(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.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (Jan. 14, 2023) – During the winter months, between storms, charter boats are able to venture out of the Port of Brookings for some of the best lingcod fishing of the entire year. From November through April, lingcod move into shallow water to spawn. The trophy-size females, which retreat to deep water during the summer, are briefly inshore, giving anglers a rare opportunity to catch them in shallow water.
Nice lingcod caught early last year aboard the Miss Brooke at Mack Arch. Some of the best lingcod fishing of the season takes place during the winter months.
Ocean conditions have been rough the past month. Gale warnings, swells to 20 feet, and huge breakers have kept the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet, and other boats, at the docks. But in late January and early February, there often is a window to get out and fish. Typically, the action is very good when boats can get out.
Stormy weather has kept charter boats at the docks the last few weeks.
Lingcod average 4 to 6 pounds. Fish to 10 pounds are common. But those really big fish, over 20 pounds, are most common during the winter months. In the summer, the large females hunker down in 200 to 400 feet of water, out of range of most sport boats. During spawning season, they make a quick trip to the shallow reefs, from 20 to 40 feet of water, to spawn and then return back to deep water. Smaller males stay behind to guard the nests. Often, half a dozen or more males will remain with each nest.
Capt. Andy holds a limit of lingcod for a customer aboard the Nauti-Lady.
State and federal biologists have determined lingcod populations are healthy and sustainable, so fishing them in the winter does not hurt the overall health of the fishery. Some anglers choose to release the large fish, but others want to take them home to eat. Lingcod are prized for their tasty fillets.
The Brookings Fishing Charters captains are among the most experienced lingcod fishermen in Brookings. Capt. Andy and Travis grew up in Brookings and have decades of experience fishing for them. Rye, Mick, Sam and Mike also have considerable experience fishing year round out of Brookings.
Mack Arch is a favorite winter lingcod spot. House Rock also is productive. The Point St. George Reef lighthouse is off limits during the winter, however, as California waters are closed until May 15.
Limits of lingcod are common during the winter.
Rockfish also are caught during winter time lingcod trips. Black, blue, canary, vermilion and yellowtail rockfish are all common out of Brookings. Limits of lingcod and rockfish are common during the winter months.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (June 30, 2022) – After a fairly slow start to the ocean salmon season offshore from Brookings, the action heated up the second week of the season, with good catches of coho and kings. The Brookings Fishing Charters boats have been the top-producers among the sport fleet, bringing in limits or near-limits of salmon, while also releasing big numbers of shaker kings and wild coho.
Salmon season began June 18, but only hatchery coho could be kept. Starting June 25, wild or hatchery kings, along with hatchery coho, can be harvested. Fishing started out slow, in part because of windy weather, dirty water conditions, and the bulk of the fish holding well offshore. But early this week, the salmon moved a little closer to shore, and massive schools of bait arrived. The salmon fishing has been wide open at times.
A nice king salmon caught aboard the Dash in June 2022.Salmon caught in late June aboard the Miss Brooke.Limits of hatchery coho and king salmon caught in late June aboard the Kraken.Salmon from the Dash.Capt. Michael with a nice limit.Fish on aboard the Kraken.Capt. Rich with a limit.Capt. Sam with a nice king.Another nice salmon for the Kraken.More salmon caught aboard the Kraken in June 2022.
Fishing also has been very good at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, where the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet heads during its long-range trips. The lighthouse area has been producing an excellent grade of big black, canary, vermilion, copper and other rockfish, and lingcod close to 30 pounds. A few large lingcod also have been caught recently at Mack Arch north of Brookings.
A nice limit of lingcod from the Nauti-Lady in June 2022.
For the salmon, Capt. Travis, Sam, Michael, Mick, and Rich also have reported their best fishing trolling anchovies close to the surface, but in deep water, sometimes 4 or 5 miles offshore. Some trips are yielding more than three dozen hookups, with lots of fish lost because of barbless hooks. The hatchery-to-wild ratio for coho salmon is nearly 50-50, meaning half the silvers landed can be kept. There are big numbers of shaker kings less than 24 inches, and then keepers from 5 to 15 pounds. Each day, fish in the upper teens also are being caught.
