Spring Chinook and Halibut Poised as New Moon Tides Peak Over Puget Sound

What's Biting

What's Next

The New Moon landed on May 17, meaning the largest tidal exchanges of the month are firing now and over the next 48 hours. As the moon waxes toward first quarter, those extreme swings will moderate — if you can get out before midweek, tidal timing is about as favorable as it gets for salmon on current edges in Puget Sound.

Offshore, NOAA buoy 46041 showed 8 m/s (roughly 16 knots) on the evening observation; buoy 46087 was calmer at 4 m/s. Neither station returned wave height data, so mariners should consult the current marine forecast before committing to an offshore run. If the modest wind footprint holds, Pacific coast halibut grounds should remain accessible through the weekend — though quota closures can arrive quickly, so confirm current season status and remaining quota before launching.

As water temps approach the mid-50s°F typical for mid-May, Puget Sound feeder chinook tend to become increasingly active around structure, kelp lines, and tidal rips. Target the 30 to 60 minutes before and after peak current, when baitfish stack on the seam before scattering — historically the most consistent bite window on the Sound. Trolling herring or cut-plug bait on a long leader over structure is the standard approach for this stage of the season.

Lingcod typically move into shallower, accessible rocky structure through May and can be taken on the same current breaks you'd fish for salmon. If offshore wind stays manageable through the weekend, anglers with Pacific-facing launch options should have reasonable windows for rockfish and halibut in the 60–200 foot zone. Check WA WDFW Fishing Reports at the start of each week for any emergency regulation changes — during active salmon season, adjustments can arrive on short notice.

Context

Mid-May falls squarely in Puget Sound's spring transition window, when the fishery shifts from slower winter conditions toward the summer chinook and coho push. In a typical year, spring feeder chinook are already moving through many of the Sound's Marine Areas by early May, with the bite building toward Memorial Day weekend. Pacific coast halibut seasons are generally distributed in spring quota blocks and managed to a hard cap — late May historically sees early-season quotas come under pressure, making real-time status checks essential before running offshore.

Water temperatures in Puget Sound at this date normally sit in the 49–54°F range depending on depth and location, with herring and sand lance beginning their seasonal northward push — the primary driver of predator movement that anglers track. Both NOAA buoys returned null for water temperature this cycle, removing any direct read on whether 2026 is running warm or cool relative to the long-term norm.

WA Sea Grant's Crab Team, which monitors Washington estuaries for invasive European green crab and broader ecosystem health, documented Pacific tomcod appearing in Grays Harbor traps for the first time in 2025 — a signal of an expanding and diverse forage-fish assemblage in South Sound and coastal estuaries. A healthy baitfish base at the estuary level generally supports stronger predator fishing further along the food chain as the season progresses.

Overall, mid-May is one of the more reliably active months on the Washington saltwater calendar. Without specific angler-report data in this cycle, it is difficult to gauge whether 2026 is running ahead of or behind the typical seasonal curve; WA WDFW Fishing Reports remains the best real-time benchmark for week-to-week comparison.