Puget Sound Fishing Report: Coho, Cutthroat, and Bottom Dwellers Thrive in Fall Conditions

Artificial Lure here with your Puget Sound fishing report for Friday, September 26, 2025, bright and early at 7:32 am in Seattle. The air’s got that unmistakable fall snap, and we woke to sunrise officially beginning at 6:59 am, with sunset set for 7:05 pm tonight. Weather’s holding steady—a light marine layer, calm winds from the southwest and scattered clouds predicted mid-morning. Water temps are dropping, hovering in the mid-50s, perfect for igniting fish activity as they feed ahead of winter. Today’s tide is rolling in with a morning high at 8:01 am, then dropping out for a deep low around 1:32 pm. Afternoon bite should turn on strong during that outgoing tide, especially anywhere forage fish push in near the beaches. These cycles are prime for chasing coho salmon, sea-run cutthroat, and your reliable bottom dwellers. Angler reports from the past few days have put **coho** front and center. Fish have been moving in decent numbers, mainly averaging 4 to 6 pounds, with a few larger. Most catches are coming from deeper channels around West Point and Shilshole, but pods are showing up around Edmonds too. Nearshore, hatchery blackmouth are nipping in the mix and a good number of sea-run cutthroat are feeding on smelt and sand lance near the estuaries—think Meadowdale, Howarth Park, and Picnic Point as mentioned in the HeraldNet’s recent coverage of forage fish spawning in Snohomish County. The Puget Sound’s fall bottom fishing bite remains steady, with lings and cabezon still popping up. Reliable sources say rockfish and flounder are productive inside Elliott Bay and under the ferry lanes around Bainbridge. Best lures right now: - For **coho and blackmouth**: Try 3”–4” needlefish spoons (Coho Killer, Silver Horde, Nick’s) in green, blue, or army truck. Hootchie rigs and white/plaid Ace-Hi Flies tipped with herring strips are working wonders behind 11” flashers. - For **cutthroat**: Toss unweighted chartreuse Dick Nite spoons or 2”–3” minnow patterns like Sand Lance soft plastics, especially during the slack tide in the morning. - For **lingcod and rockfish**: Rig up with 4” curly tail grubs in root beer or motor oil, or go classic with a whole herring on jig heads. Certain days, a heavy metal jig bounced in rocky structure is all you need. Bait is always king if you have it—fresh or frozen herring, sand shrimp, and squirt worms are all producing. If you’re targeting bottom fish off the piers, a slip sinker rig with squid is a go-to. Hot spots to focus today: - **West Point** (mouth of Elliott Bay): The tide swing this morning means strong salmon pushes and bonus chance at big cutts chasing bait right at the point. - **Edmonds Pier and Oil Docks**: With active spawning reported by county scientists, smelt and sand lance are bringing in hordes of cutthroat, and the deeper water holds coho all day. - **Meadowdale Beach Park**: Reports this week note improved forage fish activity, and that’s the dinner bell for salmon and resident trout. Try ca This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.