Best Time to Fish Bellingham

Months come from each species' own season curve around Bellingham. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.

When to fish Bellingham

Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.

Relative abundance by month for each species around Bellingham
Species	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Chinook Salmon
Coho Salmon
Halibut
Lingcod
Black Rockfish
Rockfish (Aggregate)
Surfperch
Flounder / Sole (Flatfish)
Herring
Squid - Opal
Cabezon
Kelp Greenling

Chinook Salmon. Bellingham-area Chinook (Areas 7/7B) peak in mid-to-late summer as North Sound and Fraser-bound stocks stage through Rosario Strait and the San Juans, with a clear July–August abundance high. A secondary winter blackmouth (resident feeder) presence keeps numbers moderate from late fall through early spring, with the lowest biological presence in late spring as outmigrating smolts have left and mature returns haven't yet arrived.
Coho Salmon. Coho abundance in Bellingham-area waters (Bellingham Bay, Samish Bay, north Puget Sound) builds slowly through spring/summer as resident 'blackmouth'-style and feeder coho grow, ramps sharply in August as Fraser, Skagit, and Nooksack-bound migrants stage, and peaks late August through mid-September before fish push into the rivers. Numbers drop quickly through October and the stock is essentially absent from saltwater December through April.
Halibut. Pacific Halibut migrate from deep offshore winter spawning grounds into inland waters near Bellingham as they follow forage onto the shallower banks in spring, peaking in mid-April through May. Abundance tapers through summer and fall as fish move back offshore to deeper shelf-edge habitat by late fall.
Lingcod. Lingcod are resident year-round in the rocky reefs and pinnacles of the San Juans and Bellingham-area waters, so the curve never drops to zero. Abundance peaks in late spring through early summer (May–June) when mature fish move shallower to guard nests and aggregate on structure, then gradually declines through summer as fish disperse deeper. A mild winter low reflects post-spawn dispersal and deeper holding before the pre-spawn build-up resumes in late winter.
Black Rockfish. Black rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers in Bellingham's San Juan/Rosario waters, so they're present year-round with only modest seasonal shifts. Abundance peaks in mid-to-late summer (July–August) when warmer water boosts baitfish schools and pushes fish into more accessible nearshore and shallow reef habitat, while winter shows a slight dip as fish hold deeper and less concentrated.
Rockfish (Aggregate). Rockfish (mainly copper, quillback, black, yelloweye) are resident, long-lived, non-migratory species in Bellingham/San Juan waters, so abundance is essentially flat year-round. Slight spring bump reflects post-winter movement onto shallower reefs and pre-spawn aggregation (most local rockfish are live-bearers parturating spring through summer), with a mild winter dip as fish hold deeper and disperse.
Surfperch. Surfperch (mainly striped and pile perch) are resident year-round in Bellingham's inner waters like Bellingham Bay and around Chuckanut, so abundance never hits zero. A spring peak (Mar–Apr) reflects pre-spawn aggregations moving into shallow structure, and a stronger fall peak (Sep–Oct) reflects post-summer schooling near shorelines and jetties as water cools, with a mild summer lull when fish disperse to deeper, cooler water.
Flounder / Sole (Flatfish). Flatfish (English/rock/starry sole and flounder) are resident year-round in Bellingham Bay and Bellingham/Samish flats, so the curve stays broad and never hits zero. Abundance rises through spring as fish move onto shallow feeding flats and peaks mid-to-late summer (July–early September) when warm water and active feeding concentrate fish inshore, then tapers as they retreat to deeper, cooler water in fall and winter.
Herring. Pacific herring in Bellingham Bay and surrounding waters peak in late winter/early spring (Feb–Mar) as mature adults mass to spawn on eelgrass and kelp in the shallows, the historic Cherry Point stock timing. Abundance dips through summer as post-spawn adults disperse offshore, then builds again in fall/early winter as fish stage before the next spawning aggregation.
Squid - Opal. Opal (market) squid in Bellingham/Puget Sound waters show a bimodal inshore migration, with a spring-summer spawning aggregation (roughly May–July peaking in June) and a stronger fall run (Sept–Nov peaking late October) as squid move into shallow, lit waters near piers to spawn; abundance dips in mid-winter and early spring when most squid are offshore or in deeper cooler water.
Cabezon. Cabezon are resident, non-migratory ambush predators in Bellingham's rocky nearshore waters (San Juans, Chuckanut, Lummi reefs), so they're present year-round with a broad, flat curve. A modest spring peak (March–May) reflects nest-guarding males staging on shallow rocky structure during spawn, making them more concentrated and visible; late fall/winter shows slightly lower apparent abundance as fish disperse deeper in colder, stormier water.
Kelp Greenling. Kelp Greenling are year-round resident reef fish in Bellingham/San Juan waters with relatively stable abundance, but show a late-summer through early-fall peak (Aug–Oct) when juveniles recruit to nearshore kelp and adults aggregate for spawning. Winter shows mild decline as fish move slightly deeper off the rocky reefs.

