Lingcod have moved into shallow water, rockfish are actively feeding and for the most part fishing has been outstanding in recent weeks out of the Port of Brookings Harbor. The charter boat fleet from Brookings Fishing Charters has been enjoying limits of rockfish and limits or near limits of lingcod on most trips. Simply put, the fishing has been awesome.
Anglers hold limits of lingcod caught in March 2022 aboard the Miss Brooke.
Our charter boats are now able to get out almost every day of the week, thanks to lighter winds in the morning and smaller ocean swells. On calm weather days, lingcod fishing has been fantastic. During rougher weather, we are still getting limits of rockfish and a few lingcod.
The best fishing has been in the House Rock and Twin Rocks area, where we have been able to fish several days a week. On rougher days, our charters are catching fish near Chetco Point and Aiken Point to the south of the harbor.
With lingcod in shallow water, our charters are using the light spinning rods to catch both rockfish and lingcod. The shallow water, light-tackle action makes for an ocean bottom fishing trip to remember.
A hefty lingcod caught in March 2022 with light tackle aboard the Miss Brooke.
Currently, half-day bottom fishing trips are $125 a person, and the longer targeted lingcod trips are $150 a person.
A nice limit of lingcod from the Miss Brooke.All smiles catching rockfish on light tackle aboard the Nauti-Lady.Another set of limits from the Miss Brooke.A nice double of big black snapper aboard the Miss Brooke.Nice limit of lingcod from the Kraken in March 2022.How’s this for a first-time lingcod fishing?Check out this great limit of lingcod from the Miss Brooke during Spring Break 2022.
Lingcod fishing has busted wide open out of Brookings, with limits or near limits during calm weather days. Limits of rockfish also are being caught.
With nice weather to begin the month of March, the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet was able to run trips several days, getting limits of rockfish on each trip, and nice catches of lingcod. On trips to Mack Arch, limits of lingcod have been the norm.
A nice limit of lingcod caught in March aboard the Miss Brooke.A pair of big canary rockfish caught aboard the Miss Brooke.A young angler with a big lingcod caught on the Kraken.More Miss Brooke lingcod.
The biggest storm in nearly two months hit the coast the second week of March, keeping boats at the docks. Better weather days are already showing up in the forecast.
During most trips, there has been an excellent grade of rockfish, with big blue and black rockfish, plus an assortment of canary, vermilion, China and copper rockfish. The lingcod are running 5 to 12 pounds, with a fish on most trips topping 15 pounds and an occasional lingcod to 20 pounds.
A nice halibut caught and released in March aboard the Papa B.
Sport halibut season opens May 1. The first halibut of the year was caught and released over the weekend by a customer aboard the Papa B. They were targeting lingcod near Mack Arch.
A big lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady in March 2022.Another nice Nauti-Lady lingcod.A limit of lingcod from the Kraken in March 2022.
The 2022 ocean salmon season will be set in early April. The season will likely begin in late June and continue through July. Anglers are expected to be able to keep hatchery coho and wild or hatchery king salmon.
A lingcod double header aboard the Miss Brooke.A nice Miss Brooke lingcod from March 2022.Limits of lingcod caught in March at Mack Arch on the Miss Brooke.A double hookup of black and canary rockfish.The Kraken in action in March near Chetco Point.
Unseasonably nice weather, with calm winds and small swells, has allowed charter boats to venture out of the Port of Brookings Harbor throughout February, resulting in great catches of rockfish and lingcod. On nice weather days, limits of rockfish, and limits or near limits of lingcod are being caught.
The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet ran several trips in February, with the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Nauti-Lady, Papa B, Dash and Bout Time getting in on the action. The local charter fleet has been running two to three trips a week.
A nice catch of lingcod aboard the Miss Brooke in February 2020.
Lingcod are in shallow water spawning during the winter and early spring. With large numbers of fish staging on shallow pinnacles this time of year, they are in close range of anglers hoping to catch them with light tackle.
Lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady in February 2020.A nice catch of lingcod caught aboard the Dash in February 2020.More lingcod caught on the Miss Brooke.A double hookup of rockfish from the Nauti-Lady.One of many lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady in February.Nice first lingcod for a young angler aboard the Nauti-Lady.Cabezon must be released until July. We have been seeing good numbers of them.A limit of lingcod from the Nauti-Lady.A happy angler with a lingcod from the Miss Brooke.A large canary rockfish caught aboard the Kraken.Capt. Andy holds a limit of lingcod caught by regular customer Dennis aboard the Nauti-Lady.
