It’s a fishing day

Puget Sound (Seattle) fishing conditions · Washington

Now until 5 pmCoho salmon

The bite peaks at 75. Water is 54°, close to the 53° coho salmon like best, and a solunar period lands on the window. Wind builds to 22 mph out of the southwest by tonight at 10:00 pm.

Gale Warning until Sunday 7 am
Log a trip here
Right now: 75 for coho salmon, worth the trip · inside the best windowTap or drag along the water to move through the next 36 hours

Coho salmon, hour by hour

Each float is an hour. The deeper it rides, the better the bite. The strip underneath runs daylight, dusk and dark; the red rule marks the best window. Click any hour to read it.

  1. 751 pm
  2. 75
  3. 75
  4. 754 pm
  5. 61
  6. 61
  7. 587 pm
  8. 43
  9. 28
  10. 2810 pm
  11. 35
  12. 35Sun
  13. 351 am
  14. 35
  15. 38
  16. 354 am
  17. 50
  18. 50
  19. 587 am
  20. 58
  21. 58
  22. 6110 am
  23. 61
  24. 61
  25. 611 pm
  26. 61
  27. 61
  28. 614 pm
  29. 61
  30. 61
  31. 537 pm
  32. 53
  33. 53
  34. 5110 pm
  35. 51
  36. 51Mon
Go, 85+Worth the trip, 70+Marginal, 55+Sit it out

Right now · best window

Water
54°F

Coho salmon range 44–58°

Wind
5 mph

From the south-southwest

Light
Daylight

Sunset 4:43 pm

Sky
Mostly Cloudy

3% chance of rain

Air
58°F

NWS hourly forecast

Barometer
Falling

Measured, last 3 hours

Moon
5% lit

Waning crescent

What’s biting

Each species is scored against its own water-temperature range and tide preference, then wind, weather and warnings. The rules are Washington regulations for these waters.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon

Oncorhynchus kisutch

75Worth the tripNow until 5 pm

Water

54°
34°44–58° · ideal 53°68°

Why

Right in coho salmon's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 10–120 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Open. Keep fish within the limits. Coho: 2 salmon a day, no minimum, Mar 31–Apr 30 (Wed–Sat), Jun 1–30, Jul 31 to noon Aug 3 and Sep 1–Nov 15. Closed to salmon the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Marine Area 10, East Elliott Bay

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: May–Oct. More on coho salmon

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon

Oncorhynchus tshawytscha

63MarginalNow until 5 pm

Water

54°
32°42–58° · ideal 50°68°

Why

Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Inside chinook salmon's active range. Holds 15–150 ft down.

Keep

22" minimum · 1 a day (Mar 31–Apr 30); 22" minimum · 2 a day (Jul 31–Aug 3)

Catch and release only today. Chinook may be kept only Mar 31–Apr 30 (Wed–Sat, 22" minimum, 1 a day, hatchery only) and Jul 31 to noon Aug 3 (22" minimum, 2 a day). Release chinook Jun 1–30 and Sep 1–Nov 15; closed to salmon the rest of the year.

Verified Oct 23, 2026 · Marine Area 10, East Elliott Bay

Last checked 15 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Oct. More on chinook salmon

Lingcod

Lingcod

Ophiodon elongatus

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

54°
35°45–58° · ideal 52°68°

Why

Right in lingcod's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 20–300 ft down.

Keep

2 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. No minimum size, 2/day. Coastal season mid-Mar–mid-Oct.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Washington

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Dec. More on lingcod

Rockfish

Rockfish

Sebastes spp.

–Not scoredOut of season

Out of seasonOut of season here today. Check the agency before fishing.

Water

54°
35°45–58° · ideal 52°68°

Why

Right in rockfish's ideal range. Sharp 3-hour fall — fish feed hard ahead of a front. Light breeze — ruffles the surface so fish spook less, and casting is easy. Holds 20–300 ft down.

Keep

7 a day

Out of season here today. Check the agency before fishing. 7 rockfish within a 9-fish bottomfish aggregate. Copper, quillback, and vermilion rockfish are closed May–July. Coastal season mid-Mar–mid-Oct.

Verified Oct 21, 2026 · Washington

Last checked 17 days ago. Rules may have changed.

