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Puget Sound Fishing Report: Blackmouth Chinook, Tides, and Upcoming Halibut Season
Good afternoon, anglers! Here's your Puget Sound fishing report for Friday, April 4, 2025.
The Chinook fishing season opened earlier this week in Marine Areas 10 (Seattle-Bremerton) and 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), offering four days a week of prime access to Blackmouth Chinook salmon. Reports from the past couple of days are promising, with good numbers of legal-sized fish being landed. Keep in mind the daily limit: two salmon per angler, only one of which can be a clipped Chinook over 22 inches. Wild Chinook and chum must be released. Check emergency rule changes to stay updated throughout the season.
**Tides and Weather:**
Today began with partly cloudy skies and light winds, making it an excellent day to be on the water. Temperatures started in the mid-40s and are expected to climb into the mid-50s. Sunrise was at 6:39 AM, and sunset will be at 7:39 PM, leaving plenty of daylight for fishing. Tidal movements will favor fishing during the outgoing tide at hotspots like Jeff Head (south side) and Kingston's inner bowl. On the incoming tide, the north side of Jeff Head near President’s Point and Kingston's outer bar should produce good results.
**Fish Activity and Catches:**
Blackmouth Chinook are active and hugging the bottom at depths of 90 to 200 feet. Anglers trolling near these depths have witnessed steady action. Recent catches include a mix of clipped Chinook over 22 inches, with many anglers praising the quality of the fish. Trolling has been particularly effective, accounting for the majority of catches.
**Best Lures and Bait:**
- **Flashers and Spoons**: Try Silver Horde Kingfisher Lite spoons in “Irish Cream” or “Cookies and Cream” colors for trolling setups. Pair them with UV/glow flashers to attract attention in deeper waters.
- **Tomic Plugs**: The #602 and #603 models, fished 30-40 feet behind the downrigger clip, are excellent choices for Blackmouth strikes.
- **Jigs and Mooching**: For those without downriggers, Puget Pounder Jigs and mooching with herring have proven very effective.
- **Pro Tip**: UV/glow finishes on all lures and bait setups are crucial in Puget Sound’s often murky water.
**Hotspots:**
- **Marine Area 10**: Focus on Jeff Head and Kingston. Use the south side of Jeff Head during the outgoing tide and move to President’s Point on the incoming tide. The Kingston ferry terminal area is productive—fish the inner bowl for outgoing and move to the outer bar for incoming tides.
- **Marine Area 11**: Point Defiance (Slag Pile and Clay Banks) is great during the outgoing tide. For the incoming tide, cross to Dalco Point on Vashon Island and work the contours between 90 and 150 feet.
Halibut season opens tomorrow, so gear up if you're planning to chase flatfish. Looking ahead, Lingcod season will also pick up later this month, adding to the excitement.
With calm waters, cooperative fish, and plenty of daylight, today offers a fantastic opportunity to hit the water in Puget Sound. Tight lines and safe fishing!
The Chinook fishing season opened earlier this week in Marine Areas 10 (Seattle-Bremerton) and 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), offering four days a week of prime access to Blackmouth Chinook salmon. Reports from the past couple of days are promising, with good numbers of legal-sized fish being landed. Keep in mind the daily limit: two salmon per angler, only one of which can be a clipped Chinook over 22 inches. Wild Chinook and chum must be released. Check emergency rule changes to stay updated throughout the season.
**Tides and Weather:**
Today began with partly cloudy skies and light winds, making it an excellent day to be on the water. Temperatures started in the mid-40s and are expected to climb into the mid-50s. Sunrise was at 6:39 AM, and sunset will be at 7:39 PM, leaving plenty of daylight for fishing. Tidal movements will favor fishing during the outgoing tide at hotspots like Jeff Head (south side) and Kingston's inner bowl. On the incoming tide, the north side of Jeff Head near President’s Point and Kingston's outer bar should produce good results.
**Fish Activity and Catches:**
Blackmouth Chinook are active and hugging the bottom at depths of 90 to 200 feet. Anglers trolling near these depths have witnessed steady action. Recent catches include a mix of clipped Chinook over 22 inches, with many anglers praising the quality of the fish. Trolling has been particularly effective, accounting for the majority of catches.
**Best Lures and Bait:**
- **Flashers and Spoons**: Try Silver Horde Kingfisher Lite spoons in “Irish Cream” or “Cookies and Cream” colors for trolling setups. Pair them with UV/glow flashers to attract attention in deeper waters.
- **Tomic Plugs**: The #602 and #603 models, fished 30-40 feet behind the downrigger clip, are excellent choices for Blackmouth strikes.
- **Jigs and Mooching**: For those without downriggers, Puget Pounder Jigs and mooching with herring have proven very effective.
- **Pro Tip**: UV/glow finishes on all lures and bait setups are crucial in Puget Sound’s often murky water.
**Hotspots:**
- **Marine Area 10**: Focus on Jeff Head and Kingston. Use the south side of Jeff Head during the outgoing tide and move to President’s Point on the incoming tide. The Kingston ferry terminal area is productive—fish the inner bowl for outgoing and move to the outer bar for incoming tides.
- **Marine Area 11**: Point Defiance (Slag Pile and Clay Banks) is great during the outgoing tide. For the incoming tide, cross to Dalco Point on Vashon Island and work the contours between 90 and 150 feet.
Halibut season opens tomorrow, so gear up if you're planning to chase flatfish. Looking ahead, Lingcod season will also pick up later this month, adding to the excitement.
With calm waters, cooperative fish, and plenty of daylight, today offers a fantastic opportunity to hit the water in Puget Sound. Tight lines and safe fishing!
