Sign up to save your podcasts
Or
Share Puget Sound Fishing Report: Salmon, Lingcod, and Ideal Conditions
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Share to email
Share to Facebook
Share to X
Or
Puget Sound Fishing Report: Salmon, Lingcod, and Ideal Conditions
Good morning anglers this is Artificial Lure with your May 4th Puget Sound fishing report straight from the Seattle docks. We are off to a lively start this spring with loads of opportunity and the kind of classic northwest weather that keeps us coming back for more. Sunrise today was about 545 am and sunset is around 820 pm giving you plenty of daylight to chase fish through both tides. Early morning has been especially productive with an outgoing tide rolling just after sunup. Today brings mild temps in the low 60s with a light breeze and patchy clouds—ideal for both shore and boat anglers.
Fishing action is heating up across the Sound. Let’s start with salmon. The buzz is real with over six million salmon forecasted to return this season, plus a massive pink salmon run in the works. Pinks are already stacking up around the mouths of the Green and Nisqually Rivers and seem to be thickening on local beaches. Expect this run to build all month. Meanwhile, blackmouth chinook remain the main draw with Marine Areas 10 and 11 open since April 2. Most of the catches are clipped hatchery chinook over 22 inches with anglers seeing steady hookups on trolled herring, anchovy, and flasher-hoochie combos. Remember, you can keep two salmon per day, only one of which can be a clipped chinook—double-check the regs and release all wild chinook and chum.
Lingcod season just opened May 1 and it’s time to get after those Puget Sound sea dragons. Lingcod are aggressive right now. The best bites are coming from rocky reefs and structure in 60 to 100 feet, especially during the first 90 minutes of the morning ebb. Large soft plastics like white or chartreuse swimbaits, 5-7 inch curly tail grubs, or live sand dabs if you can find them, are top producers. If you’re jigging, try metal jigs or leadhead jigs tipped with squid. Don’t forget, you need a descending device on board and only one lingcod per person, between 26 and 36 inches, is allowed each day.
As for hot spots, West Point just north of Shilshole has been producing good numbers of chinook and some coho. For lingcod, head to the artificial reefs off Edmonds or the rocky drop-offs around Alki—both are kicking out solid fish. Shore casters are finding action for cutthroat and resident coho along Lincoln Park and the beaches near Seahurst.
To sum it up: salmon and lingcod are running strong, tides are favorable, and the weather is on your side. Load up on herring, anchovy, and soft plastics in natural or bright colors, sharpen those hooks, and keep a sharp eye on the regs. Tight lines and I’ll see you on the water.
Fishing action is heating up across the Sound. Let’s start with salmon. The buzz is real with over six million salmon forecasted to return this season, plus a massive pink salmon run in the works. Pinks are already stacking up around the mouths of the Green and Nisqually Rivers and seem to be thickening on local beaches. Expect this run to build all month. Meanwhile, blackmouth chinook remain the main draw with Marine Areas 10 and 11 open since April 2. Most of the catches are clipped hatchery chinook over 22 inches with anglers seeing steady hookups on trolled herring, anchovy, and flasher-hoochie combos. Remember, you can keep two salmon per day, only one of which can be a clipped chinook—double-check the regs and release all wild chinook and chum.
Lingcod season just opened May 1 and it’s time to get after those Puget Sound sea dragons. Lingcod are aggressive right now. The best bites are coming from rocky reefs and structure in 60 to 100 feet, especially during the first 90 minutes of the morning ebb. Large soft plastics like white or chartreuse swimbaits, 5-7 inch curly tail grubs, or live sand dabs if you can find them, are top producers. If you’re jigging, try metal jigs or leadhead jigs tipped with squid. Don’t forget, you need a descending device on board and only one lingcod per person, between 26 and 36 inches, is allowed each day.
As for hot spots, West Point just north of Shilshole has been producing good numbers of chinook and some coho. For lingcod, head to the artificial reefs off Edmonds or the rocky drop-offs around Alki—both are kicking out solid fish. Shore casters are finding action for cutthroat and resident coho along Lincoln Park and the beaches near Seahurst.
To sum it up: salmon and lingcod are running strong, tides are favorable, and the weather is on your side. Load up on herring, anchovy, and soft plastics in natural or bright colors, sharpen those hooks, and keep a sharp eye on the regs. Tight lines and I’ll see you on the water.
