UTERChum (dog) salmon fishing in Washington Coast and Puget Sound
In Washington Coast and Puget Sound, chum (dog) salmon peak November and are around October–December, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. November: Peak: South Sound chums at Kennedy Creek, Minter and Chico Creek mouths; casting jigs and drifting a float on the beach.
Hood Canal chums arrive at Hoodsport — big, mean fish on a chartreuse corky and yarn off the beach.
Chum (dog) salmon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound, month by month
- JanuaryNot here
- FebruaryNot here
- MarchNot here
- AprilNot here
- MayNot here
- JuneNot here
- JulyNot here
- AugustNot here
- SeptemberNot here
- OctoberArrivingHood Canal chums arrive at Hoodsport — big, mean fish on a chartreuse corky and yarn off the beach.
- NovemberPeakPeak: South Sound chums at Kennedy Creek, Minter and Chico Creek mouths; casting jigs and drifting a float on the beach.
- DecemberLeavingLate chums in the South Sound inlets.
Where to fish chum (dog) salmon near Ilwaco, Westport, La Push
An exposed outer coast (Westport, La Push, Neah Bay), the Columbia mouth and Willapa Bay at the south end, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and Puget Sound and Hood Canal — deep, cold fjords with points, kelp and steep shelves.
What to use for chum (dog) salmon
- HerringCut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run.
- Salmon eggs (roe)A dime-sized spawn sac tied in mesh, or single eggs on a #10 to #6 egg hook, drifted along the bottom for steelhead, trout and salmon. Check the state's rule — bait is banned on many trout and salmon waters.
- Leader20–40 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook#1–4/0
- Jig head1/8–1/2 oz
- Braid10–30 lb
Feeds in 42–58°F water, best at 46–54°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch chum (dog) salmon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Peak season is November. Chum (dog) salmon are in Washington Coast and Puget Sound October–December. November: Peak: South Sound chums at Kennedy Creek, Minter and Chico Creek mouths; casting jigs and drifting a float on the beach.
Where do chum (dog) salmon hold in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Look on beach / surf, pass / inlet, channel edge, river — around Ilwaco, Westport, La Push, Neah Bay, Sekiu, Seattle.
What is the best bait for chum (dog) salmon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Live bait: herring, salmon eggs (roe). Herring: Cut-plug for salmon: head off at an angle, guts out, two hooks in tandem so it spins slow behind a flasher or a banana weight. Whole and live on a circle hook for stripers where the herring run. Tackle: leader 20–40 lb fluorocarbon, hook #1–4/0, jig head 1/8–1/2 oz, braid 10–30 lb.
What are the rules for chum (dog) salmon in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Size and bag limits and closed seasons are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and change — read the current rule at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations before you keep a fish. A licence is sold at https://wdfw.wa.gov/licenses/fishing.
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