Puget Sound Seattle Fishing Report Today

September 20th, 2025, and your early morning finds Puget Sound graced with classic fall vibes—overcast skies lingering and temps pushing the mid-50s. A soft southerly breeze ripples the salt, making for nicely choppy water if you’re hunting returning salmon or those late-season cutthroats. Sunrise settles in at 6:56 a.m. with dusk at 7:12 p.m., so you’ve got about 12 hours to chase chrome.

Tides today are running big and fast. The first high tide crests at 5:03 a.m. right at 12.5 ft, then drops to a low at 11:31 a.m. at 0.68 ft, before powering right back up to a 14.4 ft high at 6:09 p.m. These strong tide swings mean bait will flush in and out, so expect fish to be active during those transition periods. Get your gear down within an hour and a half of both highs and lows for the sweet spot, especially near river mouths like the Duwamish or the Snohomish, where the bait gathers[Puget Sound tide chart].

Salmon, especially coho and a few late summer chinook, have been the stars this past week. Anglers working the West Point and Shilshole ledges reported solid pods of migrating coho stacking up around the incoming tide, with boats putting up three to six fish apiece. Most of the action’s been in the top 40 feet with trollers running glow hootchies, chartreuse Ace-Hi flies, and cut plug herring—best bets right now for matching the bait size. Downrigger folks are also scoring big with Silver Horde spoons in 3", particularly Cop Car and Irish Cream patterns.

Pink salmon are mostly finished up, but a few stragglers are still punching up from the deeper southern Sound if you want to target unusual catches or toss spoons in front of the Narrows. Resident blackmouth are scattered; jigging candlefish imitations near Tacoma or just outside Edmonds can pay off for the patient.

Around the piers and beaches, shore casters are seeing fair numbers of sea-run cutthroat and the occasional chum, particularly off Lincoln Park and Golden Gardens. Try small olive clouser flies or 2” pink casting spoons for the cutts, and if the water’s muddy from rain, run sand shrimp or herring strips under a float for the best results. Crabbers are reporting slower catches as the commercial season wound down, but if you drop traps in deeper pockets near Kingston or Bainbridge, you still stand a chance of decent keepers.

Top baits and lures today:

- **Coho/Chinook:** Chartreuse hootchies, Ace-Hi flies, Silver Horde spoons

- **Beach/shore:** Pink and green spoons, olive clousers, sand shrimp

- **Depth/jig:** Metal jigs (candlefish shape) near Edmonds/Tacoma

Hot spots for today:

- **West Point** (Shilshole) for fast-moving salmon near tidal shifts

- **Lincoln Park shoreline** for cutthroat and mixed beach action

The word from shore and boat anglers is to pay close attention to timing—those brief feeding windows around the tide swings are where you’ll hook up or go home empty-handed. River levels are running low, so salt returns remain strong as salmon stage in the Sound, waiting

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Good morning fishers, it’s Artificial Lure with your Puget Sound fishing report for Friday, September 19th, 2025, coming to you from Seattle at sunrise. We’ve got classic late-summer Pacific Northwest conditions—expect patchy morning clouds clearing off by midday, with highs pushing 74 degrees, as KOMO News reports. The water is calm, and it’s a prime morning to be tying rigs before first light. **Sunrise today was at 6:50 AM, and sunset rolls in at 7:11 PM**, so there’s plenty of daylight for a full session.

For the tidal swing, we’re working with a morning incoming tide—always a sweet spot for casting off local beaches. Fishing the turn around high slack can be productive, especially if you can align it with low-light hours these next few days.

The buzz up and down the Sound right now is all about **pink salmon**. We’re still seeing solid numbers in the salt, and there’s pinks moving into the lower rivers too, with anglers reporting doubles and steady hook-ups on these feisty fish. Out around the Edmonds pier yesterday, folks were landing limits, and there’s consistent action from the shore at Lincoln Park and Golden Gardens. Over on the east side, Point No Point is still fishing strong, with regular pink catches and even the odd early coho showing up. If you’ve got access to a boat, trolling just off Alki or West Seattle with pink hoochies or dick nites is delivering the goods.

