Best Time to Fish Everett

When to fish Everett

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.

Chinook Salmon: January none, February poor, March fair, April good, May excellent, June excellent, July peak, August peak, September fair, October none, November none, December none. Coho Salmon: January none, February none, March none, April none, May none, June none, July good, August peak, September peak, October peak, November none, December none. Halibut: January none, February poor, March good, April peak, May peak, June peak, July excellent, August fair, September poor, October none, November none, December none. Lingcod: January fair, February good, March excellent, April good, May good, June good, July fair, August fair, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June good, July good, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Surfperch: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May peak, June excellent, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair. Flounder / Sole (Flatfish): January poor, February fair, March good, April good, May good, June good, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December poor. Herring: January peak, February peak, March excellent, April poor, May poor, June poor, July poor, August poor, September poor, October fair, November fair, December excellent. Squid - Opal: January good, February none, March none, April poor, May fair, June fair, July poor, August fair, September peak, October peak, November peak, December excellent.

• Chinook Salmon. Everett's Possession Sound and nearby Puget Sound waters see resident (blackmouth) Chinook present through winter and spring at moderate levels, with a rising baseline as feeder fish grow. The dominant peak is the summer migratory run (late July–August, weeks 27–31) as mature Chinook stage before entering the Snohomish/Skykomish systems, tapering sharply through September as fish move upriver.
• Coho Salmon. Everett's Coho are dominated by the fall run staging in Possession Sound and Port Gardner, peaking early-to-mid September (weeks 35-37) as adults return toward the Snohomish system before rains push them upriver by mid-October. A minor secondary bump in late spring/early summer (weeks 16-24) reflects resident/'blackmouth-style' feeder coho and early jacks in the sound, while the stock is biologically absent through winter.
• Halibut. Pacific halibut in the inner waters near Everett (Puget Sound / Possession Sound region) are a marginal, seasonal presence with a spring-summer peak (roughly May–July) as fish move onto shallower feeding grounds; abundance thins through late summer and fall as fish return to deeper offshore waters, leaving a low but non-zero winter baseline. This region sits at the edge of the halibut's inland range, so overall presence is modest year-round with a clear late-spring/early-summer bulge.
• Lingcod. Lingcod are resident, non-migratory Puget Sound bottomfish present year-round in Everett-area waters, so abundance stays near baseline. The late-winter/spring peak (Feb–Apr) reflects nest-guarding males concentrated and holding tight on rocky structure during the spawning/egg-guarding period, making local density highest before they disperse post-spawn.
• Black Rockfish. Black Rockfish are resident, long-lived, non-migratory reef fish in Puget Sound waters near Everett, so abundance stays relatively flat year-round with no true biological absence. The slight late-spring through summer peak reflects warmer water pushing fish shallower and more concentrated over nearshore rocky structure, while winter shows modest dispersal into deeper water.
• Surfperch. Surfperch (shiner/pile/striped) are resident in Puget Sound around Everett year-round, so the curve never hits zero. The strongest peak is late spring/early summer (May–June) when perch stage inshore to give birth near pilings and eelchgrass, with a secondary early-fall bump as fish feed heavily before cooling water pushes them slightly deeper in winter.
• Flounder / Sole (Flatfish). Flatfish (English/sand sole, starry flounder) are resident year-round in Puget Sound's Possession Sound near Everett, so abundance never hits zero. The spring peak reflects post-spawn migration into shallower feeding flats as water warms and prey increases (March–June), with a modest late-summer bump before fish drift to deeper, more stable water in winter.
• Herring. Pacific herring concentrate heavily in Port Gardner and Possession Sound during the late winter–spring pre-spawn and spawning aggregation (Feb–May), with the sharpest peak in March–April when adults mass on eelgrass and kelp spawning grounds. Abundance dips through late summer/fall as post-spawn adults disperse to deeper feeding areas, though resident sub-populations keep a moderate year-round baseline in these inland Puget Sound waters.
• Squid - Opal. Opal (market) squid in Puget Sound around Everett show a bimodal jigging pattern, with a strong late-spring/early-summer influx (May–June) and a larger fall run (Sept–Oct) as squid move into inshore piers and lit waters to spawn. Winter and mid-summer see lower but non-zero abundance since some squid remain in the sound year-round.

Common questions about Everett