Tag: Brookings fishing report

Steelhead arrive, lingcod bite between storms

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.

To book a trip, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

River salmon season off to hot start!

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.

To book an ocean charter or guided river trip, call (541) 813-1082. More in river fishing can be found at www.wildriversfishing.com. For ocean trips, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Check out our latest recipe, Chipotle Rockfish, Shrimp and Bacon tacos.

Halibut show up, tuna on horizon

BROOKINGS, Ore. (July 4, 2023) – Lingcod and lunker rockfish have been biting at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse – when the weather is calm enough to get there – while Pacific halibut action is heating up closer to the Port of Brookings. Albacore tuna, meanwhile, are almost within range of the sport fleet, with a pocket of warm water inching closer to the Oregon Coast.

The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet has been fishing daily, with good success on rockfish and lingcod when the ocean cooperates. Windy weather made fishing challenging the first week of July, but better ocean conditions are expected this coming weekend. Just before the windy weather, halibut catch rates improved. Coho salmon season also is open, but catches on the Southern Oregon Coast have been few and far between.

Limits of lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke in June near the lighthouse.

The best bet in recent weeks has been the Point St. George Reef near the historic lighthouse. The productive reef is halfway between Brookings and Crescent City. The best lingcod areas are closer to the lighthouse, where the Brookings charter fleet often returns with limits of both lingcod and lunker rockfish. The Crescent City charter fleet often focuses on South Reef, where rockfish are abundant, but lingcod have been less common this season.

Halibut caught aboard the Dash in late June in 180 feet of water off Brookings.

Halibut action started off slow out of Brookings when the season opened May 1, but catches have improved steadily. Charters in Brookings were averaging a fish per rod at the end of June. Halibut season continues through October. July, August and early September produce the best catch rates out of Brookings. Halibut are caught in 200 to 250 feet of water, 3 to 5 miles offshore. Unlike other areas of the coast, fairly light weights are used while fishing aboard charter boats in Brookings, with 12 ounces to 16 ounces usually enough lead to stay on the bottom.

Deckhand Chris holds a lingcod caught in late June aboard the Nauti-Lady.
Capt. Mick with a young angler’s first halibut.

During local half-day bottom fishing trips, the action has been fair, as windy weather and choppy seas have kept boats from more productive areas. With nice weather expected after the Fourth of July holiday, catch rates will improve for lingcod and rockfish as boaters can once again reach the Bird Island, House Rock and Mack Arch areas.

Albacore tuna water is a little more than 50 miles offshore, but as offshore winds subside, surface temperatures will increase and the bubble of warm water will move closer to shore. Tuna could be within 30 miles by mid-July. Brookings Fishing Charters operates off of a call list for tuna. When the forecast shows good weather conditions, the booking office will put trips together. Call (541) 813-1082 to be added to the call list.

Capt. Kirby holds a tiger rockfish caught aboard the Miss Brooke at the lighthouse.

To book a fishing charter, call (541) 813-1082, or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Here are some catches from recent trips aboard the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Dash, Papa B and Nauti-Lady.

Rockfish, lingcod plentiful off Brookings

BROOKINGS, Ore. (April 17, 2023) – A break in the weather, with several fishable days per week, has allowed the Brookings Fishing Charters crew to run numerous trips the first half of April, resulting in limits of rockfish and a nice variety of lingcod. Some lunker vermilion rockfish have shown up in the catch, along with limits of lingcod on many of our longer 6-plus-hour charters. Halibut season is just around the corner!

Limits of lingcod from mid-April on the Miss Brooke.

The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet – including the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Nauti-Lady, Dash and Papa B – is running bottom fishing trips daily, as the weather allows. Beginning May 1, halibut trips will be an option. The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, located just across the border between Brookings and Crescent City, opens to fishing May 15. Ocean salmon season for hatchery coho opens June 17. With the largest charter fleet in the area, Brookings Fishing Charters will offer a large selection of ocean charters this summer, with options ranging from 4-hour local bottom fishing trips to 8-plus-hour salmon and rockfish or halibut and salmon combo trips.

Limits of lingcod caught aboard the Papa B in mid April.

Rough weather kept boats at the docks for much of the late winter and early spring, but conditions improved this past week. The charter fleet ran several trips for lingcod and rockfish, with good catches of both. Lingcod continue to spawn in shallow water, allowing our customers to catch them with light tackle. Rockfish also are schooled up closer to shore and wash rocks, allowing lighter jigs to be used to catch them.

Capt. Kirby holds a 10-pound vermilion rockfish caught in mid April aboard the Nauti-Lady.

