chinook salmon

As we head into September, the color of salmon switches from pink to silver around Puget Sound.

The front end of the migratory coho run – also known as silvers for their shiny silvery-colored body – began to filter into the western Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound in August, and are expected to peak throughout September and early October.

Coho aren’t large – usually averaging 4 to 15 pounds, with some exceeding the 20-plus pounds – but they often put up a good tussle. Young coho spend a year in rivers and estuaries and then migrate out to the Pacific Ocean to feed and grow. They spend about 1½ years in the ocean, then return to spawn as three and four-year-old fish, generally in fall or early winter.

Puget Sound coho returns have gradually made a comeback from a downtrend that began in 2015 and 2016. This was due to negative environmental factors like drought, flooding, and warm water temperatures in their freshwater habitat as juveniles and then in the Ocean from a condition known as El Niño, when surface water becomes warmer than average.

The combined 2025 Puget Sound hatchery and wild coho forecast is 727,490 compared to 722,134 in 2024; 760,029 in 2023; 666,317 in 2022; 614,948 in 2021; and 504,604 in 2020.

Coho fill the air with enthusiasm for their leaping abilities when hooked, and unpredictable movements across the water’s surface.

A positive signal of 2025 expectations began with the good fishing for resident coho, who mainly spend their entire life feeding and growing in local waters – 

caught in Marine Area 10 (Seattle and Bremerton Area) from June to early August. Many of these coho have grown since then and will join their larger migratory coho relatives during the late summer and fall marine fisheries.

Knowing when it is “go fishing time” for migrating coho in Puget Sound is to monitor catch rates in the Strait of Juan de Fuca at Marine Area 5 (Sekiu and Pillar Point) and Marine Area 6 (East Strait of Juan de Fuca).

The Marine Area 5 salmon fishery is open daily through Sept. 26 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. The area is then open daily for coho from Sept. 27 to Oct. 9 with a two salmon daily limit, release Chinook, chum, and sockeye.

The Marine Area 6 salmon fishery is open daily through Sept. 26 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. The area is then open daily for coho from Sept. 27 to Oct. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, release Chinook, chum, and sockeye.

Oftentimes, the best coho fishing in the Strait of Juan de Fuca occurs offshore in the shipping lanes, which is the main migration path. These deep-water areas are about one to 10 miles out in 200 to 500 feet of water and sometimes even deeper off the edge of the main shipping channels. Remember to stay within the U.S. side of the shipping lane. Look for tide rips and current breaks where krill and schools of baitfish attract coho, and watch for coho jumping and rolling on the surface.

In the eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Dungeness Bay hatchery coho fishery is open from Oct. 1 to 31. The 2025 Dungeness River coho forecast is 13,328, down slightly from 14,305 in 2024 and 14,654 in 2023.

The Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands) coho season is open daily through Sept. 6 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, sockeye, and wild coho. The area is then open daily for coho from Sept. 7 to 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, and sockeye. In Marine Area 7, look for coho staging along the western and southern portions of the island chain.

Coho fishing in Marine Area 8–1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island, and Skagit Bay) is open daily, Sept. 30, with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook and chum. Coho fishing is then open daily Oct. 1 to 12 with a daily two salmon catch limit, and release Chinook and chum.

In Marine Area 8–2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner), coho fishing is open daily through Sept. 24 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook, chum, and pink. The Tulalip Bay Terminal Area Fishery has rules that differ from Marine Area 8-2. For details, check the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) fishing regulations webpage at https://wdfw.wa.gov/.

In Marine Areas 8-1 and 8-2, anglers should find coho along the entire eastern side of Whidbey Island, Possession Point, off the Clinton Ferry Terminal, the Langley/Sandy Point area, Shipwreck to Mukilteo, Hat Island, Camano Head, the entire west side of Camano Island, and outside of Oak Harbor. West Beach at Deception Pass State Park, located north of Oak Harbor on Whidbey Island, provides excellent shore fishing access.

Moving further into Puget Sound, Marine Area 9 (Admiralty Inlet) is another decent fishing location for hatchery-marked coho, which is open daily through Sept. 30. It has a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook, chum, and wild coho.

In Marine Area 9, focus your fishing time in the unmarked shipping lanes where tide rips and current breaks are commonly found. Try Midchannel Bank off Port Townsend; Point Wilson north of Port Townsend (good public shore access); east side of Marrowstone Island (some shore access); Fort Casey to Bush Point and Lagoon Point (some public shore access); Double Bluff off the west side of Whidbey Island; Point No Point (excellent public shore spot); Possession Bar; Scatchet Head; and Pilot Point.

