Tag: Brookings ocean fishing

Fall lingcod bite hot, first steelhead arrive, crab opener good!

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Dec. 8, 2024) – It has been a very busy and productive late fall on the Southern Oregon Coast, with hot action for lingcod and rockfish, bonus crab with last week’s ocean sport opener, the first winter steelhead of the season on the local rivers, and some big, bright late fall king salmon still around. The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse season also ended with a bang, with limits of lingcod and jumbo rockfish.

Brookings Fishing Charters is continuing ocean fishing charters for lingcod, rockfish and crab in December as the weather allows. The charter boat captains also are running drift boat trips on the local rivers for salmon and steelhead when ocean conditions are too rough for offshore charters.

Limits of lingcod and a bunch of crab from the Dec. 6 charter aboard the Miss Brooke.
A nice limit of lingcod at Mack Arch in late November aboard the Nauti-Lady.

Dungeness crab season opened Dec. 5 off the coast of Brookings, and the Brookings Fishing Charters quickly set crab pots as a bonus for the lingcod and rockfish charter customers. Aside with limits of rockfish and lots of lingcod, customers also are leaving with bags full of cooked crab. Crab combos will continue as the weather allows, although catch rates could drop with the Dec. 16 commercial crab opener, as thousands of crab pots will carpet the ocean out of Brookings.

Deckhand Eric with a pot full of crab from a recent charter on the Kraken.

At Mack Arch, fishing has been wide-open for lingcod on our long-range 6-hour charters. Lingcod to 20 pounds are being caught, along with limits of nice rockfish. Most of the lings are being caught on light spinning tackle in shallow water.

Closer to the harbor, the local 4-hour half-day charter is producing limits of rockfish, with a few lingcod mixed in. During the winter, lingcod move closer to the shoreline to spawn, and fishing can also be very good close to port for lingcod and rockfish.

Capt. Andy with the first adult winter steelhead of the season on his drift boat last week on the Chetco River. Late December, January and February are peak season for steelhead fishing.

On the Chetco and Smith rivers, Capt. Andy, Rye, Sam, Mick, Chris and Eric have been running salmon trips from their drift boats. Aside from some late-season king salmon, they also are finding the first winter steelhead of the season. Salmon season will wind down in December, although some fresh fish will still be around on the Elk and Sixes, while steelhead season will improve. January and February are peak season for steelhead on the local rivers. The Brookings Fishing Charters and Wild Rivers Fishing team is the most experienced group of local guides on these world-class rivers. Learn more about winter steelhead fishing at www.wildriversfishing.com.

Heavy rain expected this coming weekend will give salmon action a boost on the Elk and Sixes rivers while they begin to drop early next week, while more schools of fresh steelhead are expected on the Chetco and Smith rivers.

Capt. Rye with a 42-pound king salmon from early December on the Chetco River.

The Point St. George Reef lighthouse area closed to fishing Nov. 30. The last few trips of the season to the lighthouse aboard the Miss Brooke and Kraken produced quick limits of lingcod and rockfish, with a nice mix of colorful canary and vermillion rockfish, and lingcod to 20 pounds. The lighthouse area is expected to re-open in May.

Nice limits of lingcod from a late-season trip to Point St. George Reef aboard the Miss Brooke.

During the winter months, lingcod become the prime target of charters aboard the Brookings Fishing Charters boats. Using light tackle, the crew will first take customers to reefs full of rockfish and try to catch quick limits, leaving plenty of time to use large jigs or bigger baits intended to catch lingcod. The best catch rates of the year for lingcod usually happens from December through April as the lingcod are in shallow water.

Capt. Andy with a nice lingcod caught in early December aboard the Miss Brooke.
Limits of lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke with Capt. Chris and Sammy.
A nice vermillion rockfish caught aboard the Nauti-Lady in late November.

This coming week, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew will be offering crabbing only charters before the commercial season opens. Cost is $100 a person and includes cleaning and cooking of the crab. Call our office at (541) 813-1082 to book a crabbing trip.

Crabbing also can be added to bottom fishing charters. Contact out office for details.

Eric and Capt. Sam with a few of the many crab caught during the ocean sport opener last week.
The Miss Brooke fishing near House Rock in early December 2024.

To book a river or ocean fishing trip, call (541) 813-1082. For more information on ocean charters, visit www.brookingsfishing.com. For river trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com.