March began with rough weather, with the first major storm since early January. Charters will run throughout March as conditions allow.
Unusually calm weather has allowed the Brookings Fishing Charters to run numerous ocean charters in January and February. So far this year, fishing has been great for lingcod and rockfish. Big schools of rockfish are being found in the close-in reefs near the harbor, and to the north from Chetco Point to Bird Island, Twin Rocks, House Rock and Mack Arch.
Each of the Brookings Fishing Charters boats – the Miss Brooke, Nauti-Lady, Kraken, Papa B, Dash and Bout Time – have run numerous trips. Limits of rockfish have been the norm, and lingcod fishing appears to be above average so far this season. A 25-pound lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke with Capt. Travis in early February is the largest so far this season.
Nice limits of lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke near Mack Arch.A nice lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady near Bird Island.Happy customers aboard the Nauti-Lady.
With the calm weather, boats have been able to get up to Mack Arch, where there are plenty of large lingcod. Limits have been likely near Mack Arch.
Frequent customer John with a nice lingcod from the Miss Brooke.More lingcod from the Mack Arch area.
The rockfish population has been thriving near Brookings. We are seeing large schools of black, blue and canary rockfish. The grade has been excellent. Anglers have been able to release smaller rockfish and focus on larger fish for their limits. Since our boats specialize in shallow water with light tackle, the fish are not injured as they are reeled up from the bottom. It is more difficult to release rockfish caught in 80 feet of water or more, but our charters often fish in 40 to 60 feet of water, or shallower.
A nice lingcod and very nice canary rockfish from the Miss Brooke.A black rockfish and a blue rockfish caught aboard the Papa B.Another double hookup on the Nauti-Lady.It’s a triple! the rockfish action has been fast and furious so far this season.
On recent charters, our customers have caught a release numerous king salmon. The ocean salmon season won’t open until May or early June, but the abundance of salmon in the ocean right now near Brookings is a great sign. These are likely feeder kings that will return to the Klamath or Sacramento rivers. When they stack up near Brookings during the winter, they are usually still around by the time opening day arrives.
One of many salmon caught and released this winter during bottom fishing charters.Frequent customer Vince with a nice lingcod aboard the Miss Brooke.You’d be smiling too if you just caught a nice vermilion rockfish.Deckhand Brent with a copper and quillback rockfish. The quillback was released, while coppers may be retained.Nice lingcod from the Miss Brooke near Mack Arch.Great catches from our first charter of the season on the Miss Brooke.Capt. Mike filletsrockfish after a successful charter on the Papa B.A big ling and a lunker rockfish make for a very happy young customer.Rockfish are a blast on the light spinning tackle we use on all of our charter boats.The Miss Brooke has been successful at finding nice lingcod on each charter so far this season.
The Brookings Fishing Charters fleets runs charters daily, weather permitting. Our six-pack boats are fast and perfect for smaller groups. Families and larger groups love the comfortable ride of the spacious Nauti-Lady, our 42-foot party boat.
To book a trip, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call our booking office at (541) 813-1082.
BY RICH HOLLAND/Western Outdoor News. BROOKINGS, Ore. – Fires raged both sides of the border, the delta variant was on the move and the wind was blowing a gale along the southern Oregon coast, yet nothing was going stop a group of four anglers from a week of fishing planned six months earlier.
The crew with halibut caught in August 2021 aboard the Nauti-Lady.
The plan? To use the growing fleet of Andy Martin’s Brookings Fishing Charters to maximize whatever opportunities the waterways and coast from Gold Beach to Crescent City could offer the first week of August. The list of possibilities is long: king salmon, silver salmon, Pacific halibut, California halibut, rockfish, lingcod and albacore.
Martin’s cooperation and flexibility were both necessary and outstanding. It was he who suggested that we book Monday, Wednesday and Friday, leaving as much room for adapting to conditions as possible.
As luck would have it, conditions were excellent when we arrived, dead calm under the protection of Chetco Point. A slight change in the forecast noted that while Cape Blanco to Gold Beach was under a gale warning, the area from Brookings south would be variable 5 to 10 knots with fog and overcast.