The hot lure this week is still the classic **pink jig** or marabou setup, especially 1/8 to 1/4 ounce. Fly anglers—you’re in luck too. Reports from the field say small pink clousers and the so-called “Pink Son of a Gun” swung on an intermediate line are the ticket, as seen in recent YouTube outings. For gear folks, try tossing a pink Buzz Bomb or a 2-inch spoon. Tip your rig with shrimp scent for extra insurance—the pinks love that. If you’re after kings, swap in a black and gold spoon or go with a chartreuse wiggle wart and dead drift it—these early fall fish are in, but you’ll have to work for them. Don’t overlook stripers; a few early birds are hassling small herring in shallow water.

For bait, the shops are moving a ton of **cured shrimp and sand shrimp** right now. Cut-plug herring on a slow troll is picking up bonus coho mid-water. Don’t forget your scent—shrimp or anise is working well.

**Hot spots?** This week, check out Lincoln Park in West Seattle on a morning or evening tide. It’s crowded but there’s fish, and you can launch a kayak or beach cast. Edmonds pier is firing for pinks, while the mouth of the Duwamish is seeing early coho and resident cutthroat if you want to escape the crowds. On the Kitsap side, Point No Point remains a dependable bet, especially through the top of the tide and first light.

A quick wildlife update: while there was concern over bird flu hitting the region last year, state agencies are observing fewer cases this season according to Columbia Insight. Still, use basic precautions with wildlife, and report any dead birds you se

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Artificial Lure here with your Wednesday, September 17 Puget Sound fishing report. We’ve got a classic late-summer setup in the Seattle region: overcast skies, light rain, and mild temps hovering around 56°F. Humidity is high, wind’s calm at 4 mph, and water temp is a chilly 49°F—perfect conditions for our fall salmon runs.

Sunrise hit at 6:49 am, giving you those soft first-light hours, while sunset lands at 7:16 pm. The best tides today for Seattle are a low at 8:09 am (-0.32 ft) and a big high at 3:49 pm (11.22 ft)—that mid-afternoon flood is prime time for salmon moving in from deeper water. Major fishing activity lines up nicely with those tidal swings, especially late morning and right before evening.

If you’re chasing salmon, especially coho and Chinook, the reports have been stellar. Washington Fish Reports says coho fishing’s red hot right now, with regular limits coming aboard, and combos seeing solid action. Whatcom Creek just up north expects over 7,000 hatchery Chinook salmon in the system, boosting returns across the region and making Puget Sound especially lively for kings and silvers.

Saltwater anglers have had success mooching and trolling cut-plug herring and anchovy. For artificial lures, go with a 3.5" green and blue Coyote spoon or a Silver Horde Ace Hi Fly behind a Moon Jelly flasher. Try rigs with a bit of glow or UV finish to cut through that cloudy water.

Lingcod and rockfish are still showing strong action on deep structure and rocky reefs—Washington Fish Reports notes limits for Lingcod and plenty of canary and black rockfish just this week. Drop a white or chartreuse soft plastic grub threaded on a 3 oz jig head; black label herring fished near the bottom remains a killer bait choice for lingcod if you’re fishing bait.

If you’re shorebound, folks are catching pinks and coho at popular pier spots like Edmonds, Shilshole, and Point Defiance. Use 1/2 to 1 oz pink Buzz Bombs, or cast a blue/silver Needlefish spoon at first and last light.

Here are two hot spots to check out:

- **West Point** just north of downtown Seattle—fish the outgoing tide for coho and the odd Chinook. Troll just outside the reef and keep baits near the bottom early.

- **Jefferson Head** near Bainbridge Island—classic September producer, with large tide swings bringing schools of coho and Chinook in. Use a herring or anchovy setup, and don’t be afraid to switch up colors if the bite slows.