During halibut season, which runs May 1-Oct. 31, our charter boats anchor in productive areas for the prized fish. In recent years, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew has developed a reputation for producing the highest catch rates out of Brookings, with limits common the second half of the season. The best halibut fishing out of Brookings is usually late June through September. Halibut are caught in May, but limits of less frequent early in the season.

A nice limit of lingcod from the Papa B.

During ocean salmon season, our charter boats troll with anchovies or herring. While ocean salmon season is closed in California this year, it is open June 17-Aug. 31 out of Brookings. Two hatchery coho – also known as silver salmon – may be kept per day. Fishing for silver salmon is often fast and furious. They are known to be aggressive biters, and limits are common early in the season, as the fish migrate back to the Columbia River. Big numbers of hatchery coho salmon have been released into the Columbia River in recent years by Native American tribes that operate their own fish hatcheries. Those salmon migrate south after leaving the Columbia River and spend the ocean portion of their life off of Northern California and Southern Oregon. They are aggressively feeding as they make their way back to the river.

Deckhand Eric holds a nice lingcod caught in mid April.

To book an ocean charter out of Brookings, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call our booking office, (541) 813-1082.

When the lighthouse area opens May 15, we run our long-range trips for trophy lingcod and rockfish. These trips are highly popular because of the size of the lingcod at the lighthouse, and their high abundance. Because there are no depth restrictions for rockfish this year in Oregon or California, we now will be able to combine the lighthouse trips with salmon or halibut combos, meaning we can have rockfish on board as we fish deeper water for halibut, or troll for coho salmon on the way back to the port in Brookings. These trips are only offered by Brookings Fishing Charters.

Below are some of the catches aboard our charters in early and mid April.

Ocean salmon season opens June 17 off of Brookings

BROOKINGS, Ore. (April 6, 2023) – Ocean anglers will get two and a half months to catch hatchery coho salmon this summer off the Oregon Coast, with the season running June 17 through Aug. 31 out of Brookings. Coho often produce wide-open action, and when schools move through, multiple hookups at the same time are common. Coho, also known as silver salmon, are known for their hard fighting abilities and excellent taste.

Federal fishery managers set ocean salmon seasons on April 6 during a meeting of the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Brookings will be the closest port to California with any ocean salmon fishing, as salmon will be closed this year off of California, and in the Sacramento River and its tributaries. Chinook fishing is closed the entire year in the ocean off of California, and until Sept. 1 in the ocean off of most of the Oregon Coast. The river seasons on the Rogue and Chetco rivers will go on as normal. Coho fishing will be open from Brookings to Tillamook most of the summer. Anglers will be allowed to keep two hatchery coho per day. Fishing will be open seven days a week, with a 110,000-quota for hatchery coho.

Anglers hold limits of coho salmon caught last summer on the Miss Brooke.

During most seasons, catch rates for hatchery coho are highest out of Brookings early in the season, with the last two weeks of June and first two weeks of July the prime time to catch coho. The fishery is fueled by massive releases of hatchery coho by Native American tribes on the Columbia River. Those fish migrate south in the ocean, and arrive off the coast of Brookings in May, June and early July as they make their way back to the Columbia. This year, federal fishery manager predict an ocean abundance of more than 1 million coho, with most of the fish from the Columbia River, but plenty also from the Umpqua, Coos, Siuslaw, Coquille, Siltcoos and Rogue rivers.

Double hookups are common during coho season off of Brookings.

The Brookings Fishing Charters crew has a well-earned reputation for producing the best ocean salmon catch rates for the local charter boat fleet. All of the captains are also licensed river guides and have decades of experience fishing for salmon. Many have extensive Oregon and Alaska fishing guide and charter boat experience.

Coho are caught trolling plug-cut herring or anchovies behind flashers, or on lures that resemble baitfish. The fish are aggressive feeders and when the bite is on, they attack lures and baits with little caution, making them easy targets for experienced charter captains.

Salmon from the 2022 season aboard the Dash of Brookings Fishing Charters.

Low numbers of Chinook salmon expected to return to the Sacramento River led to this summer’s salmon shutdown in California. Since the majority of the king salmon caught off the Oregon Coast are from the Sacramento and Klamath rivers, Oregon also has salmon restriction. Coho salmon, however, are having healthy returns, especially on the Columbia River, where tribes have focused on building the silver salmon runs in recent years.

Coho salmon caught on the Miss Brooke during the summer 2022 season.

King salmon fishing will be allowed this year on the Chetco and Rogue rivers, where salmon runs are healthy. The Brookings Fishing Charters crew is historically known for getting some of the biggest salmon each year on the Chetco. The drought that devastated salmon runs in California was not as severe on the Oregon Coast rivers.