Here are some recent catches with our river guides on the Chetco and Smith rivers.

Here are some recent catches aboard our ocean charters.

Tuna arrive, salmon still around, lingcod action hot!

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Aug. 3, 2024) – Some of the best fishing action of the year is happening now on the Oregon Coast, with a wide variety of opportunities. The first tuna of the season caught by any of the local charters hit the docks this week, while king and coho salmon are still biting, halibut fishing is improving, and the lingcod action has been wide-open on our long-range trips to Point St. George Reef and Mack Arch. August is one of the best times of the year to fish out of Brookings, with lots of options for visiting anglers.

The first albacore tuna of the season caught on a charter boat out of Brookings in 2024, landed aboard the Dash with Capt. Mick. The day ended with five dozen albacore landed.

The Dash, with Capt. Mick, ran the first albacore tuna charter of the season out of Brookings on Aug. 2, and returned with its totes and fish bags stuffed full of tasty albacore. The first charter yielded five dozen albacore, caught on both rod and reel and hand lines. The fish were 35 miles straight out from the harbor, with 60-degree water as close as 30 miles. Tuna trips are booked off of a call list. Call (541) 813-1082 to include your name, and our booking office will call as trips are put together, based on calm weather forecasts and current fishing reports.

Limits of hatchery coho salmon caught in July aboard the Miss Brooke.

Salmon season remains a solid bet out of Brookings, although the action has been hit-and-miss. Many of the hatchery coho have already migrated north, but we are still seeing keeper fish each day, and there have been good days for larger kings mixed in. This past week, our trips produced big numbers of wild coho and kings that were less than 24 inches, both of which must be released. Lots of action, but not as many keepers as were saw earlier in the season. Salmon season still has three weeks remaining, and fish will be available through the month.

The results of a double-hookup of halibut aboard the Papa B this week.
A big halibut caught on the Papa B in July.

Pacific halibut fishing has been decent, with a few very good days mixed in. August and early September are peak season, so expect good catches all month. We are fishing for halibut in 180 to 250 feet of water. The fish have been 15 to 50 pounds. For the past several years, catch rates have increased substantially in August.

Check out this trophy lingcod caught this week aboard the Kraken!

Our long-range charters to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse and Mack Arch have resulted in some of the best lingcod action we’ve seen in recent memory during the summer months. Limits are common, with fish up to 30 pounds. The grade of rockfish has been phenomenal. Plenty of smaller lingcod released as well, a good sign for next year’s seasons.

Capt. Sam and Capt. Chris with some of the lingcod caught this week on the Kraken.

During our local half-day charters, fishing has been good for rockfish, with limits daily, and better-than-average lingcod fishing. Most trips are resulting in a lingcod per rod on our 4- and 6-hour charters.

A pair of albacore tuna from the first Brookings Fishing Charters tuna trip of the season.

We begin river salmon trips in September at the mouth of the Chetco, and will be fishing upriver in drift boats on the Chetco and Smith rivers beginning in October. To learn more about river trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com.

Check out our recipe for crispy, delicious beer-battered fish and chips.

The latest recipe for beer-battered rockfish, lingcod and halibut has been a huge hit. Check it out here.

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

One of the nice kings landed this season on the Miss Brooke.

Check out a few of the nice lingcod and rockfish caught in recent weeks with Brookings Fishing Charters.

Here are just a few of the great salmon catches so far this season with Brookings Fishing Charters.

Secret to perfect beer-battered fish

By Capt. Andy Martin – Beer-battered fish and chips has long been a favorite way to enjoy the catch of the day on our charter boats. Fish coated in a mixture of beer and flour and fried to a crispy golden brown goes back to the 17th century, where immigrants to England would use the batter to prepare cod, haddock and pollock.

Perfect beer-battered fish has a crispy coating, with moist, evenly cooked fish inside.

The unique flavor, appetizing texture and sweet aroma of beer-battered fish make it one of the most popular coatings for preparing seafood throughout the United State, Canada and Europe. For years, I’ve enjoyed a simple beer batter recipe that generally makes good fish and chips, but, like most beer batter recipes, can produce soggy fish after its initial cool down.

Last year, while on a trip to Astoria to get equipment for one of my charter boats, I stopped at a very well know fish and chips stand for lunch. The deep fried albacore was worth the stop. I was immediately intrigued by the quality, texture and taste of the batter. Perfectly crispy, you could snap the fillet in half to reveal the white fish fillet with a durable yet light coating of batter. Maybe the best fish and chips I had ever had, up to that point.

