UTERRockfish fishing in Washington Coast and Puget Sound
In Washington Coast and Puget Sound, rockfish peak April–October and are around year-round, according to Fish Scouter's month-by-month season calendar. April: Black rockfish on the coast reefs out of Westport, La Push and Neah Bay.
No note for October — see the months around it.
Rockfish in Washington Coast and Puget Sound, month by month
- JanuaryAround
- FebruaryAround
- MarchArriving
- AprilPeakBlack rockfish on the coast reefs out of Westport, La Push and Neah Bay.
- MayPeakHalibut opens on the coast; reefs on fire. Neah Bay, La Push and Westport halibut days (quota-driven); Willapa and Columbia estuary sturgeon.
- JunePeakCoast salmon opens; halibut, lings, rockfish. Kings on the troll out of Westport and Neah Bay; halibut at Swiftsure and the Blue Dot.
- JulyPeakPeak; Puget Sound rockfish rules are very different from the coast — check WDFW.
- AugustPeak
- SeptemberPeak
- OctoberPeak
- NovemberAround
- DecemberAround
Where to fish rockfish 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.
Fish Scouter charts 242 wreck spots in the Washington Coast & Puget Sound map area — the kinds rockfish hold on.
What to use for rockfish
- SquidStrips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig.
- Anchovies (Pacific)Nose- or collar-hooked on a #4 to 1/0 hook and fly-lined with no weight, or on a dropper loop; a dozen tossed over the side as chum keeps the bass and bonito up.
- 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.
- Leader30–60 lb fluorocarbon
- Hook2/0–7/0
- Braid30–65 lb
Feeds in 44–62°F water, best at 48–56°F.
Questions anglers ask
When is the best time to catch rockfish in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Peak season is April–October. Rockfish are here year-round. April: Black rockfish on the coast reefs out of Westport, La Push and Neah Bay.
Where do rockfish hold in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Look on artificial reef, ledge / hard bottom, fishing pier — around Ilwaco, Westport, La Push, Neah Bay, Sekiu, Seattle.
What is the best bait for rockfish in Washington Coast and Puget Sound?
Live bait: squid, anchovies (pacific), herring. Squid: Strips on a bottom rig for snapper, grunts and porgies; whole on a deep-drop rig. Tackle: leader 30–60 lb fluorocarbon, hook 2/0–7/0, braid 30–65 lb.
What are the rules for rockfish 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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All about rockfish · Washington Coast & Puget Sound, the whole year