A pair of nice salmon caught at the mouth of the Chetco with Capt. Andy.

River fishing on the Rogue starts in late June and early July, while the Chetco kicks into gear at the end of September. Drift boat season is late October and early November.

Since coho salmon are migrating from Northern California up through Oregon during their ocean migration back to the Columbia, the early part of the season is best. The peak season is in late June and early July.

Brookings Fishing Charters will be offering ocean coho trips daily, with salmon only trips, or salmon and rockfish combos. There also are Point St. George Reef lingcod and hatchery coho combos, with salmon fishing taking place on the way back from the lighthouse in Oregon waters.

The results of a coho salmon and bottom fish combo trip last summer on the Kraken.

To book an ocean salmon trip, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

Coho salmon are great on the barbecue.

Lingcod action solid when weather allows

BROOKINGS, Ore. (April 1, 2023) – Lingcod fishing has been good out of the Port of Brookings when ocean conditions allow, although there were more rough weather days in March than fishable days. When the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet can get out of port, limits of rockfish and good numbers of lingcod have been common. Weather conditions typically improve in April, as winter storms become less frequent.

A customer holds a nice lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke in late March 2023.

Lingcod and rockfish season is open year round on the Oregon Coast. The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet runs charters out of the Port of Brookings year round. During the winter and early spring, lingcod are in shallow water spawning. Anglers are able to target them in shallow water with light tackle.

Eric, a deckhand on the Miss Brooke, holds some of the nice rockfish caught in late March.
Mark holds a nice lingcod caught aboard the Kraken on Spring Break 2023.

During the first week of Spring Break 2023, the Brookings Fishing Crews fished several families on their first ever ocean charter. Many of these groups were from Eastern Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Northern California. We also had large numbers of our regular customers from the Rogue Valley, Klamath Basin and Siskiyou County.

A family from Eugene shows the results for a double, double-hookup of rockfish on the Nauti-Lady.

Trips are available during the spring on the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Papa B, Dash and Nauti-Lady. We are offering our popular four-hour bottom fishing trips, and the longer 6-plus-hour targeted lingcod trip. Lingcod and rockfish are caught on both charters, but the catch rate for lingcod improves on the longer trip, as more time is spent targeting lingcod, larger baits are used, and the trips travel further up the coast to less-fished waters.

A nice lingcod from Spring Break 2023 caught on the Miss Brooke.

We will find out early this month what the dates for this summer’s ocean salmon season will be. We are expecting a June 17 opener for coho salmon on the entire Oregon Coast. Chinook season will be closed this summer in the ocean waters off of California, in the Sacramento and Klamath rivers, and in the ocean in most of Oregon until Sept. 1. The bay seasons will go on as normal on the Rogue and Umpqua rivers and at the mouth of the Columbia River. Normal salmon seasons also are expected on the Chetco and Smith rivers, where the Brookings Fishing Charters captains run drift boat trips during the fall and winter.

An angler holds a vermilion and canary rockfish caught on the Nauti-Lady in late March.

Pacific halibut season opens May 1 out of Brookings. The Brookings Fishing Charters crew has a well-earned reputation for producing the highest halibut catch rates out of Brookings. Trips run daily, weather permitting. Typically, the best halibut fishing is in late June, July and August. We also will be offering trips to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse beginning May 15. Those trips produce catches of lingcod and rockfish that rival those in Alaska.

A nice lingcod from the Dash in March 2023.
Kirby, a longtime deckhand in Brookings, holds his certificate for his 100-ton near coastal masters US Coast Guard captains license course.

In March, longtime Brookings deckhand Kirby Anderson completed his courses for his 100-ton Near Coastal Masters US Coast Guard captains license. Kirby has worked on charter boats and commercial fishing boats in Brookings for decades. A longtime Brookings resident, Kirby went to high school in Brookings with Capt. Andy and Capt. Travis. He will soon be at the helm of the Brookings Fishing Charters boats running trips as a captain. A number of local charter boat captains earned their sea time and experience working as deckhands with Brookings Fishing Charters. Eric, who is still in high school, is also accumulating sea time to earn his captains license.

The Nauti-Lady during a Spring Break 2023 charter off the coast of Brookings.

To book a fishing charter out of Brookings, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call our booking office, (541) 813-1082.

Lingcod action busts open in Brookings

BROOKINGS, Ore. ( March 20, 2023) — Stormy seas and gusty winds subsided in mid-March, allowing the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet to get to the lingcod grounds, where action was wide open. Our six-pack charter boats and the Nauti-Lady returned with limits or near limits of lingcod and a nice grade of rockfish during a week of consecutive trips. It has been some of the best lingcod fishing we have seen in recent years on our local half-day charters.

