Best Time to Fish La Push

When to fish La Push

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

• Chinook Salmon. La Push Chinook peak in mid-to-late summer (late June–August) as ocean feeder kings and returning mature fish stage off the Quillayute system near the coast. Abundance builds through spring as offshore fish move inshore and tails off by fall once the run enters the river; winter months show only sparse resident/feeder Chinook offshore.
• Halibut. Pacific halibut off La Push move onto nearshore and shelf-edge feeding grounds as water warms, showing a spring peak (late April–May) tied to post-spawn migration inshore and a strong summer feeding presence (June–September) when they aggregate over banks like Swiftsure and the continental shelf. Abundance drops through late fall and winter as adults retreat to deep offshore spawning grounds along the shelf break, leaving comparatively few fish in accessible waters January–March.
• Lingcod. Lingcod are resident, structure-oriented reef fish present year-round off La Push, so the curve stays broad rather than showing a true migratory gap. Abundance peaks in late winter/early spring (Feb–Apr) when males guard nests in shallower nearshore rocky habitat and fish concentrate for spawning, with a secondary lift in early fall as recruits and feeding fish stack on reefs before deeper winter dispersal.
• Coho Salmon. La Push coho are absent in winter/early spring while at sea; feeder/immature 'blueback' coho begin showing on the offshore banks by late spring and build through summer, with peak ocean abundance in late August through mid-September as mature fish stage before their fall river return, then a rapid drop as fish enter the Quillayute system by October.
• Black Rockfish. Black rockfish are non-migratory, year-round residents of La Push's coastal reefs, meaning they are never biologically absent. The prominent summer peak reflects their behavior of forming massive, dense mid-water feeding aggregations around nearshore pinnacles and kelp forests when coastal upwelling drives baitfish abundance. In late winter, they tend to disperse or hold tighter to deeper bottom structure during their parturition (live-bearing) season.
• Surfperch. Redtail surfperch are present year-round in La Push surf zones but show a strong spring peak (March–May) when they gather in nearshore surf to spawn, and a secondary late-summer peak (July–August) tied to warmer water and juvenile recruitment. Abundance dips in late fall and winter as fish move slightly offshore to deeper, calmer water during heavy Pacific swells.
• Flounder / Sole (Flatfish). La Push flatfish (English/Dover/rock sole, sanddabs) are resident year-round on nearshore sand and mud, so abundance stays broad without true gaps. Peak occurs late spring through early summer (Apr–Jun) when adults move onto shallower feeding grounds and spawn-recovered fish concentrate, with a modest secondary bump in early fall; winter shows the lowest presence as fish shift to deeper offshore basins during the storm season.
• Herring. Pacific herring near La Push peak in late winter/early spring (Feb–March) when adults stage and spawn on nearshore eelgrass and kelp along the Olympic coast, with a secondary summer buildup of feeding schools nearshore. Late fall through early winter shows the lowest presence as spawned-out and post-spawn fish disperse to deeper offshore waters.
• Squid - Opal. Opal (market) squid off La Push on the outer Washington coast peak in late summer through early fall (roughly Aug–Oct) when warmer nearshore water and abundant baitfish concentrate spawning aggregations near the surface at night. A weaker secondary bump appears in late spring as water begins warming, while mid-winter presence is thin and dispersed offshore in deeper, colder water.

Common questions about La Push