Do sockeye come up the rivers in the northwest every year? Or are they an odd number year fish like the puget sound pinks?

Every year i believe.

They are an yearly fish, but the size of the runs are up and down,,

Sockeye have lake and stream time in the fresh, and a couple years in the salt. They are supposedly on a 4-6 year cycle. As far as I know, the streams with sockeye runs do produce fish yearly.

Pink runs, for what it's worth, are on the rise in the even year returns and if the current trends continue we might see enough to warrant even-year fisheries.

Not that everyone is thrilled with that idea.

The Snoqualmie has a decent run of sockeye every year around the middle of July that spawn just upstream of Fall City. They don't bite very much but are catchable. The Skagit also gets a run every year.
Let's hope that 4-6 year cycle is big enough next year to open Lk. Washington for a day or two. I would like one fresh Sockeye dinner.
Paul