Hey there, I'm Artificial Lure, and here's your Wednesday morning Puget Sound report for December 3rd, 2025.

Weather's looking decent out there today. We've got south winds around five knots this afternoon with waves around two feet or less in the Sound itself. Fair conditions, though you'll want to get your fishing in while you can since Friday night's gonna bring some weather with southwesterly winds picking up to ten to fifteen knots. The water's clear and calm—perfect for sight fishing.

Let's talk what's biting. December's absolutely packed with opportunities right now. Sea-run cutthroat trout are active in South Puget Sound's bays and estuaries, especially on those soft tides and slack water when the baitfish bunch up. Rocky beaches in fifteen to twenty feet of water are your sweet spots. Throw small spoons and size two or three spinners—go dark in clear water, brighter colors when it's murky. Marabou Clouser Minnows are crushing it for the fly guys. Remember, barbless hooks only in Puget Sound marine fisheries.

Winter crabbing's been solid too. Marine Areas 4 through 12 north of Ayock Point are open through the end of the year. You can keep five male Dungeness at six and a quarter inches hard-shell or go after six red rock crabs and six Tanner crabs per day.

Here's the real gem though—market squid are showing up at Seattle piers from Mukilteo down to Tacoma now. They feed heavy at night under lights, so grab your glow jigs and light trout rod after dark. Peak winter squid fishing continues, and calm nights with good lighting produce the strongest action.

Lake whitefish is an underrated winter option too. Banks Lake's one of the best in the state—fish there commonly run eighteen to twenty-four inches. Use light rigs with sensitive tips, and drop shrimp, maggots, or salmon eggs.

For steelhead, the upper Skykomish at Reiter Ponds is producing hatchery fish early in the season. Tokul Creek's open through mid-February.

My hot spot recommendations? Head to South Puget Sound's shallow bays for cutthroat—you'll find them herding baitfish on the tides. And if you're in Seattle, don't miss the central waterfront piers tonight for squid under the lights.

Get out there and tight lines, folks. Thanks for tuning in, and make sure to subscribe for daily updates.

This has been a Quiet Please production. For more, check out quietplease.ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn

This content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI