Salmon City is living up to its name this morning, friends. First light is just creeping over the Olympic peaks—sunrise at 7:30 a.m. and we’ll wrap it up with sunset at 6:15 p.m. for those long-liners and dock dawdlers. Your local fishing report, straight from Artificial Lure, with all the details you need to get tight lines in Puget Sound.
Let’s talk weather, because no angler should ever leave the dock unprepared. Today’s forecast is classic Seattle October—overcast, a light chop, and a gentle southwesterly breeze. No major storms brewing, but enough cool in the air to keep you reaching for that extra layer. The tide is just starting to move—low at 7:22 a.m. with 1.55 feet at Discovery Bay, high at 2:23 p.m. at 5.68 feet. That incoming tide midday? Prime time for hungry fish and hungry anglers alike.
We’ve heard reports from across the Sound of a historic salmon run, with chum and pink staging at creek mouths and estuary drop-offs. The folks at QuietPeriodPlease have been tracking salmon stacking up in the Green, Duwamish, and Puyallup outflow zones. Pink salmon have surprised everyone with their surge this fall—silvery bright and feisty, just aching for a fight. And chum? According to local insiders, the run’s underway but fish are spread thin and competition is fierce, so patience and persistence will pay off. Over on the Union River, summer chum counts have just wrapped and biologists are smiling—numbers are up, but those fish are upriver now, leaving the salt for the rest of us to chase.
Saltwater jigging has been the ticket for pinks—flashy gear like coho killers, pink Buzz Bombs, and spoons in the 2.5 to 3.5-inch range. For chum, try hoochie rigs tipped with herring or a scent-soaked yarn fly. The old-timers down at the marina swear by chartreuse, pink, and blue, and who am I to argue? If you’re after Dungeness crab, winter season started this month and the catch is strong—local Coupeville crabbers pulled 36 in one haul just this week, but remember, only male crabs with a hard shell over six and a quarter inches are legal to keep. Turkey legs, chicken drumsticks, or even a fish carcass in your pot will get those crustaceans crawling in—just be sure to have your license and crab card on you.
Hot spots? Here’s a couple to set your sights on. For salmon, swing by the Point Defiance Boathouse—fish are hugging the drop-off as the tide comes in. The Alki Point ledge is another local favorite, especially for pinks with a few coho mixed in. If you’re hunting Dungeness, drop your pots off Polnell Point in Saratoga Passage, but be sure to mark your gear and check those pots quick—crabs have a way of walking out if you leave them too long.
Best bait? Fresh herring or sand shrimp for salmon, no contest. But if you’re feeling fancy, that turkey leg in your crab pot does double duty—tasty for you, even tastier for the crabs. For artificials, never leave home without those Buzz Bombs, spoons, and hoochies.
Fish activity is solid, folks. Pinks are aggressive, chum are here but finicky, and crab are straight-up plentiful. Dress warm, bring a buddy, and keep your wits about you—the Sound’s got a way of turning things on and off like a switch with the tides.
Thanks for tuning in, and don’t forget to subscribe so you never miss the bite from Artificial Lure. Get out there and make some memories—and if you see me on the water, show me your catch! This has been a quiet please production—for more, check out quiet please dot ai.
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