BROOKINGS, Ore. (Jan. 21, 2024) – Stormy weather, with big swells, strong winds and rough bar conditions have kept the Southern Oregon ocean charter fleets at the docks, while steelhead fishing also has been hampered by near-flood conditions.
Lingcod and rockfish action is usually good during the winter months, when boats can get out, but ocean conditions have been rough and unfishable for most of January. More stormy weather is expected this week.
An angler holds a steelhead on the Smith River, caught last week with Capt. Andy.
Steelhead fishing on the Smith and Chetco rivers, meanwhile, also has been impacted by the stormy weather. January and February are peak season, but high, muddy water has limited the number of days fishing guides have been on the water. The Brookings Fishing Charters team of charter boat captains also are river guides, taking customers down the Smith and Chetco in drift boats. Light tackle is used to catch these prized, hard-fighting fish.
When conditions have been good, with dropping flows, and green water, steelhead fishing has been good. There have only been a few good days on the river so far this year. Better conditions are forecasted for next week. Catch rates generally improve quickly after high flows, as the rivers drop.
Capt. Rye navigates his drift boat through a fishy looking spot on the Smith River.
The Chetco reached 40,000 cubic feet per second (cfs) last week, the highest flows in four years. Minor flooding occurred on the Chetco and Smith, but flows were still well below the flood event of 2012, when flows hit 65,000 cfs. The Smith was near 100,000 cfs, or 30 feet, at the Highway 101 bridge. It rose 20 feet in 24 hours.
Water reaches the parking lot of Loeb State Park on the Chetco River in January when flows crested at 40,000 cfs.The Chetco River at flood stage.A flooded Chetco River, as seen from Second Bridge, or Ice Box, in mid January 2024.
Flows dropped to 5,000 cfs on Saturday on the Chetco before spiking again at 10,000 cfs on Sunday. Ideal conditions are below 4,000 cfs.
Steelhead fishing continues through March on the Chetco and April on the Smith.
Anglers admire a steelhead on the Smith River in January.
The Brookings Fishing Charters crew will run steelhead trips through the end of the season, but will be focusing on ocean charters for lingcod and rockfish more beginning in February. Lingcod move into shallow water during the winter months, fueling good fishing in shallow water on calmer days. The commercial crab fleet reported big numbers of smaller lingcod showing up in their crab pots, a sign the males are migrating in from deep water to prepare to spawn. March often produces some of the best lingcod fishing of the year, and we will be running trips daily, as the weather allows.
By far, our most requested recipe has been rockfish chowder. Our customers love it, and almost everyone who tries it says it one of their favorite ways to prepare their catch. Perfect for rockfish, lingcod or halibut, this recipe will have you coming back for seconds. Here’s a look back at Capt. Andy’s rockfish chowder recipe. This is our best Rockfish Chowder Recipe.
(Originally published March 26, 2020) Rockfish chowder is great way to enjoy fresh or frozen Oregon Coast rockfish, especially on a cold, rainy or foggy day. The fillets from a couple of rockfish will yield enough chowder for your entire family, or for a feast to enjoy with friends and neighbors, double the recipe.
Rockfish chowder is delicious and easy to make. Just a couple of rockfish fillets is enough to make a pot of chowder.
Here is Capt. Andy’s favorite rockfish chowder recipe, which yields 8 servings or 2 quarts. Halibut, lingcod or even salmon can be substituted for rockfish. This dish is quick and easy to prepare.
Rockfish Chowder
4 strips bacon (reserve a small portion of the bacon grease)
1 cup finely sliced carrots 1 bunch green onions, sliced (1/2 cup yellow onion may be substituted)
1 cup diced potatoes (optional) 2 tablespoons butter 1 minced garlic clove 1 package cream cheese (8 oz.), cut into small cubes 2 cans (10.5 oz. cans) cream of potato soup, condensed 1 can (10.5 oz.) cream of mushroom soup, condensed 2 cups 2% milk, half-and-half or heavy cream 1 to 2 pounds rockfish, cut into small pieces 1 cup frozen corn, or 1 can corn (drained) Salt, pepper and lemon pepper to taste
Parsley to garnish
In a large pot, sauté the thinly chopped carrots, onion and potatoes in butter. Cook until the onion and carrots are tender.