Salmon season runs through mid-August out of Brookings. The best fishing is generally the last week of June and first few weeks of July, meaning peak season is right now!
Big ling on the Dash.Whopper lighthouse ling for the Kraken.Nice lingcod limin on the Kraken.Nauti-Lady lingcod.More Nauti-Lady lings.Capt. Andy with a lingcod aboard the Nauti-Lady.Another Nauti-Lady ling.Nice limit aboard the Nauti-Lady.Miss Brooke lingcod.Kirby holds a nice ling from the Nauti-Lady.Nice lingcod!Canary from Mack Arch.Kirby holds a nice canary caught aboard the Miss Brooke.
Lingcod and rockfish can be kept year round out of Brookings, but the summer months often lead to high catch rates, as the calmer weather this time of year results in better fishing. The Brookings Fishing Charters boats, including the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Nauti-Lady, Dash, Papa B and Bout Time, use light spinning tackle to target rockfish and lingcod. The light tackle adds to the thrill of catching these tasty fish.
Albacore tuna season begins in the summer, with late July or early August generally the most productive time to target tuna, as they move closer to shore.
To learn more about fishing charters out of Brookings, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.
BROOKINGS, Ore. (May 4,2022) – Some of the biggest lingcod of the season have been caught in recent trips aboard the Brookings Fishing Charters boats, including a trophy ling weighing 28.8 pounds hauled in at Mack Arch aboard the Miss Brooke.
Some of the nice lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke in late April.
Fishing also has opened for the season at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, where anglers often catch some of the biggest lingcod and rockfish outside of Alaska. Big swells and brisk winds made fishing tough on the May 1 opener, but the Nauti-Lady, Miss Brooke, Kraken, Dash and Bout Time still managed limits of nice rockfish and boat loads of lingcod. Trips to the lighthouse are a hit with our customers, who enjoy catching big fish on light spinning tackle. The variety at the lighthouse is unmatched, with vermilion, canary, copper, tiger, black, blue and China rockfish, and lingcod from 5 to 25 pounds, or bigger.
Part of the opening day catch at the lighthouse aboard the Miss Brooke with Capt. Travis and Capt. Sam.
Anglers are anxiously awaiting the June 18 ocean salmon opener out of Brookings, and are encouraged by reports of limits out of Crescent City. Salmon fishing is open May 1-31 out of Crescent City, but closes in June and July. It opens June 18 out of Brookings for coho and June 25 for kings, and remains open through most of August.
Pacific halibut season also opened May 1 out of Brookings, and continues through Oct. 31. The best halibut fishing is generally in late June, July and August.
The Bout Time returned from the lighthouse with limits of lingcod and rockfish.
The best bet in recent weeks out of Brookings has been lingcod on the 6-hour long-range trip by the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet. Trips to Mack Arch have been yielding limits of lingcod, while the fishing also has been good at House Rock and Twin Rocks. Fishing is expected to be excellent at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse during calm weather days.
Some of the great catches from the lighthouse opener.Mark gaffs a lingcod aboard the Nauti-Lady.A nice lighthouse lingcod aboard the Nauti-Lady.Great catches on our six-hour long-range trips in late April.A lunker lingcod from Mack Arch aboard the Miss Brooke.
Two of the most anticipated seasons of the year for the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet open May 1, when charter boats can begin fishing for Pacific halibut out of Brookings, and also start running trips to the highly productive Point St. George Reef and lighthouse.
Brookings Fishing Charters operates both trips aboard its fast, comfortable six-pack charter boats, as well as the spacious Nauti-Lady party boat. The lighthouse is known for its fish-after-fish action, with the potential for trophy lingcod and rockfish, while halibut are one of the most prized fish on the West Coast.
Halibut season opens May 1 out of Brookings. These halibut were caught last summer aboard the Nauti-Lady.
Halibut season out of the Port of Brookings-Harbor runs May 1-Oct. 31, or until 8,000 pounds of halibut are landed out of Brookings and Gold Beach. The quota generally lasts the entire season. Anglers may keep one Pacific halibut a day, with no size limit. Sanddabs and petrale sole also may be kept on halibut trips.