Patrick Bird fishes aboard the Miss Brooke near the Point St. George Lighthouse.
“It’s looking good for the Lighthouse tomorrow morning, so make sure you have both your California and Oregon licenses,” said Martin when we called to check in Sunday. “Since we are leaving from and returning to Oregon, we will be under Oregon regulations as far as our catch.”
Brookings Fishing Charters is right across from the launch ramp boat lot and is both office and tackle store. After we paid up, it was a short drive to D Dock where the Miss Brooke, a 29-foot Kingfisher aluminum with twin 150 outboards, was tied up and Andy and Michael McGahan were ready to go at 6 a.m.
Limits of lingcod aboard the Miss Brooke near the lighthouse.
“It’s a little windy and bumpy this morning but it is going to lay down all day,” said Martin as he steered for the St. George Reef Lighthouse. As we neared and the spire came into view, as well as islands and basaltic outcroppings, he also told the story of the hundreds who died in a shipwreck just after the Civil War, resulting in the construction of the costliest lighthouse ever built in US waters.
Wind with current meant a quick drift despite the braking of the kicker motor, so even in the shallow water it was hard to feel the bottom. Some heavier heads induced a steady inpouring of beefy black rockfish to come aboard. Then Steve Holland caught the first lingcod of the morning, followed quickly by Paul Freese. Both sported the blueish tint occasionally seen on lings.
A trophy vermillion rockfish caught by Rich Holland.
The size of the black rockfish increased as the drift improved with the weather, and canary, yellowtail, copper, china and yelloweye rockfish all found the lures. The last three had to be released under Oregon regulations. The yelloweye were huge and at first gave the impression of being a big lingcod.
Except the big lings gave a much better impression when hooked – besides the ones that fought all the way to the top, a couple almost spooled Steve and Patrick Bird before finding it back to the rocks.
With a slot or two left for some big rockfish, it was time to move the drifts to Martin’s best big lingcod spot for the last of the lings needed for the two fish per person limits. While no monsters were landed Patrick scored the biggest ling of the day when it hitchhiked aboard via a small rockfish, while this writer connected with a beauty of a vermilion rockfish.
Patrick and Capt. Michael with a hitchhiking lingcod.
“The weather is going to keep getting better every day,” said Martin, “Wednesday could be the best.”
Tuesday was beautiful and with the opportunity to move farther offshore, and while we hiked and golfed, some boats got into both silver and king salmon. Yet the good conditions had Capt. Martin leaning in a different direction for our Wednesday run.
“Our boats that have been trying have been getting at least one good halibut a day up to 50 pounds, even in the rough water,” he noted. “I think we’ll take the big boat out and I bet we can do better than that. We also catch a lot of big petrale sole, and they are great eating.”
Fresh salmon guts tricked this halibut aboard the Nauti-Lady.
As a result, we were out on the 41-foot Nauti-Lady early Wednesday morning sliding through the smooth windswell and fog out to one of Martin’s favorite spots for Pacific halibut.
“We have to wait for the halibut to pick up our scent and find us,” Martin pointed out as Ron baited double circle hook rigs with squid and herring and Andy set up rods for sand dabs and petrale sole. “Once the sand dabs really start biting, the halibut show up at this spot.”
Brent Foster, who sold his house after surviving the Paradise fire and moved to Brookings, was also aboard and he was the first to hook up with a flattie. Not long after a 24-pound halibut was flopping on the deck.
A long time passed without a bite, then the few that came were light. The sound of nearby humpback whales spouting whooshed through the fog. Every now and then the dense mist would lift and other boats would appear and disappear.
Capt. Andy holds a nice Pacific halibut.
Salmon started to jump around the boat and at times when the fog lifted we would watch a boat net a salmon. Then a call came in from Michael on the Miss Brooke – his group was limited out on king salmon to 35 pounds by 9 a.m.
Believe me, it was getting a little hard to bear!
Andy asked Michael to come by and drop off the salmon guts for bait and we got to see the big king held up by the happy angler. Then when the bait went on the hooks, the halibut started to climb on ours. Patrick broke the ice with a 15 pounder, the Paul landed a 28-pound flattie. We missed a few other bites and decked a handful of big petrale sole to make for plenty of meat to go around.
