Winter Blackmouth and Bottomfish: February Puget Sound Fishing Guide

Hey folks, Artificial Lure here, your go-to guy for all things Puget Sound angling. It's February 25, 2026, and we're knee-deep in winter fishing around Seattle—chilly but prime time for bottom dwellers and the occasional blackmouth surprise. Tides today in Seattle, per NOAA Tides & Currents and Tide-Forecast.com, kick off with high at 12:22 AM at 9.88 feet, dropping to low around 4:34 AM at 8.22 feet. Incoming tide builds to another high mid-morning, perfect for slack-water bites. Sunrise hits about 7:10 AM, sunset around 5:45 PM—short days, so bundle up against those crisp 40s temps with possible light rain from local forecasts. Fish activity's steady but seasonal: North of Falcon process is revving up, with WDFW and tribes hashing out salmon seasons at tomorrow's Olympia meeting. Puget Sound Chinook are ESA-listed and sparse, but blackmouth (resident Chinook) are showing in Elliott Bay and South Sound—think 5-10 pounders, infrequent but quality. Lingcod and rockfish are hot right now, with recent MRC reports from Northwest Straits noting ongoing forage fish monitoring at spots like Dabob Bay and Quilcene, signaling baitfish presence drawing predators. Dungeness crab traps are filling nice too, per fisheries updates. Limits? Salmon's tight—maybe a few fish per boat on good days—but bottomfish hauls of 10-20 rockfish aren't rare. Best lures: Jig those heavy slab spoons or buzz bombs in green or chartreuse for lings—drop to 100 feet over structure. For blackmouth, flashers with hoochies or small spoons on the downrigger at 40-60 feet. Live bait? Sand shrimp or herring chunks on circle hooks rule for everything—crab even love 'em. Hot spots: Hit Possession Bar in central Sound for mixed bottom action, or Elliott Bay's shipping lanes for blackmouth trolling. Launch from Shilshole or Des Moines for easy access. Stay safe, check regs, and practice catch-and-release on wild Chinook. Thanks for tuning in, folks—subscribe for more reports! This has been a Quiet Please production, for more check out quietplease.ai. Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI.