Every so often a video goes around saying Pike Place Fish Market stopped throwing fish. I saw one recently, so I went down to check for myself. You can't always trust what you see on the internet. The fish are still flying.
Watch the fish fly
Where to find them
Pike Place Fish Market is the stall under the big Public Market Center sign, at the corner of Pike Street and Pike Place. It's been there since 1930. If you see a crowd holding up their phones and a crew in orange bibs, you're in the right spot. They post a lot of their throws on TikTok too, so give them a follow. If you're on our 4-Hour City & Pike Place Market Tour, it's an easy place to start your hour at the Market.
How the throwing works
When someone buys a whole fish, a fishmonger out front tosses it over the counter to someone behind it, who wraps it up. The crew calls out the order as it goes. These are real fish that real customers are buying.
The story goes that it started in the 1980s, when the owner at the time didn't feel like walking an order back behind the counter, so he just threw it. It stuck.
How to actually see a throw
There's no schedule. A fish flies when someone orders one.
Hang around for a few minutes. On a busy day it doesn't take long.
Go earlier in the day. The Market is calmer in the morning and the fish market opens early. Check their hours before you go.
Buy something. They ship seafood overnight anywhere in the US, so you don't have to carry salmon around all day.
Give the crew room to work and keep your phone ready. Sometimes they'll throw one for the crowd, but don't count on it.
Don't stop at the fish
The fish market is where most people start, not the whole Market. Take the stairs down to the lower levels. My guide to the downstairs shops has a few places I'd hit, and The Best Time to Visit Pike Place Market covers timing. The Market's own visitor guide has the map and hours.
If the original Starbucks is on your list too, here's whether it's worth the line.
Seeing it on a tour
Our 4-Hour City & Pike Place Market Tour gives you an hour to explore the Market on your own. We don't do guided Market tours, but I'll point you to the fish market and tell you where I'd spend that hour. On the 3-Hour City Tour, you can also end at the Market and stay as long as you like.
Quick answers
Do they still throw fish at Pike Place? Yes. I checked in October 2026 and they're still at it.
Do I have to buy a fish to see one fly? No, but a throw usually means someone just ordered.
Can I ship fish home? Yes. Pike Place Fish Market ships overnight within the US.
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