Big schools of rockfish at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse.
All of the Brookings Fishing Charter boats and most of the other boats out Wednesday had whacked both kings and silvers. It should be noted lots of wild silvers and shaker (short) kings were released.
When Andy asked if we would like to go salmon fishing the next day (Thursday) it was probably one of the quickest times I ever said yes.
We were back out on the Miss Brooke with Michael and Travis at the wheel and on deck Thursday and a breeze was up and the ceiling of grey was well overhead. It was a chunky ride out to the fishing grounds of the day before.
Limits of salmon aboard the Miss Brooke.
“I’m not marking any bait – the krill was everywhere yesterday – there are hardly any birds and I don’t see any whales, but let’s put the rods out and look around,” Michael said. “Keep an eye out for whales, all of our fish yesterday were on whales.”
Was the day after hex going to take hold?
A handful of bites, two small silvers released and a decent sized hatchery silver boated later, well off the port bow two massive humpbacks twisted back into the water in a massive splash.
“Pull in the gear, we’re going to run for them,” said the skipper. “If we troll to the whales we’ll get there too late.”
Rich Holland with a big king.
We got there in time all right – so close we could smell the stench of the leviathans’ breath, so close we had to pull back the throttle and steer clear of the big fellas while we put out lures and baits in the slime of their feeding frenzy.
Instantaneous action doesn’t describe what followed, it was a scramble for one bent rod after another, with the inevitable misses and the satisfying runs of a solid hookup intertwined.
At first a lot of the kings were small. Travis dropped the Brad’s Lures fished on divers off the stern to 100 feet back and the keeper kings latched on. For whatever reason the anchovy baits fished tight on the inside at 25 feet also started to pick up more quality.
Whenever the bite slowed at all or the size dropped off, we ran towards the next whale. By 7:55 a.m. we had our 2-fish limits each of kings and silvers, mostly kings. We had dodged the “should have been here yesterday” jinx and done even better.
From the beach the next morning we could see the fog lay heavy. Word was only a rare keeper made it in the box. Later the fog gave way to a mid-afternoon gale. The weather had cleared again as of this writing (Aug. 11) and the boats were into the albacore offshore.
Next time.
For more information on fishing out of Brookings, go to Brookings Fishing Charters at brookingsfishing.com or phone (541) 813-1082.
Trip Info
Location and Recreation
Brookings/Brookings Harbor is located just north of the California border on Hwy. 101. There are many motels and vacation rentals available. We stayed Ocean Suites Motel. Accommodations can also be found to the south in Crescent City. The Chetco River bar is the mouth of Brookings Harbor. The Rogue River in Gold Beach is an hour away and the Smith River in California is 20 minutes south. The spectacular redwoods of Jed Smith State Park line the Smith and Harris Ranch and Lone Ranch State Beaches are just north of Brookings. Salmon Run golf course is on the Chetco and Del Norte golf course is adjacent to the Smith.
Dining
From seafood to steaks, breakfast to burgers and brew pubs, there are lots of options: Alta’s Burger Bar (Smith River), Hiouchi Café (Smith River) Catalyst Seafood, Slug N Stone Ice Cream, Pacific Sushi, Bean and Whistle Coffee Bar, Zola’s Pizza, Wild River Pizza, SuperFly, O’Hollerans Steaks, Mattie’s Pancake House, Chetco Brewing, Misty Mountain Brewing, and Seaquake Brewing (Crescent City). A Fred Meyer has all your shopping needs.
Lingcod are one of the most delicious fish caught on our charters. Known for their firm, tasty fillets, lingcod are most often pan fried or deep fried. The fillets also are great when grilled. Here is a favorite grilled lingcod recipe from Capt, Andy that is incredibly simple, yet delicious. The recipe also works great for rockfish and halibut.
Grilled lingcod is simple and delicious.
Ingredients
Lingcod fillets
olive or vegetable oil
lemon pepper
salt
salted butted
fresh lemon
Preheat your grill to 350-375 degrees. To make cleanup simple, add a sheet of aluminum foil with a small amount of cooking oil to prevent lingcod from sticking to the foil.
The combination of butter and lemon pepper give the lingcod a delicious flavor.