Crabbers—many are still pulling good-sized Dungeness in Bainbridge and Elliott Bay, but check for posted closures before heading out.

Don’t forget: with our cooler water and cloudy skies, salmon are biting deep and moving quick. Stick to natural baits early, and switch to brighter, larger spoons or hoochies late.

Thanks for tuning in, and remember to subscribe for tomorrow’s tide and fish reports. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Good morning, anglers—this is Artificial Lure with your Puget Sound fishing report for Sunday, September 14, 2025. Here’s what you need to know before you hit the water.

Sunrise this morning was at 6:46 a.m. and sunset will be at 7:24 p.m., giving you plenty of daylight to chase after the catch of a lifetime. According to TidesChart, we’re seeing an early low tide at 4:27 a.m. around -1.0 ft, peaking to a robust high around 12:25 p.m. at just over 10 ft, followed by an evening low at 5:33 p.m. near 8 ft and then a nighttime high at 10:09 p.m. just under 10 ft. Plan your outings around these tide swings for best results.

Weather is calm and cooperative—temperatures in the upper 40s to lower 50s, mostly cloudy skies, light wind out of the northwest at 5 knots, and gentle seas under 2 ft as per the National Weather Service. Bring a throwover for early mornings, but it should be comfortable for the majority of the day.

Now, let’s get to the fishing. This week has been banner for both pink and coho salmon. The Outdoor Line reports millions of pinks returning to the Sound and the bite has been “excellent”—anglers are filling their limits and then some. Feel free to go north or south; pinks are running thick from Edmonds down to Tacoma. Coho fishing is really heating up, especially with hooknose silvers staging. The Edmonds area is busy today with the derby, and for good reason—that’s one of the top spots right now with chrome-bright fish pushing in close.

Out on the water, pink salmon have been eager to bite on small pink hoochies, Buzz Bombs in pink or chartreuse, and mini squids rigged behind dodgers. Coho are smashing the tried-and-true copper or green spinners, Coho Killers, and cut-plug herring. For live bait, anchovies and herring are your go-to, especially if you’re trolling deeper edges of rips and tide lines. Don’t sleep on jigging setups—metal jigs in 2-3 oz. sizes are landing plenty of fish around the pilings and deeper drop-offs.

Reports from the Sound say folks are still finding good action on resident chinook, but it’s mostly a catch-and-release game now as retention closes in many spots. In deeper water and around structure, lingcod and black rockfish are also cooperating, especially around Point No Point and Possession Bar. While crab season is winding down, crabbers are still getting decent pulls near Everett and Camano Head, but be sure to check current regs before dropping your pots.

Hot spots to put on your list today:

- Edmonds to Shipwreck for coho and pinks—early morning hours during the flood tide have been best.

- Point Defiance, Tacoma Narrows—troll the edge of the kelp beds or jig near the clay banks for silvers and rockfish.

- West Point and Shilshole—work the tide rips by mid-day and find plenty of hungry fish.

Summing it up, get after those pinks and coho while the run is on, aim for moving water, and don’t be afraid to change up your presentation if things are slow.

Thanks for tuning in to your Sunday fishing re

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Saturday September 13 Puget Sound fishing report.

Weather today begins mild, with patchy morning fog and a light south breeze around 5 knots. Expect clearing through midday, then a southwest wind picking up slightly in the afternoon. Little chop on the water, with waves staying at or below two feet. Look for fog to clear by mid-morning; rain is likely overnight, so plan your late sessions accordingly. Sunrise will hit at 6:42 am, and sunset comes at 7:28 pm—plenty of daylight to work the tides and maximize your bite window. Today’s tide swings are moderate, giving anglers better chances for actively feeding fish especially in the mid-morning and late afternoon slack.

