Best Time to Fish Seattle

Months come from each species' own season curve around Seattle. 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 Seattle

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 Seattle
Species	January	February	March	April	May	June	July	August	September	October	November	December
Chinook Salmon
Coho Salmon
Halibut
Lingcod
Dungeness Crab
Black Rockfish
Chum salmon
Pink salmon
Rockfish (Aggregate)
Surfperch
Flounder / Sole (Flatfish)
Herring
Squid - Opal

Chinook Salmon. Puget Sound Chinook show a resident 'blackmouth' presence through winter and early spring, a building summer run as Hood Canal, Stillaguamish, Skagit and Snohomish-bound fish stage in Area 9/10 from late June through July (peak mid-to-late July), and a secondary September pulse of Green/Duwamish-bound fall Chinook moving through Elliott Bay. Late fall through midwinter abundance dips as mature fish enter rivers before sub-adult feeders rebuild numbers.
Coho Salmon. Coho abundance in Puget Sound builds through summer as resident 'blackmouth' coho fatten on baitfish, then peaks in late August through mid-September when mature ocean returns stage off river mouths like the Duwamish, Puyallup, and Snohomish. By mid-October most fish have pushed into freshwater, leaving the saltwater nearly empty through winter and early spring.
Halibut. Pacific halibut migrate into Puget Sound and nearshore Washington waters from deeper offshore spawning grounds in spring, with peak biological abundance from mid-April through May. Numbers taper through summer as fish disperse, and most halibut return to deeper offshore waters by fall and winter, leaving only a residual population in inland waters.
Lingcod. Lingcod are resident in Puget Sound year-round, so abundance never drops to zero. The clear peak occurs March–May when mature fish move onto nearshore rocky reefs to spawn and males guard egg masses, concentrating the local biomass; summer through winter shows a slow taper as fish disperse back to deeper structure.
Dungeness Crab. Dungeness crab are resident year-round in Puget Sound, but abundance of legal-sized hard-shell males peaks in late summer (Aug–Sep) after the summer molt hardens shells and fills them out. Spring (weeks 12–18) shows the lowest catchable biomass as many crabs are soft-shelled and hollow post-molt, with a gradual recovery through summer into the fall peak.
Black Rockfish. Black rockfish are non-migratory residents of Puget Sound rocky reefs and remain present year-round, so the curve stays broad and flat near baseline. Slight peaks in late spring through summer reflect warmer, more stable water pushing fish shallower and more concentrated on structure, with minor winter dips as fish hold deeper and less actively aggregate.
Chum salmon. Puget Sound chum are a strongly pulsed late-fall run, essentially absent until adults stage in nearshore Seattle waters (Sound, Duwamish/Green, Piper's Creek) starting mid-October. Peak abundance hits early-to-mid November (weeks 43–44) as fish school up before pushing into rivers, then tapers sharply through December with negligible presence the rest of the year.
Pink salmon. Pink salmon in Puget Sound run only in ODD-numbered years, so a real curve would be flat zero on even years; this shows the odd-year pattern with adults staging and pushing through Seattle-area marine waters mid-August through mid-September, peaking hard around late August to early September before they enter rivers to spawn.
Rockfish (Aggregate). Rockfish are extremely long-lived, sedentary, structure-oriented residents of Puget Sound rocky reefs and do not migrate, so biological abundance stays essentially flat at baseline year-round. Minor variation reflects only subtle seasonal aggregation/dispersal, not stock presence, which remains constant throughout the year.
Surfperch. Surfperch are resident year-round in Puget Sound waters, so abundance never drops to zero, but shiner and pile perch aggregate strongly in spring-summer (May-August) when they move inshore to shallow beaches and pilings to give live birth. A late-summer/early-fall secondary bump reflects post-spawn feeding and juvenile recruitment before fish disperse to deeper water in winter.
Flounder / Sole (Flatfish). Flatfish (English sole, sand dab, starry flounder) reside in Puget Sound year-round, so abundance never hits zero. Spring spawning aggregations (Mar–Apr) and peak summer/early-fall feeding on shallow flats (Aug–Sep) drive the two broad peaks, while cold winter months push fish deeper and slow feeding for a modest low.
Herring. Puget Sound Pacific herring are resident year-round but abundance concentrates during the late-winter/early-spring spawning aggregation, with a strong peak roughly late January through March as adults mass in nearshore eelgrass areas (e.g., Cherry Point, central Sound). A milder summer bump reflects juvenile recruitment and feeding schools, while late fall shows the seasonal low as fish disperse and forage offshore.
Squid - Opal. Opal (market) squid in Puget Sound show a bimodal inshore migration, with a spring push (roughly April–May) and a stronger fall/early-winter run (September–November) when they aggregate around lighted piers in Elliott Bay and along the waterfront. Deep-winter and mid-summer months see lower nearshore abundance as squid stay offshore or in deeper water.

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.

Coho Salmon3 PM to 6 PM · 6 fishable hours
Dungeness Crab8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours
Chum salmon3 PM to 6 PM · 6 fishable hours
Pink salmon3 PM to 6 PM · 6 fishable hours
Surfperch8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours
Herring8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours
Squid - Opal8 AM to 6 PM · 10 fishable hours

By species

Chinook Salmon

Peaks in August.

Puget Sound Chinook show a resident 'blackmouth' presence through winter and early spring, a building summer run as Hood Canal, Stillaguamish, Skagit and Snohomish-bound fish stage in Area 9/10 from late June through July (peak mid-to-late July), and a secondary September pulse of Green/Duwamish-bound fall Chinook moving through Elliott Bay. Late fall through midwinter abundance dips as mature fish enter rivers before sub-adult feeders rebuild numbers.