Add the soup (undiluted), milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is melted. (Cutting the cream cheese into small cubes will allow it to melt much faster than a whole block). Add crumbled cooked bacon and small amount of bacon grease.
Add the soup (undiluted), milk and cream cheese. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the cream cheese is melted. Add the raw rockfish fillets, cut into small pieces. Bring to a boil, constantly stirring, and then simmer for 10 minutes. The rockfish will quickly cook.Add crumbled bacon and some of the reserved bacon grease.Add the corn, stir, and prepare to serve.
Serve with a dash of Tabasco, or cayenne pepper, and a dab of butter.
To make a seafood chowder, add cooked crab meat and/or cooked shrimp.
Rockfish chowder makes a hearty meal. Serve with warm break, and a dab of butter and few drops of Tabasco sauce or cayenne pepper.Rockfish chowder made by Brookings Fishing Charters customer Neil Anderson.
To catch a limit of rockfish and lingcod to enjoy with this recipe, check out www.brookingsfishing.com. Capt. Andy learned about this recipe while working on halibut charter boats in remote Southeast Alaska, where charter operators living in the bush ate fish several times a weeks.
A few rockfish yield enough fillets for a large pot of rockfish chowder.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (Jan. 11, 2024) – Steelhead fishing on the Chetco and Smith rivers dramatically improved early this week before heavy rains returned, blowing both rivers out. Another series of storms is expected this weekend, which could bring numerous local rivers to the verge of flood stage. The rivers are then expected to drop back into fishable shape next week.
A father and son hold a bright Chetco River steelhead caught with Capt. Andy in January 2024.
Just before the rains, steelhead fishing had improved, with catch rates jumping to three to four fish per boat. The action was short-lived, as heavy rains increased flows to 10,000 cfs on the Chetco, and 22 feet on the Smith. Flows are expected to top 30,000 cfs on the Chetco this weekend, and 50,000 cfs, or 26 feet, at the Highway 101 bridge over the Smith River. The Chetco fishes best below 4,000 cfs.
A beautiful steelhead caught in the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco with Capt. Andy in January 2024.Longtime customer Craig with a Chetco River steelhead caught with Capt. Rye in January 2024.
The Brookings Fishing Charters team of captains are also licensed river guides in Oregon and California and have decades of experience fishing local rivers. Capt. Andy, Mick, Rye, Sam and Travis run trips from drift boats, navigating down the river with oars as customers use light spinning rods to drift tiny clusters of salmon or steelhead eggs. Pound-for-pound, steelhead are among the hardest fighting game fish, and often leap out of the water when hooked. The Smith and Chetco are among the most scenic rivers on the West Coast.
Fish on! Fighting a steelhead on the Upper Chetco River using light spinning gear.
Steelhead fishing was on the slow side in December and first few days of January before action accelerated late last week, as fresh schools of steelhead moved into the rivers. Fishing is expected to be good as the rivers drop back into shape next week. The peak of the steelhead season is mid-January through February. Steelhead are difficult to catch when rivers are muddy and blown out, but bite well as flows are dropping and river shifts from low visibility to what is known as “steelhead green.”
Capt. Andy and a customer with an Upper Chetco steelhead in January 2024.
Capt. Andy, Mick and Travis have special-use permits from the US Forest Service to fish the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco. Only a very limited number of guides have these permits, allowing customers to fish in an extremely productive, yet uncrowded section of river. All of the Brookings Fishing Charters guides also have Forest Service permits to fish the Smith River from the confluence of the Middle and South Forks, which allows them to drift through the stunning section of river through Redwood National Park.
To learn more about guided drift boat trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.
A big wild steelhead released after an exciting battle on the Upper Chetco River.
