Experience Seattle's Diverse Fishing Opportunities
With the breathtaking beauty of Puget Sound and the unique culture of the Pacific Northwest, Seattle is a one-of-a-kind fishing destination in the United States.
Complete Guide to Fishing in Seattle
Cut Plug Charters is your local area expert on all things fishing in Seattle, WA. Want to know what type of fish you can catch? When the fishing seasons are? We are here to help. Whether you're inclined towards salmon fishing or bottom fishing, summer or winter, Seattle has a fishing opportunity for you.
2026 Seattle Fishing Calendar
We are excited to announce the dates for Seattle fishing charters in 2026!
King (Chinook) Salmon Fishing
Tacoma departures
- January 1st - June 15th, 2026
- November 15th - December 30th, 2026
Seattle departures
- April 1st - 30th, 2026
- July 16th - early August, 2026
Coho (Silver) Salmon Fishing
Seattle departures
- June 1st - November 15th, 2026
Chum (Keta) Salmon Fishing
Seattle departures
- October 15th - November 15th, 2026
Lingcod Fishing
Seattle departures
- May 1st - June 15th, 2026
Flounder Fishing
Seattle departures
- Year-round
Fishing Seasons in Seattle
Lingcod: May-June 15th
Chinook (King) Salmon: June-August
Coho (Silver) Salmon: June, September-November
Chum (Keta) Salmon: October-November
Winter Chinook Salmon (Blackmouth): November-April
All Seasons subject to change; dependent on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife season setting. Call to confirm current fishing season dates.
Monthly Fishing Opportunities in Seattle
Seattle offers anglers year-round fishing opportunities! No matter the month, you will have the opportunity to catch fish, whether you are a local fisherman or a visiting tourist. Here are the fishing opportunities you can expect in Seattle on a month-by-month basis:
January Fishing in Seattle
We kick off the annual fishing season in Seattle by chasing Blackmouth, also called Winter King Salmon. Temperatures are cold during this first quarter of the year, but fishing can be very exciting and typically involves the use of a variety of fishing techniques since the Blackmouth are more spread out from January through March.
Read more about Blackmouth fishing in January on our blog.
February Fishing in Seattle
During February, we continue chasing Blackmouth (Winter King/Chinook salmon) while larger, more mature Chinook salmon begin filtering into the Puget Sound. Fishing conditions during February may be cold, but if you can tough it out you will be rewarded with some quality fish, both in size and taste.
Read more about winter Blackmouth fishing in February on our blog.
March Fishing in Seattle
In March, the weather starts to warm up and large amounts of herring bait fish start swarming into the Puget Sound, bringing feeding king salmon with them. Mature king salmon are our primary focus during March, but there is still a mix of winter and spring Chinook in the area this time of year too, making it a great month to enjoy target-rich fishing!
Read more about Seattle King salmon fishing in March on our blog.
April Fishing in Seattle
In April, we are still chasing the tail end of the Winter Chinook/Blackmouth season, but also enter into the Early Spring Chinook fishing season. Essentially, April salmon fishing in Seattle offers anglers the opportunity to target two separate "hatches" of Chinook salmon during the short period when they are congregated in the same areas. The winter chinook are young, non-migratory resident fish, and the spring chinook are early migratory fish that are generally quite a bit bigger.
This action-packed fishing and the improving weather make April one of our favorite months for fishing in Seattle.
May Fishing in Seattle
May is an excellent month to come chase lingcod with us as it is the first chance to target these fish since mid-June of the previous year. We mainly use live bait for lingcod, but some days require the use of a variety of techniques to entice a bite. These bottom fishing trips are great for all ages, as the action is generally pretty good with lingcod or other bottom fish like flounder.
Whether you’re looking to brush up on your Puget Sound lingcod fishing skills or looking for a fun activity to do with family and friends while visiting Seattle, lingcod fishing should be at the top of your list for May! Learn more about Seattle fishing in May.
June Fishing in Seattle
June fishing in Seattle consists of both lingcod and salmon fishing, depending on the day. The first half of June poses a unique opportunity where we can chase both lingcod and salmon on the same day! The last half of June is full-swing salmon fishing as we get to chase king and coho salmon. We focus on light tackle fishing, where you will feel the fish bite and fight! These early-summer salmon are great eating fish as they aren’t ready to spawn anytime soon. They are full of fat reserves and Omega-3s, so not only are you going to have an awesome time on the water fishing, but you will also get to bring home some of the best-eating salmon of the year!
July/August Fishing in Seattle
When July and August roll around, the one thing that comes to mind is chinook season! During these two months, we try to target king salmon as much as possible, as we have limited harvest seasons on chinook. Generally, July and August produce some of the biggest catches of the year because the salmon are migrating through the Puget Sound to head upstream to spawn. Then, beginning in mid August, the pink salmon start moving into the Puget Sound by the millions, offering the highest catch rates of the year.
July/August fishing in Seattle is as good as it gets! Book your charter while you can because once the availability is gone, you probably won’t see a date open up.
September Fishing in Seattle
In September, the coho come flooding in from the Pacific Ocean, and we get a chance to chase them before they hit the freshwater. This has has been a rock-solid month for the past few seasons, with limits of coho salmon being caught regularly with a good average size. These coho are great biting fish, as that’s all they want to do before switching to migration mode. You don’t want to miss out on September salmon fishing in Seattle!
October Fishing in Seattle
October fishing is a good mix of big late-run Coho. As the month progresses, generally the coho decrease in quantity but make up for it in size! In the mixture of coho salmon in October, we also see some chum salmon mix in with more and more chum salmon filtering in through the fall. Flounder fishing, if the weather cooperates, is generally really good in October as well.
November Fishing in Seattle
November is a great month to get out and do some winter crabbing combined with a fishing charter. In November, we generally target chum salmon at the beginning of the month, with some coho salmon mixed in. As the month rolls on, we target blackmouth salmon down in the South Sound, and usually, there’s a good mix between chum salmon and blackmouth down there in November and going into December.
December Fishing in Seattle
The fishing generally slows down a bit in December, but winter Blackmouth fishing can still be great, and the crabbing is very strong most years—a good opportunity to get a delicious addition to your holiday dinner!
