) I was meaning the Puget Sound waters. I'm sorry I didn't make that clear. The Marine area closest to me allows minimum size Chinook (hatchery) of 22". No minimum size for other species with a daily limit of two combined. That is open until January 31.

Matt(Prober),
Hatcher fish have the back fin cut off. Call John's Sporting Goods in Everett, he normally knows how the fishing is or jump onto www.washingtonlakes.com they have people posting reports.