Time of day on November 1, 2026

These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.

Cabezon8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours
Kelp Greenling8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours
Dungeness Crab10 AM to 6 PM · 9 fishable hours
Cod8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours
Pollock9 AM to 6 PM · 9 fishable hours
Surfperch11 AM to 6 PM · 8 fishable hours
Squid - Opal10 AM to 6 PM · 9 fishable hours

By species

Chinook Salmon

Peaks in July and August.

Bellingham-area Chinook (Areas 7/7B) peak in mid-to-late summer as North Sound and Fraser-bound stocks stage through Rosario Strait and the San Juans, with a clear July–August abundance high. A secondary winter blackmouth (resident feeder) presence keeps numbers moderate from late fall through early spring, with the lowest biological presence in late spring as outmigrating smolts have left and mature returns haven't yet arrived.

What the forecast weighs

Current
Fish moving water
Best once the tide is running at about 0.4 knots or more. The bite fades as the current drops away and dead slack is the worst of it, so plan the trip around the run of the ebb or the flood rather than the turn.
Water temp
Watch the water temperature
Feeding holds up between about 8.25°C and 13°C. Local water sits inside that band most of the year, so it rarely decides a day on its own.
Light
Go at first light
The bite is strongest with the sun low: from just before sunrise through the first couple of hours of daylight, and again as the light goes in the evening. Through the middle of a bright day it tails off, and scores follow it down.
Tide swing
Mind the size of the tide
A day's tide swing between about 5 and 10 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.
Waves
Pick your sea state
Wind wave between about 0 and 0 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.

Coho Salmon

Peaks in July, August and September.

Coho abundance in Bellingham-area waters (Bellingham Bay, Samish Bay, north Puget Sound) builds slowly through spring/summer as resident 'blackmouth'-style and feeder coho grow, ramps sharply in August as Fraser, Skagit, and Nooksack-bound migrants stage, and peaks late August through mid-September before fish push into the rivers. Numbers drop quickly through October and the stock is essentially absent from saltwater December through April.

What the forecast weighs

Water temp
Watch the water temperature
Feeding holds up between about 9.25°C and 13.25°C. Local water sits inside that band most of the year, so it rarely decides a day on its own.
Current
Fish moving water
Best once the tide is running at about 0.6 knots or more. The bite fades as the current drops away and dead slack is the worst of it, so plan the trip around the run of the ebb or the flood rather than the turn.
Light
Go at first light
The bite is strongest with the sun low: from just before sunrise through the first couple of hours of daylight, and again as the light goes in the evening. Through the middle of a bright day it tails off, and scores follow it down.
Waves
Pick your sea state
Wind wave between about 0 and 5 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.
Tide swing
Mind the size of the tide
A day's tide swing between about 5 and 10 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.

Halibut

Peaks in May, June, July and August.

Pacific Halibut migrate from deep offshore winter spawning grounds into inland waters near Bellingham as they follow forage onto the shallower banks in spring, peaking in mid-April through May. Abundance tapers through summer and fall as fish move back offshore to deeper shelf-edge habitat by late fall.

What the forecast weighs

Current
Fish the slack
Best from dead slack up to about 1.1 knots of tidal current, and unfishable by roughly 1.1 knots. In practice that is the window either side of high or low water, when gear hangs where you put it.
Water temp
Watch the water temperature
Feeding holds up between about 7.75°C and 11.25°C. Local water sits inside that band most of the year, so it rarely decides a day on its own.
Tide swing
Mind the size of the tide
A day's tide swing between about 5 and 10 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.
Waves
Pick your sea state
Wind wave between about 0 and 5 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.

Lingcod

Good in January, February, April, May, June, November and December.

Lingcod are resident year-round in the rocky reefs and pinnacles of the San Juans and Bellingham-area waters, so the curve never drops to zero. Abundance peaks in late spring through early summer (May–June) when mature fish move shallower to guard nests and aggregate on structure, then gradually declines through summer as fish disperse deeper. A mild winter low reflects post-spawn dispersal and deeper holding before the pre-spawn build-up resumes in late winter.