Fish activity is on the upswing. Coho salmon are the headline, with numbers increasing every day as ocean runs push through toward the rivers. Washington Fish Reports highlights great salmon trips all week and deepwater boats hitting solid coho limits, especially north of Seattle between Edmonds and Mukilteo. Big Chinook are still present but thinning; the focus is really on those silvers. Beach anglers from Lincoln Park to Golden Gardens are seeing steady action, especially casting toward tidal rips as the bait piles up.

Lingcod and rockfish have been a bright spot for bottom bouncers. Lingcod bite reported “epic” off West Seattle and the south end of Whidbey, with deepwater boats hitting limits in 80–120 feet—jigs tipped with herring, swimbaits, and standard leadheads are all producing.

As for recent catches: Expect mixed bags with coho being most common, followed by the last few strong kings and plenty of resident sea-run cutthroat moving around river mouths. Doghouse charters out of Shilshole brought in solid numbers of keeper coho yesterday, with some boats seeing 10–20 fish for morning trips. Rockfish varieties also are showing up for those targeting deeper structure, though keep an eye on regulations where required.

Best lures right now:

- Flashers and hoochies in green or blue for trolling coho

- Silver spoons and twitching jigs for shore casting

- Swimbaits, curly tail grubs, and leadhead jigs for lingcod and bottomfish

- For cutthroat and river mouth salmon, use small spinners, spoons, or bead rigs matching migrating bait size

Bait is the name of the game: herring, anchovy, and squid strips are drawing strikes for both salmon and bottomfish. Many boats are running small anchovy under a dodger for coho, and beach casters are matching hatch with 2–3 inch sand lance imitations.

Hot spots to target:

- Edmonds Oil Dock: coho staging, kings still trickling through

- Alki Point: active salmon bite on flood tides, reliable bottomfish

- Shilshole breakwater and Meadow Point: mixed rockfish, lingcod, aggressive cutthroat

Keep in mind that local crab season wrapped up earlier this month, so be mindful to submit your late trap reports by October 1.

A quick tip for maximizing success: work those tide changes, set your scen

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Artificial Lure coming at you with your Puget Sound fishing report for Friday, September 12, 2025.

Here in Seattle, we’re waking up to cool early fall temps, patchy clouds, and a slight marine breeze—perfect fishing weather for most of the Sound. Sunrise was at 6:45 AM, giving anglers a golden window to hit the water early. You'll want to time your casts around today’s tidal swings: a minus-low tide at 3:38 AM, a solid high at 10:14 AM (13.27 ft), another low at 3:49 PM (6.24 ft), and finishing with a 14.6 ft high at 9:14 PM. These tide cycles make for prime movement, so expect fish on the move during both fills and ebbs according to Tide-Forecast.com.

Salmon action is hot now, with fall Chinook and Coho salmon peaking in the Sound. Boatsetter reports that Chinook are running strong—anglers are tracking down plenty of healthy kings up toward the mouth of the Duwamish, Elliott Bay, and off Lincoln Park. Coho, meanwhile, are the stars in the near-shore early morning and late evenings, with recent catches looking good off Shilshole, Edmonds, and even around West Seattle.

Best bets for gear: trolled cut-plug herring, flashy chartreuse or blue-green hoochies, and silver spoons have all been producing fish. For bank anglers, twitching jigs in pink or purple is trending strong for the coho, while a classic herring under a slip float grabs any passing Chinook. Many locals are swapping to smaller plugs and lighter leaders as water clarity improves with autumn’s push, increasing hookups for pressured fish.

Lingcod and rockfish catches have tapered off as bottom temps cool, but persistent bottom bouncers are still landing keeper-sized lings around rocky drops near Alki and deeper shelves off Point Jefferson, Boatsetter notes. If you’re targeting lings and rockfish, drop down white twin-tail plastic grubs on heavy jigs tipped with squid. The key: bounce and pause, bounce and pause.

Chum salmon are starting to trickle in, but the real show will be in a week or so. Pink salmon numbers are way down after the August peak, so most reports are seeing small pods, mostly passed through the central Sound.