In Marine Area 10 (Seattle and Bremerton Area), coho fishing is open daily through Sept. 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release Chinook and chum. Fishing is also open daily from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook.

In Marine Area 11 (Tacoma and Vashon Island), coho fishing is open daily through Sept. 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release chum and wild Chinook (note, the Chinook fishery may close sooner so check the WDFW fishing regulations webpage for updates. Fishing is also open daily from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook.

Look for coho in the deep-water shipping lanes off Jefferson Head to Kingston, Richmond Beach to Meadow Point near Shilshole Bay, Point Monroe, Shilshole Bay south to West Point, Elliott Bay, the Fauntleroy Ferry area southeast to Dolphin Point, both sides of Vashon Island, Redondo Beach to Dash Point and the Tacoma area of Commencement Bay, Browns Point, and Point Defiance Park from the Slag Pile to the Clay Banks.

Two popular events tied to the arrival of coho are the Edmonds Coho Derby on Sept. 6. For details, go to http://edmondscohoderby.com/. That will be followed by the Everett Coho Derby on Sept. 20-21. For details, go to https://everettcohoderby.com/.

Marine Area 13 (South Puget Sound) is open daily for hatchery-marked coho through Sept. 30 with a two salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release chum, wild coho, and wild Chinook. Fishing remains open daily beginning Oct. 1 with a two salmon daily limit, and release chum, wild coho and wild Chinook.

In Marine Area 13, look for coho from the Narrows Bridge south to Anderson Island. The Squaxin Island area has become popular area for those targeting coho. The 2024 Squaxin Island net pens coho forecast is 59,596 up from 48,081 in 2024 and 45,417 in 2023.

If you’re looking for a Chinook and coho option try the Bellingham Bay Terminal Fishery open daily through Sept. 30 with a daily limit of four salmon.

Sinclair Inlet and Port Orchard are open daily through Sept. 30 with a three salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink may be retained, and release chum and wild Chinook. Fishing is then open daily from Oct. 1 to Nov. 15 with a two salmon daily limit, and release Chinook.

Lastly, a freshwater coho fishing option in Seattle’s backyard is Lake Washington north of the Highway 520 Bridge, which is open daily from Sept. 16 to Oct. 31 with a daily limit of four coho only, and release all other salmon species. The Lake Washington coho forecast is 28,112 up from 24,090 in 2024 and 21,554 in 2023.

In the October issue, we’ll switch gears and take a look at proposed fall and winter coastal razor clam digging opportunities.

I’ll see you on the water very soon!

When May rolls around, the spring Chinook fishery kicks into high gear as more and more fish begin filtering into the “Big-C.”
While most of the effort will shift to tributaries in May, the Columbia River mainstem spring Chinook fishery opportunities both above and below Bonneville Dam still remained up in the air as of this magazine’s publication deadline.

All decisions on whether the Columbia River mainstem reopens later in May and possibly into early summer are left up to joint Washington and Oregon in-season management decisions. To keep track of updates, the public is encouraged to sign up for WDFW Columbia River Compact mailing list notices at https://wdfw.wa.gov/about/lists.
The 2025 forecast for Columbia upriver spring Chinook is 122,250 fish, more than the 116,332 that returned in 2024, but lower than the 10-year average of 139,676 fish.

Several factors influence the arrival of spring Chinook, including flow patterns, which can change on a daily basis. These fish are known to work their way up the maze of channels and will follow bottom structure in the river. They will avoid turbulent water and are known to stall below dams when abrupt changes occur at the tailrace and fish ladder channels.

The initial spring Chinook fishing seasons for the Columbia River mainstem were set in late February, with end dates in mid/early April for below Bonneville Dam and late April upstream. It is usually soon after that when the run begins to ramp up. In recent years, the timing of the run has been later and later.

As of mid-April, the spring Chinook fishing success was just starting to build in the lower river. The number of fish seen at the Bonneville Dam fish ladder was also sporadic. Anglers can track daily fish counts by going to Columbia River adult salmon counts at https://www.fpc.org/currentdaily/HistFishTwo_7day-ytd_Adults.htm, which is key to knowing when to go fishing.