By Capt. Andy Martin – The mild flavor of Oregon Coast rockfish makes it a favorite for fish and chips and fish tacos, but it’s also amazing when combined with large shrimp or prawns, marinated and grilled. This is the perfect recipe when you want to enjoy rockfish or lingcod without frying it, and want to impress your dinner guests. Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp is flavorful and healthy, and sure to become a favorite way to enjoy freshly caught rockfish, or when clearing the freezer to prepare room for a future fishing trip.
Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp, served with rice.
Some remote Alaskan and British Columbia fishing lodges use this recipe to prepare rockfish, lingcod or halibut for their guests. It is easier than it may appear, and uses a simple mixture of ingredients. The fish is marinated by itself for an hour, and then another 15 minutes with the shrimp. On the grill, the fish is cooked for 10 minutes or less.
Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp is marinated in a simple mixture of soy sauce, cranberry juice, lime juice, garlic, sugar, red pepper flake and olive oil.
Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp
Ingredients
2 to 3 rockfish fillets, cut in half
6 to 8 large shrimp, shell on
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup cranberry juice (orange juice may be subsitited)
1/4 cup olive oil
Juice from one lime
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flake
1 tsp sugar
2 stalks green onion, chopped, for garnish
Mix the soy sauce, cranberry juice, lime juice, olive oil, garlic, sugar, and red pepper flake and place in a baking dish to marinate. Marinate the rockfish for one hour, then add the shrimp and marinate another 10-15 minutes.
Place the rockfish on a hot grill and cook for 5 minutes, allowing the fillets to get grill marks.
After turning over the rockfish, add shrimp to the grill and cook another 5 minutes.
Garnish with green onion, serve with rice or pasta.
Marinate the rockfish fillets, first, for an hour and no longer than 2 hours.After marinating the fish for an hour, add the shrimp and marinate another 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t marinate the shrimp too long, as the lime juice will cook them, similar to ceviche. Grill the rockfish first, for around 5 minutes, allowing them to get deep grill marks. Turn the fillets over and add the shrimp, cooking the rockfish and shrimp for another 5 minutes.Grilled Rockfish and Shrimp is delicious, and healthy.
To catch a limit of rockfish on the Oregon Coast, check out our half-day fishing charters. Customers keep the fish they catch, and our crew fillets them back at the dock. For information, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.
Rockfish are fun to catch, and taste great on the grill. Pictured are a canary rockfish and vermillion rockfish caught during the summer of 2023 on the Dash of Brookings Fishing Charters.
The following story appeared in the Roseburg News-Review in August 2023, after the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet ran its first tuna trips of the season. The author fished aboard the Nauti-Lady, while the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Dash and Papa B also ventured 50 miles offshore, each returning with five to six dozen albacore on each boat.
Tuna caught aboard the Papa B in August 2023.
(By CRAIG REED) BROOKINGS, Ore. – Schools of Pacific albacore tuna have arrived in the waters off the Oregon Coast. Anglers on chartered and private boats are in pursuit of the fish that is known for its wonderful flavor. The chase started in July and usually runs into September. Fishing for tuna is legal year-round, but their presence in warm water currents within a reasonable distance of Oregon’s shoreline limits recreational fishing to about three months. Ocean conditions are also a key factor in getting out to the fish.
Customers fishing aboard the Nauti-Lady of Brookings Fishing Charters hold some of the albacore tuna they caught in early August 2023 nearly 50 miles offshore of Brookings.
The best fishing, and hopefully catching, is in clear, dark blue water with a temperature of 60 degrees or higher. When those warm waters and the schools of tuna that inhabit them are 15 to 50 miles offshore, boats from the Oregon ports of Bandon, Brookings, Charleston, Coos Bay, Newport and Winchester Bay head out. Depending on the boat size, its power and the distance offshore, anglers should be prepared for a two- to four-hour boat ride to the hot spots before dropping lines and jigs.