Customers hold limits of lingcod caught over the weekend aboard the Miss Brooke.

Lingcod move into shallow water during the late winter to spawn, putting them within closer range of the sport fleet. The best fishing has been from Bird Island to House Rock. With decades of combined experience, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew is dialed in on targeting lingcod when they are close to shore. Our boats are equipped with high-performance sonar and top-quality light tackle set ups to catch lingcod in 20 to 50 feet of water.

A nice grade of lingcod from the Miss Brooke in mid-March.

Rough weather kept our fleet at the docks for most of the first three months of 2023, but calmer seas beginning last week allowed the Nauti-Lady, Miss Brooke, Papa B and Kraken to head offshore. Fishing has been very good for lingcod, and rockfish. We have seen a nice variety of black, blue, canary, vermilion, China, copper and yellowtail rockfish. This year anglers in Oregon can once again keep China and copper rockfish. Quillback rockfish, along with yelloweye rockfish, must be released. We also have seen large numbers of cabezon, which must be released through the end of June. Cabezon season opens July 1.

A trophy 28-pound lingcod caught March 19 on the Nauti-Lady.

Our biggest lingcod so far this season is a 28-pounder, caught March 19 on the Nauti-Lady during our 6-hour targeted lingcod trip. We also have seen a few other lingcod over 20 pounds. Most of the lings are in the 5- to 10-pound range, with a few a day in the mid teens.

Some of the lingcod limits on the Nauti-Lady from over the weekend.

We are offering 4-hour half-day bottom fishing trips all season, as well as our popular 6-plus hour targeted lingcod trips. The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse area opens May 15. Pacific halibut opens May 1, with the best fishing in late June, July and August.

Federal officials will adopt ocean salmon seasons during a meeting in early April. The season is expected to open June 17 out of Brookings for hatchery coho. King salmon season will be closed in the ocean in California and much of Oregon this summer. The Chetco and Smith rivers, however, will still be open to king salmon fishing this fall.

Here are some of the limits of lingcod caught over the weekend on our charters boats.

Our boats are ready for the upcoming spring break holidays. We will be offering morning and afternoon charters during the weekends, weather permitting, and morning charters every day. To book, call (541) 813-1082, or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Nauti-Lady deckhand Kirby holds a nice lingcod caught last week by our office manager Sarah.
A nice lingcod from the Papa B over the weekend.
Copper rockfish may now be kept again off the Oregon Coast.

Halibut season set for Brookings

The season for Pacific halibut, one of the most prized fish caught off the Oregon Coast, opens May 1 out of the Port of Brookings. Each year, the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet is the most successful group of charter boats and captains at catching halibut off the coast of Brookings. Their catch rates speak for themselves.

Halibut are generally caught in 175 to 250 feet of water off of Brookings, much shallower than most of the Oregon Coast. Brookings also has the longest season, from May 1-Oct. 31, open seven days a week.

Customers hold limits of halibut caught aboard the Dash in 2022.

Brookings Fishing Charters captains Andy Martin and Rye Phillips played a major role in revolutionizing the halibut fishing off of Brookings. Charter boats would occasionally catch halibut out of Brookings, but 10 years ago, after running charter boats in Alaska for a decade, Andy and Rye used techniques they used up north to drastically increase catch rates out of Brookings. Instead of just a fish or two per trip, they began limiting out on halibut out of Brookings on a consistent basis.

Capt. Mick and Capt. Sam admire limits of halibut caught during the 2022 season with Brookings Fishing Charters.

Halibut trips run 8 hours. The limit is one halibut per day, the same coastwide. Anglers in most of Alaska, British Columbia, Washington and California also are limited to one halibut per day. The average size of a halibut out of Brookings is around 20 pounds, although fish in the 30 and even 40-pound range are caught regularly.

Capt. Rye holds a halibut close to 100 pounds caught on his charter boat a couple of years ago out of Brookings.
Capt. Mick with a large halibut caught in 2022 aboard the Dash out of Brookings.

Over the years, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew has discovered the most productive halibut spots out of Brookings, allowing them to consistently return with limits of Pacific halibut. Calm weather days produce the best catch rates, as we often anchor to maximize the amount of productive fishing time.

This year, ODFW and CDFW have lifted depth restrictions on rockfish, allowing halibut, lingcod and rockfish trips to coincide. Brookings Fishing Charters offers halibut charters, and a special halibut and rockfish combo trip.

