Port Gardner Fishing
Washington marine water in Snohomish and Island counties, inside Marine Area 8-2.
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Port Gardner: what saltwater anglers should know first
Port Gardner lies inside WDFW Marine Area 8-2, beside Snohomish and Island counties. The closest Census place is Everett, roughly 2 miles away.
The WDFW and State Parks layers list 1 saltwater launch opening onto it. Shore anglers get 3 piers and shore sites. 3 named fishing areas are mapped within it. There are 38 marine rule rows in the 2026-27 pamphlet. It has 7 NOAA tide stations.
WDFW recreational marine area layer (WAC 220-311-010) on geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov, USGS GNIS names, WDFW and State Parks launch layers, WDFW shore fishing layer; retrieved October 31, 2026.
What the rules and records name on Port Gardner
Species named in the Port Gardner marine rows or the WDFW records.
2026-27 WDFW pamphlet marine area rows and WDFW sport fish records; retrieved October 31, 2026.
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- Hat Island to Camano HeadBoat Access Only
- Humpy HollowBoat Access Only
- Tulalip BubbleBoat Access Only
WDFW Major Fishing Areas layer on geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov (names and access notes as published); retrieved October 31, 2026.
Launches near Port Gardner
- Deadwater Slough boat launch2 hand launches, Discover Pass, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
Second-choice ramps close to Port Gardner
- Point No Point boat launchn/a surface, Discover Pass, 15 miles west
- Hat Slough boat launchHat Slough, 16 miles north
WDFW Water Access Sites and Shore Fishing Sites layers (geodataservices.wdfw.wa.gov) and the Washington State Parks boat launch layer, retrieved October 31, 2026. Parking at WDFW and State Parks launches needs a Discover Pass.
Fishing Port Gardner without a boat
- Everett – 10th Street Marine Park Pier on Port Gardnerfishing pier, Marine Area 8-2
- Mukilteo Fishing Piers on Possession Soundfishing pier, Marine Area 8-2
- Clinton Fishing Pier (Clinton Ferry Dock) on Possession Soundfishing pier, Marine Area 8-2
Bank and pier spots near Port Gardner
- Langley Marina (City Pier) on Possession Soundfishing pier, Marine Area 8-2, 9 miles
- Kayak Point County Park Pier on Port Susanfishing pier, Marine Area 8-2, 12 miles
- Edmonds Pierfishing pier, Marine Area 9, 14 miles
- Kingston Public Pierfishing pier, Marine Area 10, 18 miles
WDFW piers and shore fishing layers, retrieved October 31, 2026.
Water level gauges near Port Gardner
- Everetttide predictions, under a mile
- Priest Pointtide predictions, 3 miles
- Tulaliptide predictions, 6 miles
- Glendale, Whidbey Islandtide predictions, 7 miles
- Sandy Point, Whidbey Islandtide predictions, 8 miles
- Spee-Bi-Dahtide predictions, 8 miles
On Port Gardner a large ebb against the wind can stand up steep chop; check the predictions first.
NOAA CO-OPS water level and tide prediction stations inside or beside the marine area; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Marina listings for Port Gardner
- Port Of Everett Marinamarina 800/729-7678
- Port Of Everett Marine Park & Boat Rampmarina 800/729-7678
- Hat Island Communitymarina 360/444-6611
- Tulalip Bay Marinamarina
Reef sites charted around Port Gardner
- Gedney Islandboat
- Possession Pointboat
NOAA Environmental Sensitivity Index atlas records (2003 to 2006); facility and reef details reflect the source year, not today. Retrieved october 31, 2026.
Salmon and bottomfish limits on Port Gardner
| Species and location | Daily limit and size | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Trout | Catch-and-release. | Year-round |
| Steelhead | Daily limit 2 hatchery steelhead. | Year-round |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release. | Year-round |
| Mackerel | No min. size. No daily limit. | Year-round |
| Herring, Anchovy, Sardine, Sand Lance, and Smelt | No min. size. Daily limit 10 lbs., all species combined. All smelt caught must be kept and count toward the daily limit except Closed to eulachon (Columbia River smelt). For smelt: Jig gear may be used 7 days a week. Dip | Year-round |
| Pacific Halibut | Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut or call (360) 902-2700 in March for information on Pacific halibut seasons and regulations. No min. size. Daily limit 1. Annual limit 6. Descendin | see the pamphlet |
| Other Food Fish | No min. size. Daily limit 2 of each species. See definition. | Year-round |
| All Other Fish | CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. | CLOSED |
| Salmon | No min. size. Daily limit 2. Release Chinook and chum. | Aug. 1-Oct. 11 |
| Salmon | CLOSED. | Oct. 12-July 31 |
| Bottomfish | Year-round season. Daily limit is a total of 15 bottomfish (See definition) subject to individual limits and seasons shown below. Fishing for bottomfish prohibited in waters deeper than 120’. Descending device required o | see the pamphlet |
| Lingcod | Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-June 15 |
| Lingcod | Spearfishing season. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1. | May 21-June 15 |
| Surfperch | No min. size. Daily limit 10. Except shiner perch daily limit 15: not included in bottomfish limit. | Year-round |
| Rockfish | CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. | CLOSED |
| Pacific Cod, Pollock, Hake, and Wolf-Eel | CLOSED to retention. | Year-round |
| Sixgill, Sevengill, and Thresher Sharks | CLOSED to fishing for, retaining, or possessing. Sixgill shark may not be removed from the water. | CLOSED |
| Cabezon | Min. size 18”. Daily limit 1. | May 1-Nov. 30 |
| Trout | Catch-and-release. | Year-round |
| Steelhead | Daily limit 2 hatchery steelhead. | Year-round |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release. | Year-round |
| Mackerel | No min. size. No daily limit. | Year-round |
| Herring, Anchovy, Sardine, Sand Lance, and Smelt | No min. size. Daily limit 10 lbs., all species combined. All smelt caught must be kept and count toward the daily limit except Closed to eulachon (Columbia River smelt). For smelt: Jig gear may be used 7 days a week. Dip | Year-round |
| Pacific Halibut | Check the WDFW website at https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut or call (360) 902-2700 in March for information on Pacific halibut seasons and regulations. No min. size. Daily limit 1. Annual limit 6. Descendin | see the pamphlet |
The pamphlet prints 38 rows for Marine Area 8-2; 24 are shown here.
