Top Fishing Trips
Blackmouth Salmon Fishing in Washington’s Puget Sound
Washington is often considered an angler’s paradise, boasting an array of rivers, lakes, and coastline. The varied experiences and beautiful scenery are enough to satisfy nearly every type of fisherman. When it comes to iconic guided fishing trips, however, none say Washington quite like salmon fishing found in Seattle’s Puget Sound.
Several different species of salmon populate this area – Chinook (king) salmon, Coho, sockeye, and pink, just to name a few – but the Chinook tends to be the most popular season after season. So popular, in fact, that trips dedicated to Chinook, king, or Quinnat salmon can be found dotting the coastline in peak season. However, juvenile Chinooks, also known as blackmouths, are the region’s best-kept secret for the off season.
What Makes Blackmouth Fishing Unique
Washington’s Chinook season runs through the spring and summer months, but blackmouth season targets these fish when they are juveniles, settling the best fishing dates solidly between November and February. Free of much of the dense salmon traffic, this is a great time to hit the Puget Sound and there are many local guides focused on winter varieties. Blackmouths are found aplenty in some of the best winter fishing spots in the region.
Washington blackmouths are simply juvenile Chinook salmon feeding in waters close to the coast before heading out into the greater Pacific. Though blackmouths are smaller than adult Chinooks, they are far from small, averaging 5 to 7 pounds in size to just over 20. Whatever their size, these fish are hungry and can often be feisty, providing the angler with the kind of exciting fight sought after by those looking for top fishing experiences in the Puget Sound.
Finding the Blackmouth
Juveniles of any animal species tend to be hungry, and blackmouths are no exception. These fish tend to gather around bait fish populations to engage in winter feeding, and the location of these bait fish concentrations is essential to the best blackmouth fishing. These concentrations can be found up and down the northwest coast, particularly in Washington.
Washington boasts several areas rich in blackmouth, but the south Puget Sound consistently pops up in expert lists of known blackmouth hotspots. In fact, the Puget Sound area coined the term for a popular method for snagging this and other salmon – mooching – and there are a host of local fishing guides that offer trips and advice regarding this method. Other methods, such as downrigger trolling or vertical jigging, allow for fishing all the varied depths of the Sound, and a seasoned guide can be a wealth of information when it comes to the best methodology to use.
Feeling like adding some adventure to what can be a bleak, dull, time of year? A fishing trip that doesn’t require a hole in the ice can be an ideal remedy for winter boredom, and blackmouth fishing in Washington’s Puget Sound is a unique experience every angler should consider.
Reach Out to These Fishing Guides in Washington
Find a local guide with the knowhow to help make the most of your Washington blackmouth salmon fishing experience. A guided fishing trip can provide the expertise needed to locate the local hotspots and best practices needed to maximize your catch.
Several different species of salmon populate this area – Chinook (king) salmon, Coho, sockeye, and pink, just to name a few – but the Chinook tends to be the most popular season after season. So popular, in fact, that trips dedicated to Chinook, king, or Quinnat salmon can be found dotting the coastline in peak season. However, juvenile Chinooks, also known as blackmouths, are the region’s best-kept secret for the off season.
What Makes Blackmouth Fishing Unique
Washington’s Chinook season runs through the spring and summer months, but blackmouth season targets these fish when they are juveniles, settling the best fishing dates solidly between November and February. Free of much of the dense salmon traffic, this is a great time to hit the Puget Sound and there are many local guides focused on winter varieties. Blackmouths are found aplenty in some of the best winter fishing spots in the region.
What Makes Blackmouth Fishing Unique