Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Puget Sound Fishing Report: Crabbing Prime, Salmon Steady, Rockfish Biting
Published 6 months, 2 weeks ago
Description
It’s October 11th, and this is Artificial Lure serving up your Puget Sound fishing report direct from the cockpit! A damp morning out here—cloud cover is 100%, light rain falling, and that chilly 56-degree air bites a bit. Winds are mild out of the south, just 4 knots, so not much chop in the Sound. Water temp’s holding near 49°F, so layer up before jumping in on a cold dawn bite. Sunrise hit us at 6:48 am and we’ll have decent light ‘til sunset at 7:26 pm.
Now, on the key tidal movement: this morning saw a negative low tide (-0.69 ft) at 4:45 am, with a big high rolling in at 1:26 pm (7.87 ft), meaning the late morning to early afternoon hours will push baitfish into the shallows and kick fish activity up a notch—especially if you’re targeting salmon or working pots for crab.
Speaking of crabbing, it’s prime time—fall and early winter are golden in Puget Sound. This year, the Dungeness are full and feisty, especially around Saratoga Passage and Penn Cove. A crew out earlier in the week hauled up 36 keeper crabs in three pots, but remember, five per license per day’s the law and only males over six and a quarter inches with hard shells can come home with you. Bait wise, they went old-school: turkey legs. That’s right, scavengers love ‘em, but fish heads and squid work just as well. Coupeville, Polnell Point, and the east side of Whidbey are producing daily limits routinely.
Salmon action is steady, with pinks still pushing through but waning as the historic run cools. It's a good time to drift cured roe or flash small herring—blue or green label herring from the Point Defiance seiners are the ticket, either rigged whole or as cut plugs. Don’t be shy with scent on your gear. Try Egg Loop rigs for roe; they’ll keep your bait snugged tight even on a hard cast. Jigging with metal spoons (Silver Horde’s Coho Killer or Point Wilson Darts) is picking up silvers and coho off Edmonds and Possession Bar. Early bite is best: target that 9:48 to 11:48 am window for major fish activity courtesy of lunar movement.
If bottom-fishing is your game, rockfish are biting reliably off the Tacoma Narrows and Shilshole Deep. Shrimp strips or scented plastisol worms rigged drop-shot do solid work. Those trolling for trout in the nearby lakes—think Lake Washington back channels—are scoring with the classic worm trolling rigs.
Best hot spots today:
- **Saratoga Passage** near Polnell Point for Dungeness limits.
- **Possession Bar** for late-run coho salmon—mix fly and gear for versatility.
- **Tacoma Narrows** for multi-species—rockfish, lingcod, and migratory salmon often stack here.
Weather’s mixed: light rain through the afternoon, but water clarity’s good and bait’s moving. Fish are feeding up for winter, so go bold or go home—brighter spoons, scented baits, and fresh herring will swing them to the net.
That wraps your Saturday report. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for your daily dose of Puget Sound action. 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
This episode includes AI-generated content.
Now, on the key tidal movement: this morning saw a negative low tide (-0.69 ft) at 4:45 am, with a big high rolling in at 1:26 pm (7.87 ft), meaning the late morning to early afternoon hours will push baitfish into the shallows and kick fish activity up a notch—especially if you’re targeting salmon or working pots for crab.
Speaking of crabbing, it’s prime time—fall and early winter are golden in Puget Sound. This year, the Dungeness are full and feisty, especially around Saratoga Passage and Penn Cove. A crew out earlier in the week hauled up 36 keeper crabs in three pots, but remember, five per license per day’s the law and only males over six and a quarter inches with hard shells can come home with you. Bait wise, they went old-school: turkey legs. That’s right, scavengers love ‘em, but fish heads and squid work just as well. Coupeville, Polnell Point, and the east side of Whidbey are producing daily limits routinely.
Salmon action is steady, with pinks still pushing through but waning as the historic run cools. It's a good time to drift cured roe or flash small herring—blue or green label herring from the Point Defiance seiners are the ticket, either rigged whole or as cut plugs. Don’t be shy with scent on your gear. Try Egg Loop rigs for roe; they’ll keep your bait snugged tight even on a hard cast. Jigging with metal spoons (Silver Horde’s Coho Killer or Point Wilson Darts) is picking up silvers and coho off Edmonds and Possession Bar. Early bite is best: target that 9:48 to 11:48 am window for major fish activity courtesy of lunar movement.
If bottom-fishing is your game, rockfish are biting reliably off the Tacoma Narrows and Shilshole Deep. Shrimp strips or scented plastisol worms rigged drop-shot do solid work. Those trolling for trout in the nearby lakes—think Lake Washington back channels—are scoring with the classic worm trolling rigs.
Best hot spots today:
- **Saratoga Passage** near Polnell Point for Dungeness limits.
- **Possession Bar** for late-run coho salmon—mix fly and gear for versatility.
- **Tacoma Narrows** for multi-species—rockfish, lingcod, and migratory salmon often stack here.
Weather’s mixed: light rain through the afternoon, but water clarity’s good and bait’s moving. Fish are feeding up for winter, so go bold or go home—brighter spoons, scented baits, and fresh herring will swing them to the net.
That wraps your Saturday report. Thanks for tuning in—don’t forget to subscribe for your daily dose of Puget Sound action. 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
This episode includes AI-generated content.