Best Fishing Times in Seattle Today
Today's solunar windows
Rule-of-thumb windows (angler reference).
Solunar major window: 11:15 AM – 1:15 PM — an angler rule-of-thumb reference window, not a scientific prediction.
Local fishing guide
Common here: coho salmon · pink salmon · lingcod · surf smelt
Seattle’s fishing is Puget Sound: brackish, deep, and ruled by a 10-plus-foot tide swing. You don’t need a boat — the city’s public piers and pocket beaches put you on salmon runs from August into fall.
What runs when
- Pink salmon: odd years only (2025, 2027…), August-September, jumping visibly off west-facing beaches.
- Coho: August through October, from the piers on any moving tide.
- Lingcod: spring season on the jetty rocks — check the year’s season carefully.
- Surf smelt: summer spawning runs on the beaches; cast-net or jigs at the right tide.
Where to cast
Elliott Bay’s public piers (Pier 86 area) for coho; Alki Beach for pinks on the flood; Golden Gardens for smelt when the run is on.
Tide timing here
The Sound’s huge swing means shallow beaches are useless at low water — fish the top half of the tide, and the last two hours of the rise is the salmon window locals guard. It’s the exact window this page computes daily.
Rules to know
Washington saltwater license with salmon endorsement; pink/coho rules change by area and year — read the current WDFW regulations pamphlet before you go.
Rules: state fishing regulations · today's tide chart for Seattle →
Tide movement today
Today's tidal range in Seattle is 13.1 ft — close to the annual average of 11.3 ft. The classic rule of thumb: moving water around tide changes tends to fish better than slack tide, and the 2 hours before high tide is the window many anglers favor.
7-day solunar outlook
Gear for this window
- Fish finder / sonar (portable castable) — spot structure on moving tides
- Medium-action rod + 3000-size reel combo — all-round inshore setup
- Wading boots with felt/studded soles — slippery rocks at low tide
- Braid line 15 lb + fluorocarbon leader — feel the bite in current
Gear picks are general recommendations for this kind of tide window. Gear links coming soon.
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FAQ
What time is high tide in Seattle today?
Today in Seattle, high tide times are 5:41 AM (11.42 ft) and 3:43 PM (10.78 ft), local time (America/Los_Angeles), based on NOAA station 9447130.
What time is low tide in Seattle today?
Today's low tides in Seattle: 10:53 AM (6.93 ft) and 10:46 PM (-1.64 ft), local time, datum MLLW.
Is today good for fishing in Seattle?
Yes — solunar rates Seattle 5/5 today. Solunar major window: 11:15 AM – 1:15 PM — an angler rule-of-thumb reference window, not a scientific prediction.
Where is the tide measured for Seattle?
Tides for Seattle are predicted at NOAA CO-OPS station 9447130 (SEATTLE (Madison St.), Elliott Bay), 0.4 miles away — a reference station. Times are America/Los_Angeles (PT), heights in feet relative to MLLW datum.
Tide predictions for Seattle come from NOAA CO-OPS station 9447130 (SEATTLE (Madison St.), Elliott Bay), 0.4 mi away — a reference (harmonic) station — predictions are computed directly from harmonic constituents. Heights are in feet relative to the MLLW datum; all times are local to the station (America/Los_Angeles, PT). Source: NOAA Tides & Currents.
Data date: 2026-11-09 · page generated 2026-11-10 00:11 UTC · astronomical predictions, not observed water levels.