View all episodes
By Quiet. PleaseGood morning anglers this is Artificial Lure with your May 4th Puget Sound fishing report straight from the Seattle docks. We are off to a lively start this spring with loads of opportunity and the kind of classic northwest weather that keeps us coming back for more. Sunrise today was about 545 am and sunset is around 820 pm giving you plenty of daylight to chase fish through both tides. Early morning has been especially productive with an outgoing tide rolling just after sunup. Today brings mild temps in the low 60s with a light breeze and patchy clouds—ideal for both shore and boat anglers.
Fishing action is heating up across the Sound. Let’s start with salmon. The buzz is real with over six million salmon forecasted to return this season, plus a massive pink salmon run in the works. Pinks are already stacking up around the mouths of the Green and Nisqually Rivers and seem to be thickening on local beaches. Expect this run to build all month. Meanwhile, blackmouth chinook remain the main draw with Marine Areas 10 and 11 open since April 2. Most of the catches are clipped hatchery chinook over 22 inches with anglers seeing steady hookups on trolled herring, anchovy, and flasher-hoochie combos. Remember, you can keep two salmon per day, only one of which can be a clipped chinook—double-check the regs and release all wild chinook and chum.
Lingcod season just opened May 1 and it’s time to get after those Puget Sound sea dragons. Lingcod are aggressive right now. The best bites are coming from rocky reefs and structure in 60 to 100 feet, especially during the first 90 minutes of the morning ebb. Large soft plastics like white or chartreuse swimbaits, 5-7 inch curly tail grubs, or live sand dabs if you can find them, are top producers. If you’re jigging, try metal jigs or leadhead jigs tipped with squid. Don’t forget, you need a descending device on board and only one lingcod per person, between 26 and 36 inches, is allowed each day.
As for hot spots, West Point just north of Shilshole has been producing good numbers of chinook and some coho. For lingcod, head to the artificial reefs off Edmonds or the rocky drop-offs around Alki—both are kicking out solid fish. Shore casters are finding action for cutthroat and resident coho along Lincoln Park and the beaches near Seahurst.
To sum it up: salmon and lingcod are running strong, tides are favorable, and the weather is on your side. Load up on herring, anchovy, and soft plastics in natural or bright colors, sharpen those hooks, and keep a sharp eye on the regs. Tight lines and I’ll see you on the water.
Fishing action is heating up across the Sound. Let’s start with salmon. The buzz is real with over six million salmon forecasted to return this season, plus a massive pink salmon run in the works. Pinks are already stacking up around the mouths of the Green and Nisqually Rivers and seem to be thickening on local beaches. Expect this run to build all month. Meanwhile, blackmouth chinook remain the main draw with Marine Areas 10 and 11 open since April 2. Most of the catches are clipped hatchery chinook over 22 inches with anglers seeing steady hookups on trolled herring, anchovy, and flasher-hoochie combos. Remember, you can keep two salmon per day, only one of which can be a clipped chinook—double-check the regs and release all wild chinook and chum.
Lingcod season just opened May 1 and it’s time to get after those Puget Sound sea dragons. Lingcod are aggressive right now. The best bites are coming from rocky reefs and structure in 60 to 100 feet, especially during the first 90 minutes of the morning ebb. Large soft plastics like white or chartreuse swimbaits, 5-7 inch curly tail grubs, or live sand dabs if you can find them, are top producers. If you’re jigging, try metal jigs or leadhead jigs tipped with squid. Don’t forget, you need a descending device on board and only one lingcod per person, between 26 and 36 inches, is allowed each day.
As for hot spots, West Point just north of Shilshole has been producing good numbers of chinook and some coho. For lingcod, head to the artificial reefs off Edmonds or the rocky drop-offs around Alki—both are kicking out solid fish. Shore casters are finding action for cutthroat and resident coho along Lincoln Park and the beaches near Seahurst.
To sum it up: salmon and lingcod are running strong, tides are favorable, and the weather is on your side. Load up on herring, anchovy, and soft plastics in natural or bright colors, sharpen those hooks, and keep a sharp eye on the regs. Tight lines and I’ll see you on the water.