Fish Finders Private Charters has run salmon and bottom fishing trips out of Seattle’s Shilshole Bay Marina since 1994, led by Captain Carl Nyman aboard his boat, the Fishwitch. Just 7 miles north of downtown Seattle in the Ballard neighborhood, the business offers year-round Puget Sound charters, with departures also available through partner captains out of Tacoma for added flexibility.
Trips run aboard 22 to 30-foot charter boats with a forward cabin and enclosed head, outfitted with Lowrance and Raymarine electronics, Penn electric downriggers, and Shimano reels. Rather than packing boats to capacity, Fish Finders typically books shared charters below the full six-person limit, usually running four to five anglers per trip for a more comfortable day on the water. Puget Sound’s calm, protected waters, shielded from the open Pacific by the Olympic Mountains, mean trips are generally smooth with little risk of seasickness, and guests regularly spot harbor seals, sea lions, bald eagles, and even orcas or gray whales along the way.
The season follows Puget Sound’s salmon runs, with salmon open June through October, lingcod fishing in May, winter salmon from March 1 through April 15, and flounder fishing available year-round, particularly popular with kids and casual anglers for its easy, steady action. Every trip includes all fishing equipment, fish cleaning, fish bags, and bottled water, with fishing licenses available on board for $13.
Shared morning charters run six hours at $295 per person. Private morning charters run $1,300 total for one to four people, $1,450 for five, or $1,600 for six during summer rates, with dedicated lingcod trips priced at $300 per person. Shorter afternoon private charters and flounder-focused trips are also available at lower rates, and a private crabbing adventure runs seasonally, mostly in July and October through December. Beyond fishing, Fish Finders also performs sea burials on Puget Sound and offers personalized gift certificates for the full charter experience.
For anglers looking for a well-established, Coast Guard-licensed Seattle fishing charter with a smaller, more comfortable group size than most, Fish Finders Private Charters offers a full seasonal lineup of salmon, lingcod, and flounder trips out of Shilshole Bay Marina.
