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4,207-acre Budd Inlet fishing map with NOAA/USACE MLLW survey contours (60.77% measured, 99.25% assessed), 31 measured chart and terrain spots, exact WDFW forage surveys, four source-bounded fish profiles, two public access sites, Marine Area 13 rules and consumption guidance. The water tops out around 114 ft. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The channels, holes and drop-offs come from the source data, not a distance-from-shore model. Below is the species-by-species picture, pulled from the same data the map uses.
Traced from the shoreline, Budd Inlet runs 4,199 acres with 12.9 miles of edge, broken up by an island. A shoreline index of 1.4 says round and simple: fish relate to depth changes here, not shoreline features. Roughly 19% of the water is 15 ft or less, the band where the food chain lives. Figure 5.2 mi of water from one end to the other, 2.1 mi at the beam. For a second option, Forbes Lake lies 6 mi northwest.
Spring puts pacific chinook salmon in skinny water — 29 to 114 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 15 to 114 ft, and winter fish hold in 32 to 114 ft. FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge is the standout, a channel edge at roughly 22 ft, rated prime for summer pacific chinook salmon. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. A herring or sand-lance spoon or a baitfish hoochie behind a flasher covers the summer program.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 29 to 114 ft | dawn | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (31 ft) | Herring-pattern spoon, Three-to-four-inch baitfish swimbait |
| Summer | 15 to 114 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Herring or sand-lance spoon, Baitfish hoochie behind a flasher |
| Fall | 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Compact spoon, Baitfish spinner where legal |
| Winter | 32 to 114 ft | midday | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (32 ft) | Slow-trolled spoon, Deep baitfish plug |
Start shallow in spring: pacific coho salmon sit in 10 to 70 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 10 to 100 ft; cold water stacks them in 30 to 100 ft. Top water on the chart: FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge, a channel edge in the 22 ft range, prime in summer. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a small hoochie behind a flasher or a slim spoon until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Small silver spoon, Slim baitfish fly |
| Summer | 10 to 100 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Small hoochie behind a flasher, Slim spoon |
| Fall | 5 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Small spinner where legal, Compact spoon |
| Winter | 30 to 100 ft | midday | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (31 ft) | Slow small spoon, Compact trolling fly |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: chum salmon in 10 to 70 ft. The depth story barely changes: 4 to 70 ft through summer, 25 to 100 ft in winter. The spot to know is FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge, a channel edge in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for chum salmon in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a chartreuse or pink hoochie or a bright spoon gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Chrome spoon, Compact baitfish jig |
| Summer | 4 to 70 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Chartreuse or pink hoochie, Bright spoon |
| Fall | 3 to 60 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Bright spinner, Pink or chartreuse jig |
| Winter | 25 to 100 ft | midday | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (27 ft) | Compact vertical jig |
Early season cutthroat trout use the shallows, holding in 3 to 15 ft. Summer is a 10 to 35 ft game here, winter a 10 to 40 ft one. The chart's best answer is FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge — channel edge, 22 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a trolled spoon (small) or an inline spinner and you're in the game.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Inline spinner (silver/gold), Small spoon |
| Summer | 10 to 35 ft | dawn & dusk | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Trolled spoon (small), Inline spinner |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | NOAA charted underwater rock (5 ft) | Casting spoon, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 10 to 40 ft | dawn | FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge (22 ft) | Small jigging spoon, Marabou jig |
Budd Inlet carries 42 mapped structure features, topping out (or rather bottoming out) at Surveyed channel edge, about 65 ft down.
Access data: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife Marine Access Sites (OBJECTID 649) and Boston Harbor site page. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Washington waters are set by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Marine Area 13 — South Puget Sound) — and special regulations can apply to Budd Inlet specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Washington fishing regulations →
Budd Inlet is about 114 ft (35 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart is built from real agency bathymetry referenced to MLLW; directly measured coverage remains distinguished from source interpolation. The contours reflect measured and quality-assessed source depths.
Anglers target pacific chinook salmon, pacific coho salmon, chum salmon, cutthroat trout on Budd Inlet.
FEDERAL CHANNEL AND TURNING BASIN channel edge is the top-rated area: a channel edge in about 22 ft of water that rates prime for pacific chinook salmon in summer. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For pacific chinook salmon, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Budd Inlet is regulated by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (Marine Area 13 — South Puget Sound). Check the official Washington regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Forbes Lake 6 mi · Chambers Lake 7 mi · Ward Lake 7 mi · Hicks Lake 8 mi · Black Lake 8 mi · Long Lake 9 mi · Summit Lake 10 mi · Pattison Lake 10 mi · Phillips Lake 10 mi · Isabella Lake 11 mi · Spencer Lake 11 mi · Florence Lake 11 mi
See how Budd Inlet stacks up: best cutthroat trout lakes in Washington · best chum salmon lakes in Washington · best pacific chinook salmon lakes in Washington · best pacific coho salmon lakes in Washington
Browse all Washington fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: NOAA Office of Coast Survey, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Washington Department of Natural Resources Budd Inlet federal hydrographic survey and assessed MLLW composite (MLLW; 61% measured, 38% source-interpolated). How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.