The Weird Washington Invention Called the Salmon Cannon
I went down the rabbit hole on weird inventions and stumbled upon one that made me laugh so hard, and it made my jaw drop when I realized it was actually created right here in Washington state! The Salmon Cannon!
Washington Invention As Seen On TV
I might be a little late to the party when it comes to this invention, but the first time I saw the Salmon Cannon was, it was on a clip of Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, a satirical news show that airs on HBO. Based on the name, I expected something like this!
But no, it was a very interesting news segment that had me laughing so hard, that I'm sure I shed enough tears that would help the fish navigate with this invention that's the sheer awesomeness, lunacy, and genius!
It has a great purpose and is quite ingenious. Its purpose is to safely transport salmon from one area to another, especially over dams, using flexible tubes and pneumatic pressure. And according to the Daily Hive, it can handle (or, as I like to think of it, ‘shoot’) up to 50,000 salmon a day.
Kudos to Whooshh Innovations (yes, that’s their name) of Bellevue, Washington, for making a fun and nature-helping device back in 2010!
I’m not a big fisherman, but I can totally see trying to catch a fish in the air with a butterfly net (not a fishing net, but a butterfly net… yes, I know it wouldn’t work).
What else could you use the Salmon Cannon for? My first thought was a new form of sandwich or burrito delivery system. Think of Uber Eats with a t-shirt cannon, or a Subway restaurant with tubes like a bank aimed in different directions. Because when you really think about it... a meatball sub tastes better when it's shot out of a cannon! Get on it, science!
READ MORE: Is Diablo Lake The Most Beautiful Lake In Washington?
What other weird Washington inventions do you know about that you’d love to share? Tap the App and let me know.
Best States for Fishing 2026 - See How Your State Stacks Up
Gallery Credit: Janna