On the bait front: fresh herring reigns supreme for salmon, followed by sand shrimp and—if you can find it—anchovy. Scented soft baits like Gulp sandworms are picking up bonus flounder and smaller bottom fish near piers and jettys.

Before heading out, a word of caution as the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife reminds everyone: leave protected sharks—including bluntnose sixgill, sevengill, and thresher sharks—alone. These prehistoric giants are passing through Marine Areas 10, 11, and 13, drawn by spawning cycles. Handling or targeting them is illegal right now.

Hot spots to check out today:

- *Elliott Bay near the mouth of the Duwamish*: Early coho and Chinook, best on tide change at sunrise.

- *Shilshole Bay marina*: Bank fishing for coho at first light, plus drop-offs for late season rockfish.

- *Point Jefferson drift*: Lingcod and rockfish over dee

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Good morning anglers, this is Artificial Lure with your Puget Sound fishing report for Wednesday, September 10th, 2025.

Sunrise hit Seattle just before 6:39 AM this morning, with sunset wrapping up at 7:28 PM—the perfect window for a long day on the salt. We’re starting with a touch of early fog, but once that burns off, conditions are pleasant. Expect light south winds shifting north this afternoon, barely tickling the water at around 5 knots, and waves staying two feet or less. That means ideal small craft weather: good news for both shoreline casters and boaters. Tonight brings a chance of showers, so pack your raingear if you’re staying late.

The tides are doing something worth noting: the morning high tide hit at 4:57 AM at just under 7 feet, slipping down to a mid-morning low around 11 AM at 1.4 feet, and rolling back high again by 5:24 PM. That plus the cool air makes for an active bite window mid-morning and late afternoon, so time your fishing accordingly, especially if you’re working the beach or casting from the marina piers.

If you’re chasing salmon, you’re in the right place at the right time. According to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, we’re seeing a pink salmon return estimated at 7.76 million—third largest on record and a massive 70% jump from typical cycles. Limits are up in most areas, which has the launch ramps buzzing and the rivers packed.

Right now, hot spots include the mouths of the Green and Nisqually Rivers on the Sound, with pods of pinks pushing in tight on the incoming tide. Edmonds Pier and Dash Point are worth a cast, especially evenings this week, and don’t sleep on the Point No Point shoreline for boat action.

Bank anglers: scale down. The bite’s been pressured since Labor Day and the key tip from local guides, like those featured on Holy Moly Outdoors, is “go light to get tight.” Leave the heavy salmon gear at home and grab a six-pound test on an ultralight trout rod. Quarter- and even eighth-ounce pink-and-white twitching jigs, little crappie jigs, or downsized spoons like the 1/8th ounce Buzz Bomb, are nabbing more fish than giant offerings. Add a curly tail soft plastic for extra pulse. Low water clarity? Go with brighter colors—think chartreuse, low sun, add flash.

Boaters are scoring trolling through 20-40 feet of water with pink mini-hoochies behind a dodger or small rotating flasher, tipped with a bit of shrimp or herring strip. For a classic touch, drift a pink Buzz Bomb or a humpy killer from the drift—just be sure to stagger your depths and speed. The pinks are everywhere, and coho are starting to show—look for them deeper, off rips and tidal seams.

Bottom dwellers, rockfish numbers are healthy. NOAA Fisheries’ late-August dive surveys reported strong rockfish reproduction across the region. If you’ve got a light setup, drop down small Ling Cod tubes or white grub jigs along rocky points—though mind the species and retention limits, especially with ESA-listed rockfish like yello

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Artificial Lure here with your Sunday, September 7th, 2025 fishing report straight out of Puget Sound and Seattle, bringing you the latest on what’s biting, where to go, and how to hook up.