It’s also wise to not wait to go fishing once the run begins to peak, as you’ll likely miss out on the best time period. “For 2025, the corresponding harvest rate tiers are determined by the Snake River wild abundance estimate. Following that, we apply a 30% buffer applied to the forecast until we get a run size update, this is then used to determine the harvest rate,” said Ryan Lothrop, Columbia River fisheries manager with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), which he referred to as step one.

Next, fishery managers calculate the allowable catch. Lastly, fishery managers apply the commission guidance of proportion of the Endangered Species Act splits by sector and area.In 2025, recreational anglers are projected to harvest approximately 5,200 adult spring Chinook below Bonneville Dam in the Columbia mainstem, and 550 spring Chinook from Bonneville Dam upstream to the Washington/Oregon border.

“Fortunately, we were able to provide additional quality April days of opportunity downstream of Bonneville Dam this year, given there was a substantial balance remaining,” Lothrop said. “Upstream of Bonneville Dam, increasing catch rates in recent years have led to early closures, resulting in fewer open fishing days before this year’s in-season run size update."

However, if the run size update is large enough or if there’s remaining catch allocation, additional fishing time is likely. ”Fishery managers will monitor the fisheries, dam counts, and hatchery returns as the season progresses and adjust as necessary. The U.S. v. Oregon Technical Advisory Committee typically provides a run size update in mid-May. Based on the 2025 preseason forecasts, anglers can expect to find a decent number of spring Chinook in the Cowlitz, Kalama, and Lewis rivers. Tributary fisheries are managed based on hatchery spring Chinook surplus.

Places like the Cowlitz experienced closures a few years ago, but with a forecast of 13,310 (4,580 and 8,822), a closure isn’t necessary in 2025. The Cowlitz spring Chinook forecast to the tributary mouth is greater than the recent five-year and 10-year average return of 5,300 and 9,800, respectively. In the Kalama River, the spring Chinook forecast to the tributary mouth is 2,900 (1,840 was forecast with an actual return of 2,310 in 2024).

The Kalama spring Chinook forecast to the tributary mouth is similar to the recent five-year and 10-year average return of 2,200 and 2,500, respectively.In the Lewis River, the spring Chinook forecast is 3,060 (3,270 and 2,553). The Lewis spring Chinook forecast to the tributary mouth is similar to the recent five-year average return of 3,700 and greater than the 10-year average return of 2,600. During May a lot of the spring Chinook fishing attention also shifts to tributaries above Bonneville Dam such as Drano Lake, and the Wind and Klickitat rivers. The best way to gauge when it’s time to go is by watching the fish counts at Bonneville Dam.

The Wind forecast is 4,900 (4,200 forecast and actual return of 4,604 in 2024) and is greater than the recent five-year and 10-year average return of 4,100 and 4,000, respectively. In Drano Lake (aka Little White Salmon) the forecast is 7,600 (5,300 and 7,863) and forecast is similar to the recent five-year average return of 7,400 and less than the recent 10-year average return of 8,100. The Klickitat forecast is 1,200 (1,300 and 491) and is similar to the recent five-year average return of 1,300 and less than the recent 10-year average return of 1,500.

In Drano Lake, the best action happens in the area referred to as “Toilet Bowl,” a popular spot where anglers troll in a tight circle near the entrance of the lake. While most are Drano Lake stock fish some of these fish are known as “dip-ins” as they first enter the lake before migrating further up the Columbia River. There isn’t much space to troll so make sure you’re following the same path as others and are good at handling your boat and keep your lines right underneath to avoid getting tangled up with others. If someone nearby hooks a fish stay clear of them.

If you plan to fish Drano Lake, be aware the Columbia River outside the mouth of Drano Lake is closed. There is a marked boat fishing boundary area in Drano to allow for some bank angling to occur near the mouth. From the shore cast spinners or Wiggle Warts. Anglers also fishing for springers in the Wind River must stay within the fishing boundary of the river itself and not stray into Columbia River mainstem area. Spring Chinook tips and tactics I could list a hundred different ways to successfully catch spring Chinook and what to use varies depending on river location, flow patterns and water clarity but the most important factor to keep in mind is patience.

Earlier last month, I had a friend who spent six days and nearly 50 hours on the water of the Lower Columbia River and managed to bring home one hatchery-marked fish.