Generously season the lingcod fillets with lemon pepper and sea salt. You may want to add a little garlic as well. Top each fillet with a slice of butter.
The melting butter keeps the fillets firm and moist.
Cook the fillets for 8 to 10 minutes without turning. Thicker fillets may take longer. The fish is done when the inside has an opaque color and the fillets easily flake apart.
The fillets are done in 8 to 10 minutes.
Serve the fillets with a squeeze of fresh lemon.
Grilled lingcod or rockfish also make excellent fish tacos. Add homemade pico de gallo and a combination of shredded cabbage and crema. Serve with flour or corn tortillas.
Grilled lingcod or rockfish make great fish tacos.Homemade pico is a key ingredient.Make a Mexican crema sauce by combining mayonnaise, sour cream, lime juice, Sriracha and garlic powder.Combine the cabbage and crema sauce.Grilled lingcod tacos!Lingcod are fun to catch and taste great.
Our trips to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, located offshore between Brookings and Crescent City, have been a huge hit with our customers. During recent trips this fall, in between storms, we have been catching limits of nice rockfish, and a very nice grade of lingcod. Anglers often see a wide variety of rockfish during these trips, with black, blue, canary, vermilion, China, copper, quillback and even tiger rockfish.
A happy angler holds a big lingcod caught in late November 2021 aboard the Miss Brooke.
During a period of nice weather in late November, we were able to run several trips to the lighthouse area aboard our six pack boats, including the Miss Brooke and Bout Time. During the fall months, lingcod fishing is often wide open at the lighthouse, and aside from limits, large numbers of keeper-size lingcod are also released.
We target the big lingcod with large jigs. As is often the case when hunting trophy-size fish, the bigger the bait, the bigger the fish.
An angler holds a tiger rockfish caught near the lighthouse.
One of the main draws of the lighthouse is the fast action, and wide variety. With each fish that comes up, anglers don’t know if it will be a cabezon, large rockfish, lingcod or even a halibut. The massive schools of fish at the Point St. George Reef are unmatched and rival the quality fishing in remote parts of Alaska.
Limits of rockfish caught at the Point St. George Reef while fishing aboard the Miss Brooke.
The lighthouse itself is located 11 miles south of the Chetco River jetties. Our charter boats fish near the lighthouse, or travel further south to fish near the Dragon Channel, Great Break, East Break and other productive parts of the reef.
Similar to our other charters, we start out with light spinning tackle to catch rockfish, usually fishing as shallow water as possible. It is easer to release rockfish in shallow water. If they are caught in deeper water, we will use a descending device to get the rockfish safely back to the bottom, deceasing release mortality of these prized fish.
An angler holds a trophy vermilion rockfish and a keeper-size lingcod from a recent lighthouse trip.
To fish the lighthouse area, the Brookings Fishing Charters boats are licensed in Oregon and California. We depart the Port of Brookings, in Oregon, but fish in California waters. Our boats have a California Commercial Passenger Vessel License and each angler must have a California sport fishing license. One-day licenses are available for $17. The fish are landed in Oregon, so an Oregon license also is required. The extraordinary fishing near the lighthouse makes the extra charter licenses, and angler licenses worthwhile, with unmatched fishing and the potential for trophy size fish.
The historic Point St. George Reef Lighthouse is home to some of the best lingcod and rockfish action on the entire West Coast.
The lighthouse area is open May-December. The rest of the year, we focus on other hot spots, such as Mack Arch, House Rock and the productive reefs close to the Port of Brookings Harbor.
Our charter boat captains have extensive experience fishing near the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse. Capt. Mick and Capt. Sam both grew up in Crescent City, and have been fishing the lighthouse area their entire life. Mick used to fish commercially near the Point St. George Reef, but now works year round, full time as a charter boat captain and fishing guide. Capt. Andy and Capt. Travis grew up in Brookings, and also have decades of experience fishing local waters, including the lighthouse area. Capt. Rye, Capt. Rich and Capt. Michael also have extensive experience fishing the lighthouse. Each captain has their own “hot spots,” and our charter crew is in constant communication with each other to make sure each boat is on the bite.
An average-size lingcod from the lighthouse area.
New for 2022, we will be offering combination lighthouse and ocean salmon trips during the month of June. We also offer halibut and lighthouse trip combos in June and September. Depth restrictions limit the halibut combos other times of the year.