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By Quiet. PleaseGood afternoon, anglers! Here's your Puget Sound fishing report for Friday, April 4, 2025.
The Chinook fishing season opened earlier this week in Marine Areas 10 (Seattle-Bremerton) and 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), offering four days a week of prime access to Blackmouth Chinook salmon. Reports from the past couple of days are promising, with good numbers of legal-sized fish being landed. Keep in mind the daily limit: two salmon per angler, only one of which can be a clipped Chinook over 22 inches. Wild Chinook and chum must be released. Check emergency rule changes to stay updated throughout the season.
**Tides and Weather:**
Today began with partly cloudy skies and light winds, making it an excellent day to be on the water. Temperatures started in the mid-40s and are expected to climb into the mid-50s. Sunrise was at 6:39 AM, and sunset will be at 7:39 PM, leaving plenty of daylight for fishing. Tidal movements will favor fishing during the outgoing tide at hotspots like Jeff Head (south side) and Kingston's inner bowl. On the incoming tide, the north side of Jeff Head near President’s Point and Kingston's outer bar should produce good results.
**Fish Activity and Catches:**
Blackmouth Chinook are active and hugging the bottom at depths of 90 to 200 feet. Anglers trolling near these depths have witnessed steady action. Recent catches include a mix of clipped Chinook over 22 inches, with many anglers praising the quality of the fish. Trolling has been particularly effective, accounting for the majority of catches.
**Best Lures and Bait:**
- **Flashers and Spoons**: Try Silver Horde Kingfisher Lite spoons in “Irish Cream” or “Cookies and Cream” colors for trolling setups. Pair them with UV/glow flashers to attract attention in deeper waters.
- **Tomic Plugs**: The #602 and #603 models, fished 30-40 feet behind the downrigger clip, are excellent choices for Blackmouth strikes.
- **Jigs and Mooching**: For those without downriggers, Puget Pounder Jigs and mooching with herring have proven very effective.
- **Pro Tip**: UV/glow finishes on all lures and bait setups are crucial in Puget Sound’s often murky water.
**Hotspots:**
- **Marine Area 10**: Focus on Jeff Head and Kingston. Use the south side of Jeff Head during the outgoing tide and move to President’s Point on the incoming tide. The Kingston ferry terminal area is productive—fish the inner bowl for outgoing and move to the outer bar for incoming tides.
- **Marine Area 11**: Point Defiance (Slag Pile and Clay Banks) is great during the outgoing tide. For the incoming tide, cross to Dalco Point on Vashon Island and work the contours between 90 and 150 feet.
Halibut season opens tomorrow, so gear up if you're planning to chase flatfish. Looking ahead, Lingcod season will also pick up later this month, adding to the excitement.
With calm waters, cooperative fish, and plenty of daylight, today offers a fantastic opportunity to hit the water in Puget Sound. Tight lines and safe fishing!
The Chinook fishing season opened earlier this week in Marine Areas 10 (Seattle-Bremerton) and 11 (Tacoma-Vashon Island), offering four days a week of prime access to Blackmouth Chinook salmon. Reports from the past couple of days are promising, with good numbers of legal-sized fish being landed. Keep in mind the daily limit: two salmon per angler, only one of which can be a clipped Chinook over 22 inches. Wild Chinook and chum must be released. Check emergency rule changes to stay updated throughout the season.
**Tides and Weather:**
Today began with partly cloudy skies and light winds, making it an excellent day to be on the water. Temperatures started in the mid-40s and are expected to climb into the mid-50s. Sunrise was at 6:39 AM, and sunset will be at 7:39 PM, leaving plenty of daylight for fishing. Tidal movements will favor fishing during the outgoing tide at hotspots like Jeff Head (south side) and Kingston's inner bowl. On the incoming tide, the north side of Jeff Head near President’s Point and Kingston's outer bar should produce good results.
**Fish Activity and Catches:**
Blackmouth Chinook are active and hugging the bottom at depths of 90 to 200 feet. Anglers trolling near these depths have witnessed steady action. Recent catches include a mix of clipped Chinook over 22 inches, with many anglers praising the quality of the fish. Trolling has been particularly effective, accounting for the majority of catches.
**Best Lures and Bait:**
- **Flashers and Spoons**: Try Silver Horde Kingfisher Lite spoons in “Irish Cream” or “Cookies and Cream” colors for trolling setups. Pair them with UV/glow flashers to attract attention in deeper waters.
- **Tomic Plugs**: The #602 and #603 models, fished 30-40 feet behind the downrigger clip, are excellent choices for Blackmouth strikes.
- **Jigs and Mooching**: For those without downriggers, Puget Pounder Jigs and mooching with herring have proven very effective.
- **Pro Tip**: UV/glow finishes on all lures and bait setups are crucial in Puget Sound’s often murky water.
**Hotspots:**
- **Marine Area 10**: Focus on Jeff Head and Kingston. Use the south side of Jeff Head during the outgoing tide and move to President’s Point on the incoming tide. The Kingston ferry terminal area is productive—fish the inner bowl for outgoing and move to the outer bar for incoming tides.
- **Marine Area 11**: Point Defiance (Slag Pile and Clay Banks) is great during the outgoing tide. For the incoming tide, cross to Dalco Point on Vashon Island and work the contours between 90 and 150 feet.
Halibut season opens tomorrow, so gear up if you're planning to chase flatfish. Looking ahead, Lingcod season will also pick up later this month, adding to the excitement.
With calm waters, cooperative fish, and plenty of daylight, today offers a fantastic opportunity to hit the water in Puget Sound. Tight lines and safe fishing!