Capt. Andy holds a halibut caught aboard the Nauti-Lady. Andy has been a captain for 20 years, with 10 years experience running charters in Alaska and two decades off the Oregon Coast.
Limits of halibut caught aboard the Papa B in 2022.

Halibut trips are $275 a person. Combo trips, including halibut and rockfish, are $325 a person. Some of the halibut trips take place at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse between Brookings and Crescent City.

To book a trip, call (541) 813-1082 or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Charter captains wrapping up steelhead season

Most of the captains for Brookings Fishing Charters run salmon and steelhead drift boat trips during the fall and winter on the Chetco and Smith rivers. Capt. Andy, Mick, Sam, Rye and Shane are finishing up their winter steelhead season, and preparing to shift gears to the spring and summer ocean seasons.

This year’s winter steelhead season has produced slower-than-average fishing, but our captains are still finding some nice steelhead. In a season where every bite counts, the difference between a couple of fish to the boat and getting skunked often depends on an experienced guide to maximize your chance at success. Our guides have often been the top-producing boats on the Chetco and Smith this season.

A customer holds a nice Chetco River steelhead caught in February with Capt. Andy

Low, clear water for much of the steelhead season has kept some of the steelhead from leaving the ocean and migrating upriver. A wet forecast to begin March could bring in fresh fish for the final part of the steelhead season, which runs through March on the Chetco River and April on the Smith River.

Capt. Sam holds a beautiful Smith River steelhead.
Capt. Rye and a customer hold a steelhead from the Smith River.
Capt. Mick with a steelhead from the Chetco River.

We catch steelhead fishing from drift boats on the wild and scenic sections of the Chetco and Smith rivers. Light spinning rods are used to cast small clusters of roe. Steelhead are known to be very hard fighters, and are prized because they are difficult to catch. Sometimes they are referred to as a fish of a thousand casts.

Capt. Andy and a customer hold a large hatchery steelhead from the Chetco River.

In March, Brookings Fishing Charters will be offering lingcod and rockfish trips daily, weather permitting. Capt. Mick, Rye and Sam also will continue to run steelhead trips on the Smith and Chetco rivers. To book a river or ocean charter, call (541) 813-1082. More information about river trips can be found at www.wildriversfishing.com. For ocean charters, visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Capt. Mick lifts the net after his customers enjoyed a double-hookup on the Smith River.
The results of a double hookup.
Customers hold the results of a double hookup on the Chetco with Capt. Andy.

Here are some more great catches from the 2023 season with the Brookings Fishing Charters crew.

Capt. Andy with a nice steelhead caught on a plug.

Rockfish, lingcod targeted between storms

(BROOKINGS, Ore. – Feb. 15, 2023) – The new year has been off to a stormy start, as big swells, steep wind chop and overall rough conditions have kept charter boats on the Southern Oregon Coast at the docks. As the weather improves in late winter and early spring, expect good action for lingcod and rockfish.

The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet has run a handful of trips so far in 2023, with fishing only fair at best. Rough conditions and cold water has made the rockfish and lingcod more reluctant to bite. Generally, the better the weather, the better the fishing this time of year. As swells and seas subside, the rockfish and lingcod will aggressively feed, resulting in what can be wide open fishing.

Customers hold crab, rockfish and lingcod from a charter in January aboard the Miss Brooke.

During the winter months, lingcod move into shallow water to spawn. Large numbers of male lingcod, between 5 and 10 pounds, remain in shallow water to guard the nests of the spawning lingcod. The larger females, which can reach 30 to 40 pounds, quickly return to deep water, but while on their spawning run they are within range of sport anglers. During the most recent trips, the Miss Brooke caught limits of rockfish and a few lingcod, plus a few limits of Dungeness crab.

Crabbing has been decent this winter, and the Brookings Fishing Charters boats have dropped crab pots to check on the way back from the fishing grounds. The commercial crab season is now in full swing, reducing the number of crab available for anglers.

Local half-day and 6-plus-hour bottom fishing trips are available daily during the winter and early spring. The Point St. George Reef near the lighthouse opens to fishing May 15. This year, the Oregon limit for rockfish is five rockfish and two lingcod. Salmon dates will be adopted in April. Pacific halibut season opens May 1 out of Brookings.

A nice limit of lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke.

Our charter boats use light spinning tackle or light jigging rods to target rockfish and lingcod. Our six-pack boats are the fastest in the fleet, while larger groups, or people who like fishing on a larger party-style boat, can book trips aboard the 42-foot Nauti-Lady.

Catching rockfish three at a time aboard the Papa B in January.

To book an ocean charter, call (541) 813-1082, or book online at www.brookingsfishing.com.