The Point St. George Reef and lighthouse are a fascinating part of local history. The lighthouse was built in 1892 after several tragic shipwrecks in the Point St. George Reef. Towering 146 feet above the ocean, the lighthouse can be seen from Brookings and Crescent City. The reef is part of what was named “Dragon Rocks” by Sir Francis Drake. On July 30, 1865, during a gale, the 220-foot Brother Jonathan, carrying 244 passengers, struck the reef and sank. Only 19 people survived. A fortune in gold went down with the ship. Most of the gold is said to still be at the bottom of the ocean near the lighthouse, although a fisherman claimed to have caught 22 pounds of gold bars in his net in the 1930s. The sinking of the Brother Jonathan played a key role in the decision to build the lighthouse on Northwest Seal Rock.
The lighthouse cost $752,000 to construct in 1892, equivalent to $22 million today, making it the most expensive lighthouse ever built in the United States. The lighthouse was major construction feat. Several people died during construction and more were killed while serving at lightkeepers.
The Nauti-Lady, the 42-foot party boat usually used for half-day bottom fishing trips for Brookings Fishing Charters, has been getting customers into nice lingcod as of late. In between winter storms, the Nauti-Lady has been venturing offshore for lingcod and rockfish, with an occasional trip to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse.
Mark, a frequent Brookings Fishing Charters customer, holds a limit of lingcod caught on the Nauti-Lady.
Just before Thanksgiving, the Nauti-Lady took a family out for a half-day bottom fishing trip, and aside from nice limits of rockfish, they hammered the lingcod in shallow water. One of the young anglers excitedly said the charter was one of the “best days of my life.” The lingcod action was fast and furious that day.
A family holds their Thanksgiving week catch of lingcod from the Nauti-Lady.
Another customer fished aboard the Nauti-Lady in November for her birthday. She caught a limit of rockfish and a limit of lingcod. She said the charter fishing experience was a great way to spend her birthday, and she was pleased with the catch and experience.
Earlier this fall, anglers aboard the Nauti-Lady also encountered great rockfish action, and lingcod-after-lingcod near House Rock.
During the late summer, the Nauti-Lady made numerous trips to the lighthouse, where the lingcod action is among the best on the West Coast. Lingcod from 5 to 25 pounds were caught, with a few bigger fish mixed in.
Cathy celebrated her birthday aboard the Nauti-Lady in November, and caught her limit of lingcod.
The Nauti-Lady joined the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet in 2020. Originally from Ilwaco, Wash., the Nauti-Lady is a 42-foot Rawson specifically designed for Northwest charter fishing. It is skippered by Capt. Andy Martin, as well as Capt. Michael McGahan. The charter boat is especially popular with families and large groups, but also runs mixed charters to the lighthouse and the local half-day trips to Bird Island and Twin Rocks.
The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet also includes the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Papa B, Dash and Bout Time. All of the captains are local, full-time, year-round charter boat captains and fishing guides.
Here are some of the great lingcod catches in recent weeks aboard the Nauti-Lady.
While fish tacos and fish and chips have long been a favorite way to enjoy the tasty rockfish caught aboard our fishing charters, Rockfish and Sausage Stew is a delicious meal that is great any time of the year. This recipe is easy, quick, and will leave your family or guests wanting a second helping. It also is friendly to low-carb and keto diets.
Rockfish and Sausage Stew can be prepared from fresh or frozen rockfish. Other white-fleshed fish fillets, including lingcod, halibut or Pacific cod can be used. Great on a cold, stormy winter day with fish from the freezer, or on those cool, foggy Oregon Coast summer evenings.
Rockfish and Sausage Stew is a delicious way to enjoy Oregon Coast rockfish.
Ingredients
2 tbsp. butter or olive oil
6 oz. cooked andouille sausage, sliced
2 small leeks, white and light green portions, sliced
1 fennel bulb, chopped
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp. parsley, chopped
2 bay leaves
1/3 cup white wine
1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes
2 bottles (8 oz, each) clam juice
3 cups water
1 lb. rockfish fillets, boneless and skinless, cut into small pieces
1/2 lb. Oregon pink shrimp meat, or peeled and deveined medium shrimp
salt and pepper to taste
Cut a pound of rockfish fillets into small pieces, about 1 square inch each. The fillets of two or three rockfish is all that is needed for this recipe.