Barb Hunt of White City holds tight as a tuna on the end of her line darts under the Nauti Lady. Hunt reeled the fish to the surface and put it on the boat, marking her first tuna of the day. Photo by CRAIG REED.Barb Hunt holds here first ever albacore tuna, caught in August 2023 aboard the Nauti-Lady.
The charter companies run 12-hour trips, but anglers should be aware half of that time or more could be spent traveling out to warm water and then finding a school of fish. Andy Martin, owner of Brookings Fishing Charters (www.brookingsfishing.com) in Brookings, and Wayne Butler, owner of Prowler Charters in Bandon, gave similar descriptions of the tuna fishing experience — it’s like trying to reel in a car going the other direction. “When you hook up and you’ve got one fish thrashing around, the other fish go into frenzy and then you’ve got multiple hookups,” Martin said. “They have raw power and then sudden bursts of speed. There’s never a harder strike than when you’re holding the rod. Periods of chaos with multiple hookups is what makes tuna fishing so exciting.” “It’s an absolute ball when you get into the tuna good,” Butler said. “It’s a frenzy. Getting several fish on at a time is absolute crazy fun.”
Triple Hookup! Barb Hunt, Craig Reed and Rudy Jaquez hold tuna all hooked and landed simultaneously.
Boats troll at about 8 mph with lines and jigs at different distances off the boat so lines don’t get tangled. When a line goes “zing, zing, zing,” a tuna is on. Then several seconds of patience is needed because the jigs are passing through a school of tuna and if one fish hits, by continuing to troll, others are likely to hit the other jigs. The boat is then put in neutral, anglers grab the rods and start cranking on the reels. When hooked, the tuna go down. When reeling, the fish don’t rise to the surface and jump out of the water or zip left and right. It’s usually just a hard pull up until the fish are near the boat and then they might zip one way or the other.
The Kraken, Miss Brooke and Papa B depart the Port of Brookings, while customers board the Nauti-Lady for an August tuna trip. Tuna trips often depart at 4 am to arrive on the fishing grounds just after daylight.
The torpedo-shaped Pacific albacore tuna generally range in weight from 10 to 35 pounds. Barb Hunt of White City and Deb Richardson of Las Vegas both recently experienced their first tuna fishing trips on the Nauti-Lady, Brookings Fishing Charters’ 42-foot boat. They each caught their first tuna and several more on the 12-hour trip that took them 45 miles out to sea. “It was amazing, it was more than I anticipated,” Hunt said. “I didn’t know much about tuna fishing, but it was exciting to have so many fish on at a time. They fight, they pull line, yes, they’re hard to reel in.” Hunt and Richardson each caught their first tuna on the boat’s first hookup. Of the seven lines out, five went down in a matter of seconds and then five of the seven anglers on board grabbed a rod and started reeling. “I thought it was fantastic,” Richardson said. “I’ll definitely go back.”
Capt. Andy holds a tuna landed by Rudy Jaquez aboard the Nauti-Lady.Capt. Kirby holds a double-hookup of tuna caught by Barb Hunt and Deb Richardson.
Rachel Craven, co-owner of Yaquina Bay Charters in Newport, said her company’s two large boats have been catching tuna averaging 16 pounds a fish on their trips over the last three weeks. “Realistically on our tuna trips, we would expect anywhere from three to eight fish per person,” Craven said. “It’s an extremely popular fishery and tuna is a fish people enjoy eating.”
“They have raw power and then sudden bursts of speed. There’s never a harder strike than when you’re holding the rod. Periods of chaos with multiple hookups is what makes tuna fishing so exciting.”
Mike Van Camp of Merlin has made several tuna fishing trips. His advice is to plan on a 30-mile trip out when told the tuna are 20 miles out. “That water moves and changes with wind currents and tides,” he said. “There’s a lot of water out there and 90% of what you see is just water. The other 5 to 10% holds the fish so it might take a while to find the tuna.” “It’s addictive,” he added of tuna fishing. “The action when you find them is absolutely non-stop.” Tuna are warm blooded so it’s important after getting a fish on board to quickly bleed it and get it on ice to get its body temperature down.