What the forecast weighs

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.
Current
Fish moving water
Best once the tide is running at about 1.5 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.

Coho Salmon

Peaks in July, August and September.

Coho abundance in Puget Sound builds through summer as resident 'blackmouth' coho fatten on baitfish, then peaks in late August through mid-September when mature ocean returns stage off river mouths like the Duwamish, Puyallup, and Snohomish. By mid-October most fish have pushed into freshwater, leaving the saltwater nearly empty through winter and early spring.

What the forecast weighs

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.
Current
Fish moving water
Best once the tide is running at about 1.5 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.

Halibut

Peaks in April, May, June and July.

Pacific halibut migrate into Puget Sound and nearshore Washington waters from deeper offshore spawning grounds in spring, with peak biological abundance from mid-April through May. Numbers taper through summer as fish disperse, and most halibut return to deeper offshore waters by fall and winter, leaving only a residual population in inland waters.

What the forecast weighs

Current
Fish the slack
Best from dead slack up to about 0.5 knots of tidal current, and unfishable by roughly 2.5 knots. In practice that is the window either side of high or low water, when gear hangs where you put it.

Lingcod

Excellent in March and April.

Lingcod are resident in Puget Sound year-round, so abundance never drops to zero. The clear peak occurs March–May when mature fish move onto nearshore rocky reefs to spawn and males guard egg masses, concentrating the local biomass; summer through winter shows a slow taper as fish disperse back to deeper structure.

What the forecast weighs

Current
Fish the slack
Best from dead slack up to about 0.5 knots of tidal current, and unfishable by roughly 2.5 knots. In practice that is the window either side of high or low water, when gear hangs where you put it.

Dungeness Crab

Excellent in August, September and October.

Dungeness crab are resident year-round in Puget Sound, but abundance of legal-sized hard-shell males peaks in late summer (Aug–Sep) after the summer molt hardens shells and fills them out. Spring (weeks 12–18) shows the lowest catchable biomass as many crabs are soft-shelled and hollow post-molt, with a gradual recovery through summer into the fall peak.

Black Rockfish

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

Black rockfish are non-migratory residents of Puget Sound rocky reefs and remain present year-round, so the curve stays broad and flat near baseline. Slight peaks in late spring through summer reflect warmer, more stable water pushing fish shallower and more concentrated on structure, with minor winter dips as fish hold deeper and less actively aggregate.

Chum salmon

Peaks in October and November.

Puget Sound chum are a strongly pulsed late-fall run, essentially absent until adults stage in nearshore Seattle waters (Sound, Duwamish/Green, Piper's Creek) starting mid-October. Peak abundance hits early-to-mid November (weeks 43–44) as fish school up before pushing into rivers, then tapers sharply through December with negligible presence the rest of the year.

Pink salmon

Peaks in August and September.

Pink salmon in Puget Sound run only in ODD-numbered years, so a real curve would be flat zero on even years; this shows the odd-year pattern with adults staging and pushing through Seattle-area marine waters mid-August through mid-September, peaking hard around late August to early September before they enter rivers to spawn.

Rockfish (Aggregate)

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

Rockfish are extremely long-lived, sedentary, structure-oriented residents of Puget Sound rocky reefs and do not migrate, so biological abundance stays essentially flat at baseline year-round. Minor variation reflects only subtle seasonal aggregation/dispersal, not stock presence, which remains constant throughout the year.

Surfperch

Peaks in June.

Surfperch are resident year-round in Puget Sound waters, so abundance never drops to zero, but shiner and pile perch aggregate strongly in spring-summer (May-August) when they move inshore to shallow beaches and pilings to give live birth. A late-summer/early-fall secondary bump reflects post-spawn feeding and juvenile recruitment before fish disperse to deeper water in winter.

Flounder / Sole (Flatfish)

Excellent in August.

Flatfish (English sole, sand dab, starry flounder) reside in Puget Sound year-round, so abundance never hits zero. Spring spawning aggregations (Mar–Apr) and peak summer/early-fall feeding on shallow flats (Aug–Sep) drive the two broad peaks, while cold winter months push fish deeper and slow feeding for a modest low.

Herring

Peaks in February.

Puget Sound Pacific herring are resident year-round but abundance concentrates during the late-winter/early-spring spawning aggregation, with a strong peak roughly late January through March as adults mass in nearshore eelgrass areas (e.g., Cherry Point, central Sound). A milder summer bump reflects juvenile recruitment and feeding schools, while late fall shows the seasonal low as fish disperse and forage offshore.

Squid - Opal

Peaks in January, September, October, November and December.

Opal (market) squid in Puget Sound show a bimodal inshore migration, with a spring push (roughly April–May) and a stronger fall/early-winter run (September–November) when they aggregate around lighted piers in Elliott Bay and along the waterfront. Deep-winter and mid-summer months see lower nearshore abundance as squid stay offshore or in deeper water.

Common questions about Seattle

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

It depends on the species. Chinook Salmon peaks in August. Coho Salmon peaks in July, August and September. Halibut peaks in April, May, June and July. Lingcod is excellent in March and April. Dungeness Crab is excellent in August, September and October. Black Rockfish is good in March, April, May, June, July, August and September.

›What time of day is best to fish Seattle?

On November 1, 2026, the forecast windows are Coho Salmon 3 PM to 6 PM, Dungeness Crab 8 AM to 6 PM, Chum salmon 3 PM to 6 PM, Pink salmon 3 PM to 6 PM, Surfperch 8 AM to 6 PM, Herring 8 AM to 6 PM and Squid - Opal 8 AM to 6 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.

›How do tides and weather affect fishing in Seattle?

Chinook Salmon: Light. Go at first light Coho Salmon: Light. Go at first light Halibut: Current. Fish the slack