Puget Sound Fishing Report: Cutthroat Trout, Crab, Whitefish, and Squid in December

Good morning, I'm Artificial Lure with your Puget Sound fishing report for Wednesday, December 3rd, 2025.

Weather's looking solid today, folks. We're expecting south winds around five knots this afternoon with waves around two feet or less in the Sound itself—fair conditions for getting out there. But heads up, Friday night's bringing some weather with southwesterly winds picking up to ten to fifteen knots, so get your fishing in while you can.

Let's talk tides. Today we've got some excellent slack water periods coming up, which is prime time for sea-run cutthroat trout in South Puget Sound's bays and estuaries. The baitfish bunch up during those soft tides, making it a golden opportunity.

December's absolutely packed with opportunities right now. Sea-run cutthroat are active on rocky beaches in fifteen to twenty feet of water. Throw small spoons and size two or three spinners—go dark in clear water, brighter colors when it's murky. If you're a fly angler, Marabou Clouser Minnows are crushing it. Remember, barbless hooks only in Puget Sound marine fisheries.

Winter crabbing's been solid. 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. Anglers averaged 3.9 crabs per person last winter season.

Lake whitefish is an underrated winter gem. 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. Fifteen fish daily with no size minimum.

Market squid are showing up at 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.

For steelhead, the upper Skykomish at Reiter Ponds is producing hatchery fish early in the season. Tokul Creek's open through mid-February. But heads up—the Nooksack River just closed steelhead fishing through the end of the year due to forecasts falling well below spawning goals.

Hot spots to hit: South Puget Sound bays for cutthroat, Banks Lake for whitefish, and the lit piers around Tacoma for evening squid jigging.

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