A pile of tuna caught on the Nauti-Lady, ready for the fillet table back at the harbor.Author Craig Reed with a wheelbarrow of tuna caught on his trip aboard the Nauti-Lady.He landed five fish during the charter.
Keeping the fish on ice for the duration of the trip maintains its quality. An additional thrill for the tuna anglers is to see pods of dolphins or porpoises and possibly humpback whales on the long trips. The dolphins and porpoises love to race alongside boats for short distances. Depending on the charter company, the size of the boat and the number of anglers per boat, the 12-hour tuna fishing trips range in price from $300 to $500. Charters have smaller boats that can take four to six anglers or larger boats that aren’t as fast in getting to fishing spots, but can take up to 12 anglers and provide them with more space and comfort and a little smoother ride over the ocean’s swells. “The tuna fishing has been good and it’s shaping up to be very good,” Butler said of this year’s tuna season.
The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet runs tuna trips as early as late June, but most often in July and August. The best way to get on a tuna trip is to call the office, (541) 813-1082, to get on the call list. Tuna trips are put together when weather conditions flatten out and there are reports of tuna in reasonably close to shore. Ideally, tuna are 20 to 30 miles offshore, but charters will run up to 50 miles offshore. The closer the tuna, the more time spent fishing for them instead of running further out.
Capt. Kirby lifts a tuna aboard the Nauti-Lady caught by Craig Reed of Roseburg.
For more on tuna fishing on the Oregon Coast, visit this page. During tuna trips, charter boats out of Brookings will often venture north to Gold Beach or south to Crescent City, finding the perfect water with the best action. Brookings is centrally located near some of the best albacore tuna water off the West Coast in early to mid-summer.
Here are some more tuna photos from the first trips of the season in 2023 aboard the Nauti-Lady, Miss Brooke, Kraken, Papa B and Dash.
By Capt. Andy Martin – While most people prepare lingcod, rockfish or halibut as fish and chips, or fish tacos, the mild white fillets of these abundant Oregon Coast species also taste great when added to pasta recipes. Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta with Mushrooms combines the bounty of the Oregon Coast with an easy, creamy pasta sauce made with Mozzarella and Parmesan cheese, crushed red pepper flakes, basil, garlic and paprika. A great way to prepare local seafood for date night, or a big family dinner.
Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta is perfect for date night, or a large family gathering.
This recipe tastes great with lingcod, rockfish or halibut. It is delicious with grocery store-bought mushrooms, or if you get the chance, wild mushrooms, such as chanterelle, black trumpet or hedgehog mushrooms found along timbered areas of the Oregon Coast.
The homemade alfredo sauce is surprisingly simple and easy to prepare, and is sure to become a favorite way to enjoy pasta – with and without seafood!
Lingcod are fun to catch, and delicious. Try this Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta after your next fishing charter on the Oregon Coast.
Creamy Lingcod and Shrimp Pasta
Ingredients
2 to 4 fillets from Rockfish, Lingcod or Halibut, cut into smaller pieces (fillets cut into 3-inch pieces – If fillets are from a larger fish, slice them in half, lengthwise to fully cook).
1 lb. large shrimp, deveined and shells removed
12 oz. pasta (fettuccine works best, spaghetti also could be used)
8 oz. sliced mushrooms
1/2 cup cooked pasta water
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup Mozzarella cheese
1 cup half and half, or heavy cream
3 tbs olive oil, or butter
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
1/4 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/4 tsp basil flakes
Boil pasta as directed on package. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before draining. Set pasta aside.
Shrimp and lingcod, a delicious combination.Cut fish into smaller pieces, and cook on one side, then add shrimp after flipping fish.
Cook fish and shrimp. Heat a large skillet, add 3 tablespoons of olive oil or butter. Add garlic. Add Lingcod or Rockfish fillets (cut into smaller pieces approx. 3 inches long). Cook fish for 3 minutes on medium-high heat, and flip. Add shrimp, sprinkle with salt, pepper, basil, crushed red pepper flake and paprika. Cook for 2 minutes, and flip again. Cook for 1-2 more minutes, and then remove and set aside. Fish may be slightly undercooked, but will finish when added back to sauce.