Season here: Apr–Dec. More on rockfish

The water

  • Water temperature54°F
  • Barometer29.87 inHg, falling

Sun, moon & solunar

  • Sunset today4:43 pm
  • Sunrise tomorrow7:04 am
  • MoonWaning crescent, 5% lit
  • Minor solunarToday 3:10 pm–4:10 pm
  • Major solunarTonight 10:10 pm–12:10 am
  • Minor solunarTomorrow 6:20 am–7:20 am

Solunar tables are a popular heuristic. A peer-reviewed test found they don’t predict catch on their own, so here they only nudge the score when the tide or moon already agree. How the score works

Fishing report

No current report covers these waters.

We only show reports an agency has published, with their date. Washington WDFW publishes a report for the state.

Licenses and rules: state fishery agencies · trout stocking · fish-consumption advisory

About this spot

The inland sea of western Washington — a marine fishery for chinook ("blackmouth") and coho salmon trolled and mooched by marine area, plus lingcod and rockfish on the rocky structure. Fished from boats and public piers around Seattle and the Sound. Live tide and water temperature from the Seattle station.

Marine Area 10, East Elliott Bay: 2 salmon a day Jun 1–30 and Sep 1–Nov 15 (release chinook), Jul 31 to noon Aug 3 (chinook 22" minimum) and Mar 31–Apr 30 Wed–Sat (1 hatchery chinook). Closed to salmon the rest of the year. Lingcod 26–36", 1 a day, May 1–Jun 15; bottomfish banned deeper than 120 ft.

Nearby

The closest public spots we cover, with the same 36 hours of floats.

Skagit River59 mi · WashingtonBest now until 5 pmWind Advisory
57Marginal
Pacific Beach State Park91 mi · WashingtonBest now until 2 pmHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
82Worth the trip
Cowlitz River94 mi · WashingtonBest now until 5 pm
82Worth the trip
Ocean Shores95 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 8 am to Monday 1 amHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
75Worth the trip
Westport Light State Park97 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 10 am to Monday 1 amHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
75Worth the trip
Twin Harbors State Park98 mi · WashingtonBest tomorrow 9 am to Monday 1 amHigh Surf WarningHigh Wind Warning
75Worth the trip

Questions people ask

Do I need a fishing license to fish at Puget Sound (Seattle)?

Yes (anglers age 16 and older). To fish at Puget Sound (Seattle) you need the appropriate state fishing license. See the agency's current rules: the state agency website

What fish are commonly targeted at Puget Sound (Seattle)?

Puget Sound (Seattle) is listed on this site for 4 commonly-targeted species: Chinook Salmon, Coho Salmon, Lingcod, Rockfish. Which species is currently in season and which is scoring highest today is shown in the per-species ranking on this page.

When is the best time to fish at Puget Sound (Seattle)?

It depends more on the species and the day's conditions than on a fixed "best hour." Water temperature, weather, and — at tidal locations — the stage of the tide drive activity most. The per-species ranking on this page scores every target species at Puget Sound (Seattle) against today's live conditions, so the fish near the top are your best bets right now; check back as conditions change through the day.

What kind of access does Puget Sound (Seattle) have?

Puget Sound (Seattle) has multiple access types — pier, shoreline, and at least one public boat ramp. Marine Area 10, East Elliott Bay: 2 salmon a day Jun 1–30 and Sep 1–Nov 15 (release chinook), Jul 31 to noon Aug 3 (chinook 22" minimum) and Mar 31–Apr 30 Wed–Sat (1 hatchery chinook). Closed to salmon the rest of the year. Lingcod 26–36", 1 a day, May 1–Jun 15; bottomfish banned deeper than 120 ft.

Which state's fishing regulations apply at Puget Sound (Seattle)?

state agency regulations apply at Puget Sound (Seattle). Size limits, creel limits, and seasonal closures are listed per species on each species page. Always confirm against the agency source linked from each regulation block — emergency closures can take effect mid-season.

Is Puget Sound (Seattle) tidal water?

Yes. Puget Sound (Seattle) sits on tidal water with a NOAA tide station nearby. Today's high/low timing is in the tide chart on this page.