In recent years, the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet has been the most successful group of charters on the far Southern Oregon Coast getting customers into halibut. Captains Andy, Travis and Rye have considerable Alaska halibut charter boat experience, and have decades of experience catching halibut out of Brookings. Capt. Michael and Mick also are local halibut experts with a reputation of catching lots of fish each season.
A Pacific halibut caught and released earlier this year aboard the Papa B. The season opens May 1.
Halibut generally run 15 to 25 pounds on the Oregon Coast, with fish over 75 pounds caught each season. Two years ago, Capt. Rye got a client into a halibut just under 100 pounds, one of the largest halibut ever landed by a charter in Brookings.
Anglers wanting to catch halibut out of Brookings will immediately notice the skill level of the Brookings Fishing Charters captains in finding and catching halibut. Using advanced techniques to anchor in deep water, the captains create a potent scent trail to bring halibut to the area they are fishing, using a variety of big baits, scents, and combinations of smaller baits. Through trial and error, and years of halibut fishing experience in local waters, the Brookings Fishing Charters captains have an extensive list of waypoints that produce halibut season after season, and the knowledge of when to fish each spot, depending on tides, ocean conditions and time of the season.
Limits of halibut last summer aboard the Dash.Typical halibut caught out of Brookings.
Most of the halibut fishing out of Brookings takes place in 180 to 250 feet of water, much shallower than the halibut hot spots further north on the Oregon Coast. Because of the shallower water, and the advantage of fishing on anchor, lighter weights may be used. Instead of 3 or 4 pounds of weight, we often catch halibut with just 12 ounces, which makes catching them more enjoyable.
Capt. Rye holds a 58-inch halibut caught during a previous season aboard the Dash.
The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse is located 11 miles straight out of Brookings just across the border in California. The reef is highly productive, with a large variety of rockfish, and some of the largest lingcod caught outside of Alaska. The area opens to fishing May 1.
Limits of lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady at the lighthouse.
Several of the boats in the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet have California Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessel permits, allowing them to fish in Oregon and California waters. Customers need a fishing license for both states to fish the lighthouse area. One-day licenses are available.
A hefty lingcod caught last season aboard the Bout Time at the lighthouse.
Few private boats venture to the remote Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, located between Brookings, Oregon and Crescent City, California, making it one of the most productive fishing destinations on the West Coast. The seldom-fished waters on the edge of the Point St. George Reef marine reserve offer unmatched lingcod and rockfish opportunities, often with much larger fish than the closer-in waters out of Brookings and Crescent City. The area of the reef with the best fishing is known locally as the “Dragon Channel” a lingcod and trophy rockfish infested section of rockpiles, pinnacles and ledges. Swift currents, sudden depth changes, and an extremely rugged undersea terrain provide ideal habitat for big rockfish and lingcod, with an occasional halibut mixed in. Oldtimers tell stories of lingcod between 50 and 70 pounds, and each season plenty of trophy lings are caught.Â
Another big lighthouse lingcod.
The action is fast-paced at the lighthouse, with black, canary, vermilion, yellowtail, tiger, blue, copper and China rockfish, among others. Lingcod to 50 pounds are caught each year at the lighthouse, with fish over 20 pounds common. Most of the keepers are 10 to 15 pounds, an ideal size to eat.
The Miss Brooke, Kraken, Dash and Bout Time get to the lighthouse quickly, and use light tackle to catch the trophy-size lingcod and rockfish. Customers who have done the trip comment on what a blast it is to catch the variety of quality rockfish with light spinning tackle.
Full limits of lingcod at the lighthouse aboard the Miss Brooke.
For larger groups, the Nauti-Lady allows up to 15 people a chance to experience the lighthouse fishing on a single boat. The comfortable ride to and from the lighthouse on the Nauti-Lady makes the experience even more enjoyable, with plenty of room to spread out on the 42-foot charter boat.
Capt. Andy holds a pair of tiger rockfish caught aboard the Nauti-Lady last summer.A triple hookup in front of the Point St. George Reef lighthouse.
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.
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.
