Puget Sound Fishing Report: Coho Surge, Blackmouth Action, and Squid Jigging

Artificial Lure here, bringing you the Sunday morning report for Puget Sound and the Seattle waterfront, November 2nd, 2025. The sun popped up right at 6:55 a.m., with sunset rolling in at 4:49 p.m., giving us just shy of 10 hours of daylight to put lines in the water before things get dark and chilly. Weather’s on the classic fall side: low 40s early, mid-50s for the high if we’re lucky, mostly cloudy and a light south breeze at 5–10 knots according to the Marine Weather Service, but no major storms rolling through. Tides are moving in steady cycles today. Our highs are at 1:47 a.m. (8.8 feet) and a heavier 1:58 p.m. (11.7 feet). Lows hit at 7:35 a.m. (2.1 feet) and 8:37 p.m. (1.6 feet), so prime bites will cluster around the early morning ebb and the afternoon fill—watch those transitions for heavy movement. The tidal coefficient sits pretty low through the morning, which means smaller currents and subtle swings, so finesse and slow presentations will get more attention. The big story on the saltwater lately has been the burst of late-season coho rolling south, with anglers seeing solid numbers around Elliott Bay, Shilshole, and down toward Tacoma’s harbors. Reports from The Outdoor Line and local forums back this up, with most boats tacking on at least a couple nice silvers per trip. Blackmouth (resident chinook) action has begun to pick up as water cools, especially off West Point and further out near Kingston, though most keepers are just under 10 pounds. Lingcod season’s closed now, but plenty of folks are switching to fall flounder and sole near the shallows off Des Moines and Alki. Pier anglers have found dependable catch rates for surf perch and smaller flatfish using bits of sand shrimp and clam, especially around the downtown piers. Squid jigging off the piers after sunset has been red hot the last few evenings—classic pink and glow tube jigs are the consistent winners for getting buckets filled. If you’re chasing coho, go with a 3-inch silver or blue-green spoon—Coho Killers and Needlefish have been the top hardware, trolled behind a seven-ounce sinker from 40 to 80 feet deep. Herring strips rigged with a small dodger are also drawing strikes in the morning on a slow troll. For blackmouth, small chrome-plated hoochies and white glow flashers are the ticket, with downriggers set tight to the bottom contours off West Point and Restoration Point. Hot spots worth a mention today: - **Elliott Bay**: Trollers are finding action near the ferry lanes and terminal piers, especially from dawn till 9 a.m. - **Shilshole Marina**: Deep water off the breakwall’s been productive for coho and blackmouth, and the public fishing pier sees steady squid catches after dark. - **Des Moines Marina**: Surprising numbers of flounder and sole within an hour after the morning low tide. Bait selection is all about matching the hatch: cut-plug herring is still unbeatable for boaters. Bank anglers should stick with sand shrimp, clam bits, or natural-colored This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.