Anglers 16 and older fishing marine water carry a Saltwater license ($40.71 resident, $81.70 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license, plus a catch record card for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead or halibut.
Limits and seasons as printed in the 2026-2027 Washington Sport Fishing Rules (WDFW pamphlet, in effect July 1, 2026 to June 30, 2027), PDF page 123 (pamphlet PDF; eRegulations marine area page), read October 31, 2026.
How Port Gardner lines up along the Sound and coast
| Water | Distance | Marine area | Launches | Piers and shore sites | Tide stations |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Port Gardner | Marine Area 8-2 | 1 | 3 | 7 | |
| Possession Sound | 4 miles | Marine Area 8-2 | 0 | 4 | 7 |
| Port Susan and Port Gardner (Marine Area 8-2) | 11 miles | Marine Area 8-2 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| Port Susan | 14 miles | Marine Area 8-2 | 3 | 1 | 6 |
| Admiralty Inlet (Marine Area 9) | 18 miles | Marine Area 9 | 5 | 4 | 10 |
| Saratoga Passage | 23 miles | Marine Area 8-1 | 0 | 3 | 7 |
WDFW marine areas and access layers, NOAA stations; retrieved October 31, 2026.
Just past Port Gardner
Marine pages close to Port Gardner
- Possession Sound4 miles
- Port Susan and Port Gardner (Marine Area 8-2)11 miles
- Port Susan14 miles
- Admiralty Inlet (Marine Area 9)18 miles
- Saratoga Passage23 miles
Lakes, rivers and towns near Port Gardner
- Silver Lake (Snohomish County)7 miles
- Lake Stevens7 miles
- Deer Lake (Island County)7 miles
- Blackmans Lake7 miles
- Snohomish River3 miles
- Pilchuck River9 miles
- South Fork Stillaguamish River13 miles
- Stillaguamish River15 miles
Grabbing bait and leader on the way to Port Gardner
- Sportsman's Warehouse Everettsporting goods store, Everett, 5 miles
- Cabela's Tulalipsporting goods store, Tulalip, 7 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Marysvillesporting goods store, Marysville, 12 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Seattlesporting goods store, Seattle, 20 miles
- Dick's Sporting Goods Bellevuesporting goods store, Bellevue, 26 miles
- Possession Point Bait Cobait and tackle shop, Clinton
Guides and charters for Port Gardner
- A Possession Point Fishing Charterscharter, Arlington, (360) 652-3797
- Allstar Fishing Charterscharter, Everett, (425) 252-4188
- Big King Salmon Charterscharter, Mountlake Terrace, (425) 776-7688
- Sound Fly Fishingcharter, Edmonds, (206) 940-3020
- Team McMullen Tournament Fishing & Guide Servicecharter, Marysville, (425) 754-9401
Overnight bases close to Port Gardner
- Everett2 miles
- Fobes Hill6 miles
- Mukilteo6 miles
- Lake Stevens6 miles
Counties that touch Port Gardner
- Snohomish Countyseat: Everett
- Island Countyseat: Coupeville
Rods and reels from Piscifun ahead of a trip to Port Gardner
Piscifun and Amazon links are affiliate links; the site earns a commission on qualifying purchases.
A photo key to fish at Port Gardner
Photo: Oregon State University, CC BY-SA 2.0
Photo: Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife, CC BY-SA 2.0
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Photo: Patrick Briggs, CC BY 2.0
Photo: Brian Gratwicke, CC BY 2.0
Port Gardner questions with short answers
Where does Port Gardner sit in the WDFW system?
It is Marine Area 8-2 in the WDFW pamphlet.
Which salmon season covers Port Gardner?
For Marine Area 8: No min. size. Daily limit 2. Release Chinook and chum.; season Aug. 1-Oct. 11. WDFW can amend it by emergency rule.
Can I keep lingcod from Port Gardner?
Hook and line season. Min. size 26”. Max. size 36”. Daily limit 1., season May 1-June 15.
Does Port Gardner have a public ramp in the WDFW or State Parks layers?
1 launch; Deadwater Slough boat launch makes a good start.
Where can an angler on foot fish Port Gardner?
3 piers and shore sites; start with Everett – 10th Street Marine Park Pier on Port Gardner.
Which WDFW license does an out-of-state angler buy for Port Gardner?
Anglers 16 and older fishing marine water carry a Saltwater license ($40.71 resident, $81.70 nonresident for 2026-27) or a Combination license, plus a catch record card for salmon, sturgeon, steelhead or halibut.
Which NOAA station covers Port Gardner?
NOAA predictions at Everett cover it; the tide band links each station.
Which shop on our list is closest to Port Gardner?
Try Sportsman's Warehouse Everett, about 5 miles away.
Which grounds are mapped in Port Gardner?
WDFW charts 3 named fishing areas, such as Hat Island to Camano Head, Humpy Hollow and Tulalip Bubble.
Time the tide and run out to Port Gardner
Read the marine area rows, then pick a launch and a tide.