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Puget Sound Fishing Report: Blackmouth, Currents, and Staying Safe in Windy Weather
Published 4 months, 1 week ago
Description
This is Artificial Lure with your Puget Sound fishing report.
We’ve got a classic winter pattern on the Sound: gray skies, mild temps, and a steady push of south wind. The National Weather Service marine forecast for Puget Sound and Hood Canal is calling for south winds 15 to 20 knots with rain and short wind waves, and a continuing small craft advisory for the smaller rigs. Plan on choppy rides in the open fetch and tuck in behind points when you can.
According to local tide charts for central Puget Sound, we’re on big winter swings, with a deep low in the early morning and a strong flood building mid‑morning into early afternoon. Those flooding currents will be your best friend for bait and blackmouth—fish that first half of the flood for the most consistent action. Solunar tables have the major bite window lining up in the morning and again around dusk, which matches what folks have been seeing on the water.
Sunrise is right around the late‑7 a.m. hour, with sunset a little after 4:20 p.m., so your prime window is that gray light from first light through the first couple hours of flood, and then again for the last hour before dark if the wind lets you stay out.
Winter blackmouth have been the main story. Local charter skippers out of Shilshole and Edmonds report decent numbers of clipped resident Chinook, mostly 4–7 pounds with an occasional teen‑class fish. Coho are mostly stragglers now, but a few late fish have been picked up by guys running plugs higher in the water column. Around the Narrows and south Sound, moochers and trollers are also hitting legal blackmouth mixed with shakers—expect to weed through smaller fish.
Best producers right now:
- For blackmouth: 3–3.5" spoons in herring or Irish cream patterns behind an 11" flasher, or small hootchies in glow/green. Spin‑style shrimp and spinner rigs that are popular for Puget Sound coho will still get bit if you keep them tight to the deck on the flood.
- For bait: red‑label or small green‑label herring, either tight‑rolling in a helmet or cutplugged. Add a little scent when the water muddies up from all this rain.
If you’re staying shallow, the local beach guys are still finding sea‑run cutthroat on the flood. Small olive/white clousers, 2–3" minnow plugs, or little metal like Kastmasters will move fish around creek mouths and points.
Couple of hot spots to circle on your chart:
- Jeff Head and President Point: classic winter blackmouth structure. Work 120–180 feet, keep that gear 10–20 feet off bottom, and follow the bait on your sounder.
- The south end of Whidbey, especially Possession Bar: fish the east and west edges on the first half of the flood, watching your rigger cables as the tide builds.
Down south, the Tacoma Narrows edges and Point Dalco remain solid for anglers who know how to handle big current. Hug the structure, short troll lanes, and don’t be afraid to pound the same productive contour when you mark bait.
Crabbing has wrapped or tightened in many marine areas, but where it’s still open, pots dropped on the edges of 80–120 feet with oily baits—salmon heads, chicken, or a mix—are turning keeper Dungeness, especially on the softer parts of the exchange.
Given the south wind and rain, dress for spray, keep a sharp eye on the forecast, and run a conservative game plan—this isn’t the morning to stretch a small skiff way out in the middle.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.
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
We’ve got a classic winter pattern on the Sound: gray skies, mild temps, and a steady push of south wind. The National Weather Service marine forecast for Puget Sound and Hood Canal is calling for south winds 15 to 20 knots with rain and short wind waves, and a continuing small craft advisory for the smaller rigs. Plan on choppy rides in the open fetch and tuck in behind points when you can.
According to local tide charts for central Puget Sound, we’re on big winter swings, with a deep low in the early morning and a strong flood building mid‑morning into early afternoon. Those flooding currents will be your best friend for bait and blackmouth—fish that first half of the flood for the most consistent action. Solunar tables have the major bite window lining up in the morning and again around dusk, which matches what folks have been seeing on the water.
Sunrise is right around the late‑7 a.m. hour, with sunset a little after 4:20 p.m., so your prime window is that gray light from first light through the first couple hours of flood, and then again for the last hour before dark if the wind lets you stay out.
Winter blackmouth have been the main story. Local charter skippers out of Shilshole and Edmonds report decent numbers of clipped resident Chinook, mostly 4–7 pounds with an occasional teen‑class fish. Coho are mostly stragglers now, but a few late fish have been picked up by guys running plugs higher in the water column. Around the Narrows and south Sound, moochers and trollers are also hitting legal blackmouth mixed with shakers—expect to weed through smaller fish.
Best producers right now:
- For blackmouth: 3–3.5" spoons in herring or Irish cream patterns behind an 11" flasher, or small hootchies in glow/green. Spin‑style shrimp and spinner rigs that are popular for Puget Sound coho will still get bit if you keep them tight to the deck on the flood.
- For bait: red‑label or small green‑label herring, either tight‑rolling in a helmet or cutplugged. Add a little scent when the water muddies up from all this rain.
If you’re staying shallow, the local beach guys are still finding sea‑run cutthroat on the flood. Small olive/white clousers, 2–3" minnow plugs, or little metal like Kastmasters will move fish around creek mouths and points.
Couple of hot spots to circle on your chart:
- Jeff Head and President Point: classic winter blackmouth structure. Work 120–180 feet, keep that gear 10–20 feet off bottom, and follow the bait on your sounder.
- The south end of Whidbey, especially Possession Bar: fish the east and west edges on the first half of the flood, watching your rigger cables as the tide builds.
Down south, the Tacoma Narrows edges and Point Dalco remain solid for anglers who know how to handle big current. Hug the structure, short troll lanes, and don’t be afraid to pound the same productive contour when you mark bait.
Crabbing has wrapped or tightened in many marine areas, but where it’s still open, pots dropped on the edges of 80–120 feet with oily baits—salmon heads, chicken, or a mix—are turning keeper Dungeness, especially on the softer parts of the exchange.
Given the south wind and rain, dress for spray, keep a sharp eye on the forecast, and run a conservative game plan—this isn’t the morning to stretch a small skiff way out in the middle.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss a report.
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