Kingston Chinook Salmon Fishing

Salmon Fishing near Kingston, Washington

Kingston was named after one of its founding fathers, but it most certainly could have been named after the Chinook, or King Salmon that congregate in great numbers in front of the harbor. This is one of my all time favorite places on the planet to salmon fish, and it is less than a fifteen minute boat ride from Seattle.

Kingston’s underwater terrain is complex, and creates places that Salmon want to concentrate on both sides of the tide. Expect to see plenty of boats in the prime areas during the summer, as this place is no secret. Yet it remains one of the most productive areas for catching Chinook Salmon as well as Coho.

Where is Kingston, Washington?

The seaside town of Kingston, Washington is located on the Kitsap Peninsula. It is a quick jaunt across Puget Sound from several large Seattle area marinas. It is located 7.4 miles to the Northwest of Seattle’s Shilshole Marina and 4.5 miles to the Southwest of the Edmond’s Marina.

About a mile north of Kingston’s harbor is Apple Cove Point, which marks the boundaries of two Puget Sound marine areas. South of the point is considered Marine Area 10, with Marine Area 9 to the north.

Kingston Salmon Fishing Map

How to Fish For Salmon Near Kingston

This area is a special place because it is an optimal spot for the downrigger trolling fleet as well as the old-school mooching crowd. As hectic as it can be, this is an area where trollers and moochers work close by each other in relative harmony.

There is a bar that stretches around from the Kitsap mainland and protects the deep trough that is just to the north of the ferry lanes. The interesting structure that makes up the Kingston area holds an impressive amount of bait for most of the summer, allowing salmon to move from one side of the Kingston Bar to the other and have plenty of forage without needing to leave the area.

To learn more about mooching, check out this link.

Fishing an Outgoing Tide

An outgoing tide concentrates bait in the Kingston Bowl, to the inside of the Kingston Bar. Moochers consider this sacred ground, and one of the best locations in Puget Sound for them to practice their craft. Trolling can be very productive here as well, just remember that the best concentration of bait and salmon occurs here in the Kingston Bowl during the biggest tides, so it’s pretty much a northbound troll from the ferry lanes to the shallows at the north end, pick up your gear and run back and repeat.

Fishing an Incoming Tide

After the tide change, the incoming currents flush most of the bait out of the Kingston Bowl and it’s time time move the the outer Kingston Bar. It’s a nice southbound troll from Apple Cove Point down the outside of the bar to the end. Sometimes the top of the bar can be productive, it completely depends on where you find the bait. I’d dredge bottom with trolling gear. If you are mooching, look for any area that has a good concentration of bait and do your best to set up a good drift.