The fish and shrimp is removed from the skillet and set aside, then later added back to sauce.
In the same skillet, add the sliced mushrooms, and more butter/olive oil if needed. Cook on medium high for 2-3 minutes, stirring occasionally. Salt and pepper to taste. Cook until mushrooms are tender.
You may need to add a slight amount of olive oil or butter to skillet before adding mushrooms.Cook mushrooms until tender.
To make the alfredo sauce, add 1 cup of half-and-half or heavy cream to the mushrooms, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Add half of the cheese mixture, bring to boil, and then reduce heat to simmer. Cook until cheese is melted, constantly stirring. Once cheese is melted, gradually add the remaining cheese.
The shrimp can be added back to mushrooms when making sauce, but since the fish fillets are more fragile, don’t add them until sauce and pasta are already mixed together.The alfredo sauce is a combination of half-and-half or cream, Parmesan cheese and Mozzarella cheese.
Once all of the cheese is melted, add the drained pasta, and a portion of the held over pasta water, and mix together with sauce. Add shrimp and fish on top of the pasta and sauce, and heat over medium-low until pasta is hot again. (Don’t stir once fish is added, as the fillets will break into smaller pieces.)
Add the fish and shrimp to the pasta and sauce as the pasta reheats.
Season to taste with more salt, pepper, crushed red pepper and basil. If fish is still slightly undercooked, cover until fish is fully cooked.
To catch a limit of rockfish, lingcod or halibut to enjoy with your favorite seafood recipes, book a charter at www.brookingsfishing.com.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (Dec. 14, 2023) – Fall salmon season is quickly coming to an end on the Southern Oregon coastal rivers, while the first steelhead of winter have shown up. Offshore fishing for lingcod and rockfish, meanwhile, remains good when weather conditions cooperate. Our saltwater captains have switched gears to steelhead, and will be running drift boat trips on the Chetco, Smith, Elk and Sixes rivers through March, but will also take customers on ocean bottom fishing charters during the winter as conditions allow.
The first winter steelhead of the season caught with Capt. Andy on Dec. 13 on the Chetco by Scott of Denver. We will be running drift boat trips through March.
We fish for steelhead from drift boats, with a guide rowing two customers downriver. Light spinning rods are used to cast small clusters of roe. Steelhead are known for their non-stop fight, and pound-for-pound are one of the most prized gamefish. They also are caught on some of the most beautiful stretches of river in the country. Capt. Andy, Mick and Travis have special use permits to take customers on the Wild and Scenic Upper Chetco, while Rye, Sam and Shane fish the lower end of the river, where hatchery fish are more abundant. All of our charter boat captains are also licensed river guides. For more information on river trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com.
Capt. Sam runs the falls on the Elk River. The coastal rivers of Southern Oregon offer great salmon and steelhead fishing, and are among the most beautiful anywhere.A large king salmon caught on the Chetco this fall with Capt. Rye.Capt. Mick holds a lunker fall king salmon caught by John Curry on the Upper Chetco.
Salmon season was decent this year on the Chetco, with the best fishing in late October and early November. A few kings will continue to trickle in through the end of December, but the vast majority of the run has already spawned. We saw big numbers of hatchery kings this year, and a lot of jacks, a good indication of what’s in store next year.
Nice limits of lingcod caught on the Dash in early November. Winter fishing for lingcod and rockfish is often good, as big fish move into shallow water to spawn.
While the best weather of the year for ocean charter fishing is April through September, calm weather days in the winter months often lead to wide-open fishing. Lingcod spawn in shallow water, where they can be caught on light tackle in calm, protected coves. We will be running ocean charters as conditions allow this winter. Call (541) 813-1082 to get on our call list for winter fishing.