First things first—the **tide** has a major effect on fish activity in the Sound. Early this morning, Seattle saw a low tide around 10:35 am at -0.79 ft, then things started rising for a high at 5:32 pm near 10.93 ft. These swingy tides mean that feeding windows are prime just as the current starts to run, especially on the incoming side. According to tide-forecast.com, sunrise today hit at 6:40am and sunset will close things out at 7:36pm—so get your lines wet early and stay until dusk if you’re chasing evening biters.

**Weather’s shaping up nicely:** this September morning brought mild temps pushing up from the fifties, a classic low cloud layer burning off quick with modest winds out of the south. With stable barometric pressure and little rain, fish are active across most shoreline and deepwater zones.

Now, onto the **bite:** The Outdoor Line and Puget Sound Seattle Daily Fishing Report both agree that 2025’s pink salmon run is historic. We’re seeing nearly 7.8 million pinks coming through, and the coho (silvers) are showing in ever-larger numbers as well. Pinks are crowding up the narrows around Point Defiance and into Elliot Bay—folks are hitting easy limits out of kayak, skiff, and pier. Coho are thick around Shilshole and heading north towards Edmonds, with Derby season in full swing. A few boats are reporting solid catches of resident chinook, but the main attraction is salmon right now.

For those hunting other species, rocky structure around Alki and West Seattle continues to produce nice black rockfish and a handful of decent lingcod. Nearshore, especially at midday low tides, Dungeness crab remains steady—drop traps near sandy flats off Dash Point or along the east side of Bainbridge.

**Best lures and baits:** The pinks can’t resist a small *pink buzz bomb* or *Dick Nite spoon* thrown from shoreline or suspended from the pier. For coho, troll a *green and white hoochie* behind a 1-2 oz weight, or strip some *herring* fillets if you’re mooching. The success with baitfish patterns is hard to overstate—when in doubt, tip your lure with a fresh chunk of shrimp or herring. In deeper water, try a *rotating flasher* setup with 30” leader to a Coho Killer or Ace Hi Fly.

**Hot spots:**

- **Edmonds Pier:** Tons of pinks in easy reach; coho showing right after sunrise.

- **Point Defiance (Tacoma Narrows):** Strong numbers of pink salmon, reliable bite for both shore and boat anglers.

- **Shilshole Bay:** Coho stacking up on the edge of the drop-off; rockfish and flounder in the shallows.

According to The Outdoor Line, yesterday’s Everett Coho Derby had boats bringing in easy limits by noon, with quite a few weighing in at 8 lbs and up. Reports from Stock SMART (NOAA) show overall healthy marks for local salmon stocks—so expect the season to continue s

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Artificial Lure here with your Saturday, September 6, 2025, fishing report for Puget Sound and the greater Seattle area—let’s get right to it, folks.

First light snuck up at 6:32 this morning and you’ll have sunlight until 7:41 tonight, giving us more than 13 solid hours on the water. Tides are lively: early high tide hit at 2:05 a.m., dropping to a low of 9:06 a.m., and the next high swings up at 4:54 p.m. The tidal coefficients are building through the afternoon, so you’ll see some decent current and movement—always a plus when targeting actively feeding fish, especially salmon, which love a moving tide, according to Tides4Fishing.

Weather’s classic early September—expect a comfy high in the mid-60s to low 70s, light morning fog burning off by mid-morning with variable clouds and just a whisper of wind. That means the water’s likely calm for small craft. Dress in layers, keep your rain shell handy, but you won’t need it until later.

Let’s talk fish. Reports from Spreaker’s Puget Sound Fishing Report say chinook and coho are both showing in better numbers this week, especially as more ocean fish push in with the bigger tides. Early morning action’s steady near the shipping lanes off Edmonds and the West Point area—both worth a stop on your route. Anglers have landed some nice hatchery coho up to 8 pounds, plus a few king salmon in the double digits. The pink run is past its peak but you’ll still find a handful stragglers from Shilshole down to Alki, especially on the morning tide.