As for fishing gear, don’t skimp on the rod and reel and spending money wisely will be an investment toward catching more fish. The rods of choice are usually a 9 ½ to 10 ½ foot of 15 to 25 pounds with a lot flex and soft tip. Oftentimes these fish will grab the bait and turn away so flexibility in the rod will allow for a proper hook-up. Let the salmon pull your rod tip down a few times before gently setting the hook and don’t jerk hard since usually the depth of water you’re fishing isn’t very deep to begin with.

Line counter reels are the norm nowadays and enable you to find the sweet spot by aligning the depth on your fish finder to the area where the fish are lurking. Many like to use braided line, but I’m old school and will stick with monofilament line for a bit of stretch and give when the fish bites. The standard setup for trolling is a three-way swivel with 10 to 18 inches of 15-pound monofilament to an eight- to 15-ounce dropper weight, depending on current and flow.

On the other end of the swivel is 24 inches of 30-pound monofilament line to your fish flash and then another 40 to 50 inches of 30-pound monofilament line with a swivel halfway down the leader to allow the bait or lure to spin freely and eliminate the line from twisting and tangling. Often I’ll go “naked” and not use a fish flash which creates less drag too.

The traditional bait is a green-label herring, whole or cut-plug, with the proper tight spin. Many will soak their bait in a brine mixture to toughen them up. After bouncing off the bottom a few times or running into debris they’ll tend to get blown out or will lose their quality spin. To get the right spin on a whole herring, I like to insert a toothpick in the anal vent of the herring and bend the herring to a 45 degree angle. Then take the top hook and insert it under the lower jaw and out through the hard spot between the eyes. About halfway down the side of the body insert and pull out the trailing hook so it dangles freely.

Others like to pin a plastic bait helmet – Krippled Herring or Rhys Davis – to avoid wear and tear on the herring. Before dropping it down, add some scent and make sure it has the right spin. Other top choices are a 3.5 spinner and prawn, flat fish wrapped with a sardine or a Brad’s Super Bait. Downsizing to smaller Kokanee Cut Plugs, or a 2.5 or 3.0 Spinfish filled with tuna to tandem trailing hooks are effective in warmer water conditions and when it gets crowded during a slow troll like at Drano Lake.

Colors are also key to catching fish. Be sure to carry a wide variety but usually chartreuse, silver, orange and red work well. The scent of bare hands can be a deterrent so keeping some environmentally safe liquid soap, clean hand towels and elastic nitrile gloves will enable you to stay in the game of catching fish. Have a small bucket to wash down your lures and be sure to keep your rod handles and cranks on the reel clean.

Be sure to check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/ for current daily limits, other area-specific rules, any emergency rule changes, and closures or openings that tend to occur during the spring Chinook fisheries.

Tight lines, and I’ll see you on the water very soon!

(Mark Yuasa is a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Communications Manager. He was also the outdoor reporter at The Seattle Times for 28 years.)

When it comes to fall salmon, anglers consider August to be part of the time of year when pumpkin spice lattes and crisp mornings are the norm. The eighth month of the year is technically still summer but anyone who has headed to the ocean this time of year can feel the chill of an early fall coming on. Fog and rainstorms are normal, along with high winds and rough seas but then there are the days of bright sunshine and hot temperatures that remind us it is still summertime, even if only for a few hours in the afternoon. Much like the weather, salmon fishing can change in an instant… Mostly in the form of regulations. 

August ocean salmon fishing is all about the rules and emergency closures and openings. The fish are regulated by quotas and estimated returns to natural rivers so be sure to check the regulations and emergency rules daily and be ready to change your location to fish as often as you switch out your cut plug herring. Knowing the rules also means knowing where you are fishing. 

Marine Area 1 is slated to be open for salmon fishing in August for both chinook and coho and this is where anglers will be targeting fish stacked up to enter the Columbia River. Known as Buoy 10, the famed August fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River continues out beyond this buoy marker but is considered Marine Area 1. Depending on sea conditions and bar crossing, fishing can be good out in the open ocean. Especially for coho as the chinook are mostly staging in the brackish water and rushing into the Columbia with each tide change. Coho will stay just offshore a bit longer as they prefer to enter the river in September and into late fall. 

Keep an eye on the Buoy 10 rules and regulations as well as any emergency closures or adjustments. If you have the right boat and navigation skills to cross the deadly Columbia River bar, then Marine Area 1 could save your trip if they close or restrict the Buoy 10 fishery. The same goes for about every ocean area you need to know before you go. 

