Chinook salmon fishing in Puget Sound is a bucket-list experience for many anglers, and for good reason. With its deep waters, strong tides, and diverse marine life, Puget Sound offers some of the best opportunities to target salmon in the Pacific Northwest. Recently, we had the chance to hit the water near Tacoma the NRS team and learn firsthand what it takes to land these prized fish.
Preparing for the Day on the Water
One of the first lessons in chinook salmon fishing is that preparation matters. Stopping by a local tackle shop, we picked up essential gear: Gamakatsu circle hooks, swivels, leader line, and beads. The bait of choice included anchovies in several sizes and labels, all rigged to run behind flashers and downriggers.
For newcomers, downrigger fishing can feel intimidating. Unlike other types of fishing where you’re constantly holding the rod, this style relies on heavy weights and precise depth control. The goal? To drop your bait to where salmon are holding, often 140–180 feet down, and let the gear do its job.
Learning the Techniques of Chinook Salmon Fishing
On Puget Sound, tides and structure play a huge role. Running flashers with anchovies and adjusting depth with Canon downriggers gave us the best chance at drawing bites. The action can be subtle—sometimes nothing more than a light bounce on the rod tip signals a strike. When that happens, reeling down quickly and popping the line off the downrigger clip is key to setting the hook.
We learned that chinook salmon fishing windows are often short, tied directly to tide swings. Missing that bite window can mean a slow day, but even then, the time spent learning and experimenting is invaluable.
The Thrill of Hooking a Chinook
Patience paid off. After hours of trolling, the rod finally bent, and the fight was on. Watching the chrome flash of a chinook salmon rise from the depths was unforgettable. Some were wild fish that had to be released due to their intact adipose fins, but the hatchery fish provided the reward of fresh salmon fillets for dinner.
Catching a first king salmon is a milestone every angler remembers. The excitement on board was contagious, and soon another chinook was on the line. These fish hit hard, run fast, and test every part of your setup.
Why Puget Sound is a Salmon Fishing Paradise
Beyond the thrill of chinook salmon fishing, Puget Sound offers an unmatched variety of opportunities. Depending on the season, anglers can target not only salmon but also halibut, lingcod, and shellfish. With stunning scenery, strong fishing traditions, and access to the Pacific Ocean just beyond Deception Pass, it’s easy to see why Puget Sound is considered the cradle of sport fishing in Washington.
For us, the trip ended with the perfect combination: fresh halibut and chinook salmon cooked the same day they were caught. Few things capture the essence of the Pacific Northwest better than that.
