Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with today’s Puget Sound fishing report for Saturday, October 18, 2025. Right now, the weather’s shaping up to be classic fall Northwest—cloudy skies with patches of light rain, a few sunbreaks rolling in mid-afternoon, temperature hovering around 56 degrees, and a gentle southerly breeze coming off the water—so bring your layers! Sunrise was at 7:25 AM and sunset will be at 6:21 PM, giving us more than enough daylight for a solid day on the water.

Looking at the tides for central Puget Sound, we had a low tide just after 9 AM at about 2 feet, swinging up to a high just before 4 PM near 10 feet. Early birds got the best out of the morning ebb, especially for those bottom fishing or setting crab pots near the drop-offs and rocky pilings.

Now, for the catch action: Dungeness crab season is open and right on schedule for a bumper harvest. Recent outings off Whidbey’s Saratoga Passage and Penn Cove have seen folks hauling in full pots loaded with healthy, hard-shelled male Dungeness. One local report described a two-hour voyage netting more than 30 keeper-size crabs—just remember, Washington limits you to five per license per day and only males over six and a quarter inches with hard shells are legal to keep. Right now, turkey legs and oily fish heads are the most effective bait in pots, according to seasoned crabbers.

Salmon fishing is where things get interesting this week. The Puget Sound chum run has officially kicked off, but catch rates remain on the stingy side compared to past years, with intense competition for the sparse schools pushing through the region. There’s word from the commercial fleet—the Japan market is searching far and wide for stocks—so expect crowded boat ramps, especially around creek mouths and estuaries. For lure selection, locally favorite Spirit Lures and classic chartreuse Vibrax spinners are producing best for chum, especially when jigged near current seams. If you’re after coho, recent videos from the central Sound show decent limits hauled on bright pink hoochies and small silver spoons trolled at mid-depth. Shore anglers should drift a small pink jig or cast metal slices near bait balls.

Pink salmon are still making a showing, staging near creek outflows for their final push. The hot ticket here is a 2-ounce pink or chartreuse jig with fast retrieves—reports from “Gone Fishing Northwest” suggest sticking to deeper channels and letting your jig drop before a sharp pop on the lift.

If you’re looking for spots to hit today, here are two local favorites:
- *Point No Point*: Known for its rocky shoreline and access to tides, it’s producing well for shore-bound salmon hunters and crabbers alike.
- *Dash Point State Park*: With a developing incoming tide after lunch, expect decent action for those targeting late coho or dropping crab pots out past the pier.

Overall, fish activity is picking up around creek mouths—especially for salmon—while crabbers should take advantage of the mid-morning low tide and rocky ledges.

Thanks for tuning in to today’s Puget Sound fishing report. Make sure you’re subscribed for more daily updates, and drop me a comment with your latest catch. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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