Gift certificates make great stocking stuffers! We offer gift certificates for ocean and river trips, and our tackle shop. They can be printed and mailed with brochures, or emailed as a PDF. Call (541) 813-1082 for information.
Here are some of the photos from this past salmon season with Capt. Mick, Rye, Sam, Andy and Shane.
A 36-pound lingcod caught with Capt. Rye at Mack Arch in early November.
Here are a few late-season lingcod and rockfish photos from November.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (Oct. 10, 2023) – Big numbers of bright king salmon have arrived in the Chetco River estuary, while halibut, lingcod and rockfish continue to be caught during ocean charters out of Brookings. The transition from summer to fall often produces some of the best fishing opportunities of the year, and that continues to be the case as anglers have plenty of options on the Southern Oregon Coast.
Some of the nice salmon caught the first weekend of October with Capt. Sam.
The Brookings Fishing Charters crew has been running ocean charters daily, as the weather allows, and also guided salmon trips on the Chetco River estuary. All of our captains are also licensed river guides, and have been enjoying great catches of big king salmon at the mouth of the river. With heavy rains this week, and rough ocean conditions, ocean charters will be running less frequently, while the crew switches to drift boats to target salmon upriver. Flows are expected to increase next week, and we plan to run our first drift boat salmon trips of the season.
An ocean-fresh salmon caught in the Chetco estuary with Capt. Shane.
Offshore, halibut fishing has been fair to good. The halibut season in Oregon runs through Oct. 31. Lingcod and rockfish season is open year round, and we will continue ocean charters as weather allows. During recent trips, limits of nice rockfish have been common, with hot action in shallow water using light tackle. Lingcod fishing is fair, but soon bigger numbers of fish will move close to shore to stage before spawning. Winter lingcod fishing can be fast and furious out of Brookings, and our six-pack charter boats are well equipped for fishing the shallow reefs where lingcod spawn.
Some nice halibut caught on the Dash with Capt. Rye.
Larger halibut are showing up in the catch, with fish to 60 pounds. Our crew has been targeting halibut in 180 to 240 feet of water. On anchor, lighter weights can be used, to make halibut fishing more enjoyable.
Salmon fishing was hot over the weekend at the mouth of the Chetco. Anglers must stay withing the jetties, but big numbers of salmon, both hatchery and wild, are holding up in the estuary before heading upriver. With the rains, drift boat fishing will be productive. Our crew will be fishing the Chetco, Elk and Sixes rivers for salmon, and the Smith River for steelhead. Capt. Andy, Mick, Sam, Rye, Travis and Shane will be running our drift boat trips this fall.
Here are just a few of the salmon catches from the last two weeks at the mouth of the Chetco.
Here is a sampling of the catches from recent ocean charters. We will continue to run our six-pack charter boats into the winter as the weather allows.
By Capt. Andy Martin – We get to enjoy Taco Night a few times a week at my house, and typically we try a different version of rockfish tacos. Running a charter boat business, we get plenty of fresh rockfish and lingcod fillets to take home and try new variations of tacos. Recently we tried a spicier fish taco recipe, that was not only loaded with flavor and surprisingly easy to make, but was also unique to any other fish taco recipe we have tried. Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon tacos are insanely delicious, and sure to become a favorite way to prepare rockfish, halibut, cod or surfperch.
Rockfish, shrimp and bacon, ready to serve with your favorite taco ingredients.
This recipe took quite a bit of tinkering to perfect. It is best prepared broiled in the oven. Everyone who has tried it agrees it is their new favorite fish taco recipe.
Served with homemade salsa and crema sauce, and garnished with avocado, cucumber, cabbage and mango, these tacos are sure to make Taco Night a hit.
It’s hard to beat rockfish, shrimp and bacon broiled with chipotle peppers.Key ingredients include chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, and jalapeno peppers.Fish, shrimp and slightly cooked bacon.Mix the fish with mayonnaise, chipotle peppers, Jugo sauce, softened butter and onions and peppers. Place ingredients on a screen over a baking sheet.Broil on screen over a baking dish.Ready to make insanely delicious rockfish, shrimp and bacon tacos.Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon Tacos.
Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon Tacos
1-2 pounds rockfish (or surfperch, lingcod, halibut or surfperch), cut into smaller chunks
1 pound peeled medium or large shrimp
1 can (7 oz.) Chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
4-6 slices bacon
1 cube butter
1 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup Maggi Jugo sauce (can be substituted with 3 tbs soy sauce and 3 tbs Worcestershire sauce)
Slightly crisp bacon, and set aside to cool. (Don’t overcook bacon, as it will finish cooking under broiler).
Combine pieces of fish, raw shrimp and pieces of bacon in a bowl. Add mayonnaise, Jugo (or soy/Worcestershire sauce), softened butter, chipotle peppers (break into smaller pieces) and adobo sauce, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Mix together (easier done with your hands than a spoon). Add green onions and sliced jalapeno and Anaheim peppers, and mix together.
Place fish mixture on an elevated baking screen over a baking sheet. The liquid from the mixture will settle below screen (browning bacon first reduces the amount of liquid that ends up on baking dish).
Broil for 5-10 minutes, or until fish is done.
Serve on warm tortillas (we like flour tortillas, but also is great with corn tortillas) with cabbage, salsa, crema sauce, avocado and cucumber. For an extra treat, try adding sliced mango.
To catch a limit of rockfish to make your own Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon tacos, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (Aug. 6, 2023) – Two weeks of mostly nice ocean conditions resulted in some of the best fishing of the entire year to end July and begin August, as the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet enjoyed excellent catches of lingcod and rockfish at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse. The first albacore tuna of the season also were caught last week, and offshore halibut action heated up.
Some of the albacore tuna caught last week aboard the Kraken out of Brookings.
Mid-summer is a premier time to fish out of Brookings, as good weather often results in good fishing. Limits of big rockfish and limits or near limits of lingcod have been common at the lighthouse. A few lingcod close to 30 pounds were caught in recent weeks, while plenty of 10- to 15-pounders and several over 20 pounds were brought in by Brookings Fishing Charters customers. Fishing at the lighthouse will continue through mid-October.
Capt. Andy holds an albacore tuna caught aboard the Nauti-Lady last week.Some of the nice tuna caught aboard the Miss Brooke last week.
With calm ocean conditions, Brookings Fishing Charters sent its entire fleet out for albacore tuna last week. The office quickly put trips together based on the tuna call list (call 541-813-1082 to get on it), and nearly 30 customers were able to get out on the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Nauti-Lady, Papa B and Dash. It took a few hours to find the fish, then the action was wide open, with a 50-fish-per-boat average. Trolling tuna clones with rod and reel produced the best action, as the captains found 62-degree water offshore of Pistol River. The action was non-stop until the boats ran out of ice and cooler space for the tuna.
A few tuna from the Nauti-Lady last week.Happy customers with their tuna catch from the Papa B last week.
More tuna trips are expected this week of weather conditions calm down as expected Wednesday and Thursday. Tuna charters are a 10- to 12-hour trip.
Limits of halibut caught in early August aboard the Dash.
Halibut action also improved again last week after a lull in mid-July. The Dash ran a trip over the weekend with full two-fish-per-person limits of Pacific halibut, with fish to 50 pounds caught. Calm weather this week is allow charters to get back offshore for halibut.
Oregon is now the only option for halibut fishing, as the Pacific halibut quota has been reached in California waters. Halibut season runs through October out of Brookings.
Trophy-size vermillion rockfish caught last week aboard the Miss Brooke.A 29-pound lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady at Mack Arch.Limits of lingcod caught at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse.
On local half-day bottom fishing charters, limits of rockfish are being caught, with fair action on lingcod. A 29-pound lingcod was caught last week aboard the Nauti-Lady at Mack Arch.
Fishing charters may be booked online at www.brookingsfishing.com, or by calling (541) 813-1082.
Here are a few more catch photos from the end of July and beginning of August.
