Puget Sound Fishing Report: Chinook, Coho, and Pink Salmon Biting Strong

Puget Sound anglers, Artificial Lure here with your September 5th report—let’s dive right into today’s conditions and what’s been biting around the Sound.

We’re waking up to a cool, overcast morning with light winds and that classic early-fall Washington drizzle in the forecast. Expect a high around 67°F, patchy clouds, and a steady westerly breeze—perfect for keeping things lively but not too choppy for smaller boats or shoreline casting.

Sunrise was at 6:32 a.m., and you’ve got daylight until sunset at 7:41 p.m. Tidewise, this morning saw a high tide at 2:05 a.m., dropping to low at 9:06 a.m.—your outgoing is running strong right now and the next high swings in at 4:54 p.m. Tidal coefficients are rising through the day, peaking this evening, so you’ll find more current (read: more fish movement) this afternoon and early evening according to the Seattle tide tables for September 2025.

On the catch front, September means salmon season is firing up—the headline this week is the exceptional hatchery Chinook run, with more than 7,000 kings making their way into Whatcom Creek thanks to a big collaboration between Bellingham Technical College, WDFW, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, and local tribal partners. That’s already translating to solid Chinook action in north Sound tributaries and nearshore areas. Morning and evening bites have been best, especially around creek mouths and along moving rips, as fish stack up before heading upstream.

Pink salmon are showing in force for another banner year as well—this is your week for light tackle action, especially using flashy pink or chartreuse jigs off beaches or small drift boats. GoneFishingNW recommends 1/2 to 3/4 oz pink Buzz Bombs, rotators, or even bare hook rigs under a dodger if trolling. The biggest trick? Find the bait—watch for diving birds near Edmonds, Point No Point, and Dash Point.

Saltwater folks should keep an eye out for coho rolling through the central and south Sound. Trolling green or purple hoochies behind a flasher remains the old standby, but don’t sleep on cut-plug herring if you’re working deeper ledges (try 60–100 feet). Shore anglers have been getting solid coho on 2–3" spoons with blue or silver finishes, especially on the flooding afternoon tide. If you’re more east Sound, look to Lincoln Park or Waterman Pier for bank opportunities as fish stage up for river entry.

For shellfishing, the tidal flats are rewarding diggers with Manila clams and Pacific oysters—NOAA’s aquaculture field updates report the beds are in fine shape after the recent low tide cycles. If you’re headed out, always check for red tide and pick up your license at the ramp.

Dungeness crab reports remain superb—central Sound crabbers working 40–80 feet with chicken or salmon frames are pulling full pots. Best action is still early in the incoming after this morning’s low.

A couple local hot spots to try:
- Point No Point—still the top pick for beach casting pinks and staging Chinook; look for tidelines and cast near kelp beds.
- Edmonds Marina breakwater—consistent coho and the occasional monster king at first and last light.
- Alki Beach, especially near the ferry dock, for active pinks and a shot at a late morning coho.

Thanks for tuning in to Artificial Lure’s Puget Sound report! To stay sharp and never miss an update, make sure to subscribe.

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