As for lures and bait, veteran captains with Cabela’s around Tulalip are working Pro Cure and Bigsexy baits for salmon, plus old standbys like the Corkie and bait rig are putting up numbers, especially at river mouths on the incoming tide. For trolling, drag Ace Hi Flies, smaller glow hoochies, or herring behind a dodger—green and white patterns are hot right now. If you’re mooching or casting, try a cut plug herring or a pink/white buzz bomb. For shore folks, coho are slamming chrome-plated spinners and pink Twitching Jigs, especially at Lincoln Park and Point No Point.

If you’re after bottom species, the bite is fair for flounder and smaller lingcod—best on squid strips or Berkley Gulp baits in the Elliott Bay area. Crabbing is now closed in most areas, but check the regs before you toss a pot.

Hot spots today:

- West Point—active salmon feeding with that late afternoon tide swing.

- Edmonds oil docks—holding both coho and chinook on the ebb.

- Shilshole shoreline—still pinks and a shot at a surprise coho.

Couple of extra tips—fish those rips and current seams, especially as the tide picks up steam late afternoon. If targeting coho, keep those lures moving: a fast, erratic retrieve is often the ticket this time of year.

Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for tomorrow’s update and all the latest local secrets. Tight lines, everyone!

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear http

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.

Artificial Lure here with your Puget Sound fishing report for Friday, September 5th, 2025.

We woke up to **sunrise at 6:33 AM, and sunset coming at 7:40 PM**, giving anglers a full, classic end-of-summer day to chase fish. Today’s weather in the Sound started calm, a light north wind around 5 knots and hazy morning skies, with waves about two feet or less—great conditions for both boat and shoreline casting, according to the National Weather Service.

**Tidal movement is shaping today’s bite:** We had a high tide early at 2:47 AM (9.19 ft), dropping to a low at 9:56 AM (-0.41 ft). The next big high rolls in at 5:16 PM (11.27 ft), with an evening low around 10:49 PM (5.78 ft). These big swings tend to wake up the salmon and attract baitfish into the shallows. If you’re timing your cast, hit just after the morning low and before the evening high for best activity.

Let’s talk fish. The buzz this week is all about **Chinook salmon**, with Whatcom Creek expecting a historic run—over 7,000 hatchery Chinook making their return, thanks to coordinated hatchery efforts, reports SeafoodNews.com. That’s promising news for the greater Sound, as these runs spill into connecting creeks and boost efforts for Southern Resident orca prey and tribal fisheries.

Don’t sleep on the other regulars: **Spotted ratfish have been everywhere, especially around Friday Harbor Labs and the shallows**. Not the hottest table fare, but they sure add variety to any haul—plus, they’re a quirky catch with their telltale forehead structure, says University of Washington researchers.

For lures, the Chinook are smashing **chartreuse flashers paired with herring strips or anchovy rigs on a mooching setup**. Coho and pinks—still nipping in the mix—have favored **white hoochies, pink buzz bombs, and green spoons**. For ratfish and the smaller bottom dwellers, try a basic lead jig or chunk of squid.

If bait is your game, go with **fresh herring, candlefish, or sand shrimp**. These have kept boats busy from Edmonds to Tacoma, especially where tidal currents run strong and bait is thick.

Recent catches: Chinook salmon counts have upticked in the north Sound, with anglers reporting steady limits near Point No Point. Coho action is moderate but picking up in Elliott Bay, often mixed with a few lingering pinks. Ratfish have been almost too abundant around Vashon Island shoals—with some reports of dozens per outing, which is an odd but fun distraction before the winter bite sets in.

For hot spots today:

- **Shilshole Bay**: Great for resident and migrating salmon, best right after slack tide.

- **Point Defiance (Tacoma)**: Always a September staple, especially for Chinook hitting cut-plug herring or anchovy off Owen Beach.

- **Edmonds Pier**: A shore-casting favorite for coho and pinks, particularly from late afternoon through dusk.

A reminder: The Stillaguamish Tribal fishing boundaries have been limited to river access, not open Sound areas, after a recent federal ruling (reported by

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.