Marine Area 2 gets a little more complex come fall. You can still hit the open ocean from the tiny town of Westport. Extremely popular in July when it first opens Westport becomes a mecca of salmon anglers come August. The complexity comes from the Marine Area itself which is broken down into three segments. Marine Area 2 is the open ocean and is slated to be open, but most likely for coho as the chinook quota gets eaten up quickly as the fish pass by heading to the Columbia or start to stage for Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay. This is where Marine Area 2 is broken down into sub-areas. 

Marine Area 2-1 is Willapa Bay which has three separate zones known as zones 4, 5, and 6. Zones 4 and 5 are closed and zone 6 is most of the bay itself. A kelp and grass shallow water bay where salmon will stage for weeks before heading up the Willapa River and to hatcheries. Wild chinook must be released, and anglers can use two rods each with the endorsement. A dropper weight system is used since this is shallow water and the amount of eelgrass makes it hard to use downriggers. Watch your gear closely and change out baits often but it is hard to beat hooking a large chinook in shallow water which is why this fishery can be immensely popular. 

Grays Harbor is Marine sub-Area 2 known as Area 2-2 with zones 1, 2, and 3. Zone 1, known as the Grays Harbor Control zone, closes in mid-August to salmon fishing, which allows fish to enter the harbor. Zone 2 is the Humptulips North Bay fishery zone and is limited to 1 fish, no wild fisher per day. The other zone known as the East Grays Harbor Zone 3 is mostly a coho fishery in front of the Johns River as all chinook must be released.

The Grays Harbor area is not exceedingly popular as you also compete with commercial and native fisheries but can be productive for those that try it. One of the most unique fisheries in the Grays Harbor area is the Westport boat basin fishery which is fishing in the marina where the fleets of charters and commercial boats are stored. Coho returns here thanks to a release effort with a recent addition of 50,000 late coho expected to return in October and November starting in 2026. For now, the fish arrive in late August and into September and can be caught right off the docks at Westport. 

Marine Area 3 is known as LaPush and is very remote. With limited launches and extreme weather area 3 is mostly accessed on days with optimal ocean conditions. It is slated to be open in August for both chinook and coho, but this is one fishery that is often adjusted with an emergency rule. Chinook are prime and targeted in July which often means an August closure but coho here are making their way to the many rivers that have both robust hatchery returns and wild runs as well. Wild coho are not allowed to be kept keeping those runs going so be sure to only keep clipped silvers. This is also a staging area for chums and in the salt, they can be misidentified easily as their purple bars are light and sometimes even non-existent this time of year. Chums must be released so be sure to look at the fish closely and know what you have caught. 

Marine Area 4, the last of the “ocean” areas had a rough start to the chinook fishing. As of July 11th, only 25% of the quota had been caught which normally that time of year the quota is getting close to being filled. I fished this area on July 12^th and 13^th, when the daily limit of chinook went to 2 per day and we did not hook a single adult chinook. The seas were rough and kept my little 18-foot boat limited to trolling along the kelp line and near shore but those that could make it further out did well. This indicated the chinook were here but out deeper than usual. Coho were being caught but not in respectable numbers which could indicate a later return this year which is great since area 5 to the east is slated to be open into October for coho. Come August the rules for chinook change in Marine Area 4 with it only being open west of the Bonilla-Tatoosh line. Coho is slated to remain open until mid-September in all Marine Area 4. 

Regardless of where you decide to go, be sure to head out to the open ocean for some great fall salmon fishing. Of course, before you go be sure to check the emergency regulations as these fisheries are subject to quotas and can close quickly. They can also open or be extended as well and just maybe you will find a bonus opportunity out in the ocean. Either way, be ready for some cold, wet, and rough weather as well as bring sunscreen as afternoons are known to burn off the fog and remind us it is still summertime. 

2023/2024 Blackmouth Prospects

With the exception of a few laggard B-run coho in the rivers, our PNW salmon focus should be shifting to the 2023-2024 Puget Sound winter blackmouth fishery. Typically, winter blackmouth is one of my favorite local fishing opportunities. Going back to my mid-teens winter blackmouth fishing has always been one of my very favorite ways to grow snotsicles. 

Because recent conservation measures have severely reduced our opportunity to drag downrigger balls in the gravel, many of us will be considering putting the salmon gear away and winterizing the boat. You may want to hold off a bit, break out a wool hat, hoodie, and your cold weather friend Mr Heater. it’s almost blackmouth season. But, what’s a blackmouth?

