This is Artificial Lure with your Puget Sound fishing report for June 21, 2025.

We’re rolling into the heart of summer, and conditions are shaping up nicely out on the water. Mornings are cool, starting in the mid-50s, and afternoons are stretching into the lower 70s, with light westerly winds keeping chop minimal. Expect some clouds overhead but generally stable weather—perfect for an early launch. Today’s sunrise was at 5:10 a.m., and sunset will come just after 9:10 p.m., offering a long stretch of prime fishing time. Tidewise, we've got a morning high around 7:45 a.m., followed by a deep afternoon low, so your best bite windows will be during those moving tides, especially this morning and again late in the day.

The fish are definitely around. According to the most recent Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife creel reports, anglers in the central Sound—especially Area 10 near Seattle—have been landing solid numbers of resident Coho, with occasional Chinook mixed in. Down toward Tacoma and the Narrows, there’s still a chance at salmon, but most folks are seeing better luck on bottomfish.

Lingcod season is wrapping up, but don’t hang up your jigs just yet. Reports from Possession Bar and the Tacoma Narrows say the lingcod bite remains steady, particularly along reefy structure and drop-offs. Live bait like herring and sanddab are the ticket for bigger lings, but folks are also scoring with large white swimbaits and metal jigs worked deep. Over in the San Juans, especially Cornet Bay and around rocky points, anglers have been putting some nice 28”–30” lingcod in the boat, many caught using live bait and spinning tackle.

Halibut activity has slowed as quotas fill, but a few solid fish are still coming up from the Strait of Juan de Fuca and north Sound banks, where heavy jigs tipped with herring are doing the trick.

Looking to the salmon scene, 2025 is a big pink run year, with a forecast of nearly 7.8 million pinks returning—one of the largest on record, according to WDFW. While it’s a bit early for the main push, expect action to pick up in the next couple weeks, especially around river mouths like Green and Nisqually. For now, small Coho spoons, hoochies in green or chartreuse, and cut-plug herring trolled slowly are all producing. Early birds around Possession Point and Point No Point are getting into action first, especially on the morning ebb.

Best bets for today? Hot spots include:
- Possession Bar: Always reliable for both salmon and late-season lingcod.
- Tacoma Narrows: Strong current, lots of bait, and a mix of salmon and lings.
- Point No Point: Great for beach anglers throwing buzz bombs or casting herring under a float for Coho and the occasional Chinook.

That’s the scoop from the Sound. Make sure you check the latest emergency regs and quotas before you head out, and always be safe on the water. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for all the latest local fishing updates.

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