Puget Sound Fishing Report: Salmon Surge, Halibut Haul, and Coastal Cutthroat Crush

Artificial Lure here with your June 1st Puget Sound, Seattle, fishing report.

Sunrise hit at 5:13 a.m. and we’re looking at sunset just after 9:00 p.m. The Sound greeted anglers this morning with cool, partly cloudy skies, afternoon highs near 68°F, and moderate onshore winds—classic early summer Seattle weather. Tides today are swinging with a strong exchange, with a morning high around 7 a.m., dropping to a minus tide mid-afternoon, then filling back in for the evening bite—solid conditions for shoreline and boat anglers.

Let’s talk fish activity. As reported by the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife’s latest creel reports, it’s shaping up to be another banner year for Puget Sound salmon. The 2025 pink salmon forecast is a staggering 7.76 million—about 70% above the decade average—so expect a pink-fueled summer[Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife]. Right now, Chinook are starting to show in the north Sound and are moving steadily south; these “kings” will get thicker as we move further into June. Coho (silvers) are just beginning to make a showing, with the bulk of the run expected to arrive later this month, but a few resident silvers are already being picked up around the South Sound[PNW BestLife, Fishing Booker].

The Avid Angler’s latest reports from early May confirm that sea-run cutthroat are hunting beaches hard, chasing chum fry and sandlance—these are prime shore game with small flies or lures that mimic local fry, herring, shiner perch, or sandlance.

Bottom fishers, it’s been a good spring for halibut and lingcod, with halibut season running through June 30 in marine areas 5 through 10. There’s a one-fish daily limit, and barbless hooks are required for halibut and all bottomfish—don’t forget to log those catches on your record card[Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife].

Recent catch amounts? Salmon guides and local charters out of Shilshole and Edmonds are reporting swift Chinook action, with fish mostly in the 8–18 lb range, and some early pinks already in the mix. Halibut catches have been steady, especially on the midweek tides, with a few larger fish (30–40 lbs) landed off Possession Bar and Point Wilson.

Best lures and bait? For salmon, try 3”–5” herring or anchovy behind a green or white flasher, or herring-pattern spoons. If you’re chasing beach coho or cutthroat, small epoxy minnows, olive-over-white clousers, and pink/white hoochies are top picks. For halibut, it’s tough to beat a large herring or squid-tipped jig, with scent always upping your odds.

Hot spots today: Shilshole Bay is producing Chinook for early risers trolling tight to the bottom, and the south end of Bainbridge Island is seeing good action for both blackmouth and the first pinks. For shore anglers, Lincoln Park and Seahurst Park are putting out sea-run cutthroat and the occasional resident coho.

Thanks for tuning in to your Puget Sound fishing report. Don’t forget to subscribe for more on-the-water insights. This has been a Quiet Please production; for more, check out quietplease.ai.