Blackmouth are chinook salmon that have decided not to migrate to the usual feeding grounds in the Gulf of Alaska. Instead, they tend to remain in Puget Sound and the Straights to feed on local schools of herring, candlefish, other forage fish, and squid. 

Back in the 1960s, WDFW decided to duplicate the natural tendency of a small percentage of chinook to remain in Puget Sound and create a year-round sports fishery. The WDFW established a team led by Frank Shaw and got to work. It was determined that if you held the usual hatchery release at 3 months for an additional year, or 15-18 months total, the chinook would forage locally. 

The original releases were made in Capital Lake in Olympia. The program moved to net pens by Squaxin Island but the WDFW determined that the salt-reared fish tended to migrate. The program was shifted to several local hatcheries. They are for the most part clipped, but there are certain releases where the co-manager agreements do not allow the fish to be clipped.

Over the years we have seen a reduction in opportunity; a few years back we lost the winter blackmouth fishery in Marine Area 7, 8-1, 8-2, and MA 9. They were closed to preserve or extend some of the summer chinook fisheries while still supporting federal and co-manager escapement goals. 

Reduced opportunity, well maybe, but there are still a few areas that will host a blackmouth fishery this winter. That said; chip the ice out of your bilge, gas up the boat, and read on.

But first, no boat? While most of our winter blackmouth fishing will be from a boat, there is also an opportunity for a limited shore-based fishery. More on that later, if you do have a boat here is a breakdown of the 2023/2024 Puget Sound winter blackmouth fishery.  

• MA 5 will be open 4/1/2024-4/30/2024 with a 22” minimum and a 2 fish limit, (1 chinook may be retained). 
• MA 5 Management Criteria – Sublegal Encounters; the encounters guideline is 3,707 fish.
• MA 10 will be open 3/1/2024-4/15/2024 with a 22” minimum and a 2 fish limit, (1 chinook may be retained). 
• MA 10 Management Criteria – Total Encounters; the encounters guideline is 4,953 fish. Unmarked Encounters; the encounters guideline is 953 fish. Sublegal Encounters; the encounters guideline is 4,181 fish.
• MA 11 will be open 3/1/2024-4/15/2024 with a 22” minimum and a 2 fish limit, (1 chinook may be retained).  
• MA 11 Management Criteria – Total Encounters, the encounters guideline is 1,191 fish. Unmarked Encounters; the encounters guideline is 259 fish. Sublegal Encounters; the encounters guideline is 816 fish.
• MA 13 will be open 10/1/2021-5/14/2021 with a 2 fish limit and a 22” minimum size. Management Criteria do not currently apply. 
• MA 6, 7, 8-1, 8-2, 9 and both North/South MA 12 will be closed for the 2023/2024 winter blackmouth fishery.

The above information was extracted for the 2023 North of Falcon data and may be subject to additional closures. Consult the WDFW App, or website for the current regulations and emergency closures.

With the limited blackmouth opportunity for the 2023/2024 winter season, the open areas will likely be busy. Instead of detailing each area, I’ll try to break down the different Marine Areas into a few general options for starting your adventure. 

Before that though; think of points, banks, and flats. Look for areas where the currents will collect bait. Keep a constant eye on your fishfinder and look for schools of bait. Although forage fish populations change from year to year, candle fish and herring are the primary forage fish for Puget Sound blackmouth. That said, because of a general crash in the Puget Sound herring populations, candlefish are currently the major blackmouth food source. 

Candlefish show as a cloud of bait right on the bottom. Find candlefish and you significantly improve your odds, find arches and candlefish on the deck and it will be hammer time! Candlefish spawn in the gravel and are rarely found above that. I have caught many blackmouth where their gill plates and bellies were all scraped up. I have even cleaned fish and found gravel in their stomachs. So, where does one target gravel filled salmon? 

Marine Area 5

Or basically the Sekiu/Pillar Point area has a few notable blackmouth areas to target. The Caves, Clallam Bay, and then Slip Point to Pillar Point can all be awesome blackmouth fisheries. All can be very exposed to winter weather so know your limitations. Help is a longways off if you get in trouble so always err on the cautious side.

Marine Area 10

Is the Seattle/Bremerton area and includes a number of well known, semi-protected blackmouth fisheries. Kingston, Jeff Head, West Point, Elliot Bay, Alki Point, Point Monroe, Skiff Point, Manchester, and different banks or points around Blake Island consistently produce blackmouth. Look at the weather, choose a launch and learn a given area to feed your winter addiction.

Marine Area 11

Or the Tacoma area is one of the best small-boat blackmouth fisheries on Puget Sound. The Slag Pile, Owens Beach, and Clay Banks are all easily accessible and just minutes from the Point Defiance launch. With the proper boat for the conditions, Dalco Point, the Beach just north of Gig Harbor, Point Robinson, Browns Point and Dash Point all offer solid blackmouth fishing as well.

Marine Area 13

Is an interesting fishery. It is the area south of The Tacoma Narrows Bridge. The whole area is fairly protected from winter weather but the better fishing areas are a bit of a run from any of the all-tide metropolitan ramps. With that said, MA 13 is kind of a local’s fishery, with smaller boats launching into open water from a handful of unimproved county ramps. A few areas stand out; including Point Fosdick, various areas around Fox Island, Lyle Point, Oro Bay, and Johnson Point all hold fishable numbers of blackmouth. Depending on the tide there are many less known points that disrupt the tidal flow and hold bait. Be that guy, maybe more so than any other area in Puget Sound, MA 13 has many 1 fish spots. Review both your charts and tidal information and know where to fish during the different tidal phases.

Blackmouth fishing is a planning and patience game. Choose a ramp, select a handful of areas you want to fish, and understand how the tide will impact them. Independent from the tide often the best fishing will be at first light. From there follow your plan, if you make a pass on your initial stop and there are no signs of life move on to plan B and C as required. Depending on the tidal conditions don’t be afraid to revisit plan B! I know that I mentioned patience but if you’re not seeing bait on the meter move on. Typically boat limits will be hard to come by, but put a couple of nice blackmouth on ice and you’ve had a good day. 

My general blackmouth drill includes trolling with the downriggers or motor mooching cut plug herring. If dogfish are in the area, skip the cut plug plan and stick to trolling. Run 11” flashers ahead of spoons, trolling flies, or hoochies. Spice up the trolling flies and hoochies with salted herring strips. Target schools of bait along the bottom in 90-140’ of water while keeping your gear within 5’ of the bottom. I troll 2.5-about 3.5 mph for blackmouth and all my blackmouth leaders are tied on 42” of 30# fluorocarbon. 

Earlier I mentioned a shore-based opportunity to catch blackmouth. No really, I’m not nuts. Well, OK maybe I am a little nuts but there are many piers and boardwalks that are open to salmon fishing year-round. Study the WDFW Sport Fishing Rules and check the Emergency Rules as they supersede the general sport fishing rules. When I was a kid, well before cell phones and computers I used to frequently fish the piers and caught a lot of blackmouth. I didn’t chase reports to fish a hot bite. I had to put in the time while experimenting my way through the gear and presentation until I caught fish. 

I usually carried two rods, a dozen small herring (fresh or frozen, back then fresh herring was the norm), and a small handful of gear. My go-to rig was a level wind steelhead rod rigged with a large sliding float and a hand-tied mooching leader. I would nose hook the herring, leaving the trailing hook free, and gently cast it off the down current corner of the pier. I would free spool, letting the rig drift until I was down the last few wraps of line on the spool and then put it in gear. Recovering a crank or two every few minutes, it would take forever to reset. The process was deadly and accounted for many salmon dinners.

I also fished hardware. A double hooked Colorado spinner with a herring strip will catch anything in the sound. I’d rig them on a 24-30” leader behind a piece of pencil lead. Easy-peazy; just cast, let sink and slowly wind it back in. Where most fish would hammer it, salmon seemed to cause the retrieve to hesitate then go in for the kill. The other method was to use flutter spoons. This was pre-buzzbomb/rotators and involved casting heavy spoons or Swedish Pimple type lures and letting them sink for a bit. The process was similar to twitching jigs, slowly lifting your rod tip, and then picking up a crank of two while you quickly tower the rod. Between the 3 methods, most of my pier fishing excursions were a success.  

This should get you started in your quest to extend your local salmon fishing opportunities while you freeze your keister off. The when, where, and how are baselined but I suggest choosing an area and learning it. As a boater or pier-ite, become the local expert! Please remember that our winter weather can be unpredictable. Make sure your boat is seaworthy, full of fuel, fuel conditioner and you are dressed for the weather. A little upfront planning will help to ensure that you and your crew have a safe and productive blackmouth adventure.