What the forecast weighs

Current
Fish moving water
Best once the tide is running at about 0.1 knots or more. The bite fades as the current drops away and dead slack is the worst of it, so plan the trip around the run of the ebb or the flood rather than the turn.
Water temp
Watch the water temperature
Feeding holds up between about 7.75°C and 11.75°C. Local water sits inside that band most of the year, so it rarely decides a day on its own.
Tide swing
Mind the size of the tide
A day's tide swing between about 5 and 10 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.
Waves
Pick your sea state
Wind wave between about 0 and 5 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.
Swell
Pick your sea state
Swell between about 0 and 5 feet is the productive band here; past that the day is about whether you can fish it at all.

Black Rockfish

Excellent in June, July and August.

Black rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers in Bellingham's San Juan/Rosario waters, so they're present year-round with only modest seasonal shifts. Abundance peaks in mid-to-late summer (July–August) when warmer water boosts baitfish schools and pushes fish into more accessible nearshore and shallow reef habitat, while winter shows a slight dip as fish hold deeper and less concentrated.

Rockfish (Aggregate)

Good in April, May, June, July, August and September.

Rockfish (mainly copper, quillback, black, yelloweye) are resident, long-lived, non-migratory species in Bellingham/San Juan waters, so abundance is essentially flat year-round. Slight spring bump reflects post-winter movement onto shallower reefs and pre-spawn aggregation (most local rockfish are live-bearers parturating spring through summer), with a mild winter dip as fish hold deeper and disperse.

Surfperch

Excellent in May and June.

Surfperch (mainly striped and pile perch) are resident year-round in Bellingham's inner waters like Bellingham Bay and around Chuckanut, so abundance never hits zero. A spring peak (Mar–Apr) reflects pre-spawn aggregations moving into shallow structure, and a stronger fall peak (Sep–Oct) reflects post-summer schooling near shorelines and jetties as water cools, with a mild summer lull when fish disperse to deeper, cooler water.

Flounder / Sole (Flatfish)

Excellent in June and July.

Flatfish (English/rock/starry sole and flounder) are resident year-round in Bellingham Bay and Bellingham/Samish flats, so the curve stays broad and never hits zero. Abundance rises through spring as fish move onto shallow feeding flats and peaks mid-to-late summer (July–early September) when warm water and active feeding concentrate fish inshore, then tapers as they retreat to deeper, cooler water in fall and winter.

Herring

Excellent in January, February, March, April and May.

Pacific herring in Bellingham Bay and surrounding waters peak in late winter/early spring (Feb–Mar) as mature adults mass to spawn on eelgrass and kelp in the shallows, the historic Cherry Point stock timing. Abundance dips through summer as post-spawn adults disperse offshore, then builds again in fall/early winter as fish stage before the next spawning aggregation.

Squid - Opal

Peaks in October, November and December.

Opal (market) squid in Bellingham/Puget Sound waters show a bimodal inshore migration, with a spring-summer spawning aggregation (roughly May–July peaking in June) and a stronger fall run (Sept–Nov peaking late October) as squid move into shallow, lit waters near piers to spawn; abundance dips in mid-winter and early spring when most squid are offshore or in deeper cooler water.

Cabezon

Good in January, February, November and December.

Cabezon are resident, non-migratory ambush predators in Bellingham's rocky nearshore waters (San Juans, Chuckanut, Lummi reefs), so they're present year-round with a broad, flat curve. A modest spring peak (March–May) reflects nest-guarding males staging on shallow rocky structure during spawn, making them more concentrated and visible; late fall/winter shows slightly lower apparent abundance as fish disperse deeper in colder, stormier water.

Kelp Greenling

Good in July, August, September, October, November and December.

Kelp Greenling are year-round resident reef fish in Bellingham/San Juan waters with relatively stable abundance, but show a late-summer through early-fall peak (Aug–Oct) when juveniles recruit to nearshore kelp and adults aggregate for spawning. Winter shows mild decline as fish move slightly deeper off the rocky reefs.

Common questions about Bellingham

›What is the best time of year to fish Bellingham?

It depends on the species. Chinook Salmon peaks in July and August. Coho Salmon peaks in July, August and September. Halibut peaks in May, June, July and August. Lingcod is good in January, February, April, May, June, November and December. Black Rockfish is excellent in June, July and August. Rockfish (Aggregate) is good in April, May, June, July, August and September.

›What time of day is best to fish Bellingham?

On November 1, 2026, the forecast windows are Cabezon 8 AM to 6 PM, Kelp Greenling 8 AM to 6 PM, Dungeness Crab 10 AM to 6 PM, Cod 8 AM to 6 PM, Pollock 9 AM to 6 PM, Surfperch 11 AM to 6 PM and Squid - Opal 10 AM to 6 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.

›How do tides and weather affect fishing in Bellingham?

Chinook Salmon: Current. Fish moving water Coho Salmon: Water temp. Watch the water temperature Halibut: Current. Fish the slack