In a large pot, heat the olive oil or butter, and add sliced sausage, leeks and fennel. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add garlic and bay leaves. Add white wine and cook for 2 minutes.
Add tomatoes and increase heat to medium high. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Add clam juice and 3 cups water. Bring to a boil, and add pieces of rockfish. Cook 4 minutes. Add shrimp meat.
Cook for 2 to 3 more minutes, discard bay leaf, stir in parsley, and season to taste with salt and pepper.
The finished stew will have you coming back for seconds.
To catch a limit of rockfish to make Rockfish and Sausage Stew, or any of our other great seafood recipes, book a Brookings fishing charter at www.brookingsfishing.com
The best ocean salmon fishing in more than seven years is happing in Brookings this summer, as big schools of anchovies are attracting impressive numbers of kings and coho just outside of the harbor.
The charter boats working out of the Brookings Fishing Charters office have regularly been catching limits or near limits of salmon. While some days have been slow, the overall king salmon fishing this season has been well above average. Salmon to 25 pounds are being caught.
The salmon being caught out of Brookings this summer are nice-size kings.
Salmon season opened June 12 out of Brookings. Only hatchery coho salmon could be kept the first week. King season opened June 19. Both wild and hatchery kings and hatchery coho may be kept through mid August. The coho season will run through late August.
The first week of the season, fishing was wide open for silver salmon, which are also known as coho salmon. The Miss Brooke, Bout Time and Dash were getting limits nearly every day, while also releasing lots of kings. As soon as the king season opened, limits of near limits were being caught, with the salmon in close, feeding on thick schools of bait.
Limits of coho salmon caught aboard the Miss Brooke the first week of the season out of Brookings.
Windy weather has kept sport boats away from an area commonly known as “Salmon Ally.” Instead, anglers have been forced to fish closer to the buoys. Despite the wind, overall fishing has been good. Even better action is expected the second half of July as boaters can get offshore again during periods of nicer weather.
A nice catch of kings from the Miss Brooke in late June 2021.
Salmon have been biting anchovies or herring trolled close to the surface behind divers and Fish Flash flashers. Since the Brookings Fishing Charters captains are year-round fishing guides, working on the ocean charters during the spring and summer and local rivers during the fall and winter, they are all accomplished salmon anglers. Capts. Travis Sallander, Michael McGahan, Rich Singnorello, Andy Martin, Sam Stover, Mick Thomas, Rye Phillips and Mike Brouillette are among the best salmon captains on the Oregon Coast, with extensive experience fishing out of Brookings, in Alaska and off of Northern California. The six-pack boats are equipped with trolling motors to get the precise speed salmon like. They also can fish in tight quarters, as the hot bite often draws a crowd of boats (which usually follow the charters as they steadily pick away at the salmon).
Capt. Michael shows a chrome-bright king salmon caught off of Brookings in June.
The limit is two salmon per day. Kings must be at least 24 inches. Wild coho must be released, but wild or hatchery kings, and hatchery coho, may be kept. Most of the coho are bound for the Columbia River, where a near-record return is expected this fall. The king salmon, meanwhile, are primarily Sacramento River, Feather River, American River, Klamath River, Trinity River and Rogue River fall Chinook salmon.
A beautiful king salmon caught out of Brookings aboard the Miss Brooke.Nice king salmon caught in July aboard the Miss Brooke.A hefty king salmon caught on the guide sled with Capt. Sam.Anglers of all ages are enjoying the great salmon fishing off of Brookings this summer.Limits of kings and coho caught aboard the guide sled with Capt. Sam.A bunch of nice kings caught on the guide sledA perfect king salmon caught aboard The Dash with Capt. Mick.A great catch of kings and coho from the Miss Brooke.A very nice king caught aboard The Dash with Capt. Mick.Salmon from the Miss Brooke in late June.The guide sled has been a hot boat this season out of Brookings.Limits of coho salmon from mid-June aboard the Miss Brooke.These are big kings for early July.
Brookings Fishing Charters offers salmon trips daily aboard its six-pack charter boats. Bottom fishing trips also are offered on the Nauti-Lady and the six-packs not booked for salmon.
