A Quieter Kind of Fall Fishing
While crowds chase salmon at river mouths in October, some Puget Sound anglers head the other way, down to the beaches of the South Sound with a light rod and a pocketful of flies.
They’re after two fish. WDFW’s South Puget Sound (Marine Area 13) page says fishing for resident coho and sea-run coastal cutthroat is very popular there, with the best fishing often in fall through spring. These waters south of the Tacoma Narrows are sheltered from much of the weather, which makes them friendly to small boats, kayaks and shore anglers.
Meet the Sea-Run Cutthroat
Coastal cutthroat trout live in many western Washington waters. WDFW notes that some populations around the Salish Sea, the Washington coast and lower Columbia River tributaries are anadromous, meaning they spend time in saltwater. These are the fish anglers call sea-run cutthroat, or “searuns.”
Unlike salmon, they don’t make one big run and die. They move between rivers and nearby saltwater, feeding along beaches and estuaries. That’s what makes them a beach fishery.
For more on the species, see our cutthroat page.
Reading a Beach
You don’t need a boat to get started. What you need is a way to read moving saltwater.
- Tidal current: Many beach anglers prefer moving water. Points, spits and gravel bars where current pushes past are natural feeding spots.
- Structure: Oyster beds, eelgrass edges, drop-offs and the mouths of small creeks can all hold fish.
- Close to shore: Cutthroat often feed in surprisingly shallow water, so wade carefully and fish the near water before you cast long.
- Bait in the water: Small fish flickering near the surface are a good sign.
Our beach fly fishing guide goes deeper on tides, flies and casting from shore.
Resident Coho on the Same Beaches
The South Sound is also known for resident coho, fish that spend more of their lives in Puget Sound rather than heading to the open ocean. WDFW’s Marine Area 13 page also notes that Blue Fox spinners, cut-plug herring setups and Clouser flies work well for returning net-pen coho in October.
Spin anglers and fly anglers can share the same water here. A small spinner or a baitfish fly fished through a tide change covers both species. See our coho page for more.
Fish Gently
Many anglers release sea-run cutthroat, and wild fish deserve careful handling: keep them in the water, consider barbless hooks, and let them go quickly. Rules for cutthroat and salmon in marine areas are specific and can change, so check the current WDFW fishing regulations and emergency rules before you go.
Respect private tidelands too. Much of the South Sound shoreline is privately owned, so use public parks and access points and know where the boundaries are.
Plan a Morning on the Beach
Fall days are short and the water is cold, so dress in layers and keep an eye on the incoming tide behind you. If you’d like a head start, browse Puget Sound guides or the full guide directory.
A falling tide, a gravel point and a cutthroat chasing a fly in a foot of water: it’s one of the South Sound’s best-kept fall pleasures.
— The Salish Guide