Perfectly cooked beer-battered fish chunks. Use a wire rack to drain to prevent soggy fish.

I’ve had plenty of not-so-great fish and chips lunches at other restaurants throughout the coast. The fish looks good, but it’s a soggy, greasy mess. You grab a fillet and the fish plops out, leaving a clump of batter in your hand that looks like a wet tube sock. Gross.

Vodka, rice flour and turmeric are “secret” ingredients to perfect beer-battered fish.

How did the Astoria restaurant’s batter come out so good, clean and crisp? For the past year, I experimented with different beer-batter recipes, trying to figure out how to create a crispy, thin coating with perfectly cooked, moist fish inside. I heard about adding vodka to the beer batter, and that is a key to this recipe. The alcohol has a lower boiling point, so it evaporates quicker, drying out the batter to make a crispier crust.

A limit of lingcod from the Miss Brooke. Perfect for beer-battered fish!

I also found many restaurants with top-reviewed fish and chips use rice flour as part of their batter. Rice flour gives the fish a crispier crunch, and also results in a less greasy coating around the fish. A touch of turmeric powder, which is similar to ginger, gives the batter a hint of golden brown before it is even cooked, and is a secret of many restaurants that serve deep fried fish.

One of the most important steps for quality fish and chips is using cold beer, cold fish and cold batter, and hot oil (400 degrees). When the cold fish and batter is dropped in the hot oil, it helps instantly seal the fish for a crispier, less greasy serving. If the oil isn’t hot enough, you often end with a greasy mess. The vodka added to the beer also helps create the crisp, dry coating on the fish.

Capt. Andy with a halibut from the Miss Brooke of Brookings Fishing Charters.

A final vital step with fish and chips is drying the fillets on a screen or rack instead of a plate with paper towels. Setting the fish on a wire rack before serving allows them to drip and slightly cool without becoming soggy.

I like to cut the fish into smaller pieces so they cook quickly and evenly, pat dry with a paper towel, and season with sea salt and pepper. I’ll put three or four portions in the bowl of batter, gently stir around with a fork so they are completely submerged and covered with batter, and then carefully lift each fillet from the batter, one piece of a time, allowing the excess batter to drip off. The fillets can be gently rubbed along the inside of the bowl to remove excess batter. A thin coating is all that is needed.

A limit of lingcod from the Kraken with Capt. Sam Stover, perfect for beer-battered fish and chips.

Fry the fish for 3 to 5 minutes, depending on their thickness. Rockfish cook fast, halibut pieces take an extra minute or two to fully cook. Once the fish is removed from the hot oil, the middle of the fillet will continue to cook for a minute or two. I like to use an electric deep frier for the perfect 400-degree temperature. Otherwise, a cast iron skillet or Dutch oven can be used on the stove, but use a thermometer to reach that perfect 400 degrees. Peanut oil is my favorite oil for fish and chips.

Fish and chips go perfectly with fresh coleslaw, tarter sauce and cocktail sauce. Here are out favorite recipes for those sides and dipping sauces.

While this recipe is perfect for lingcod, rockfish or halibut, it also works great for albacore tuna, and isn’t bad for salmon, either.

Cut fish into smaller pieces, pat dry with paper towels, and season with salt and pepper.
Flour, rice flour, baking powder and turmeric.
Stir the dry ingredients, beer and vodka together until any large clumps are gone.
Fry with at 400 degrees for 3-5 minutes.
Drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet for crispy, not soggy, fish and chips.
Perfectly cook fish and chips.

Perfect Beer Batter

1-2 pounds fresh white fish (rockfish, lingcod or halibut)

Vegetable or peanut oil (enough to full cover the bottom of the pan and fish)

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 cup all-purpose flour

1 cup white rice flour

1 1/2 cups chilled beer

1/2 cup vodka

2 tsp baking power

1/2 tsp turmeric

Heat oil to 400 degrees.

Cut fish fillets into smaller pieces, pat dry with paper towels and season with sea salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine all-purpose and rice flour, turmeric and baking powder and whisk together. Stir in beer and vodka, stirring until any large clumps are gone.

Add three or four pieces of fish at a time to batter, stir to completely coat. Remove one piece of fish at a time from batter, making sure it is thinly coated. Allow excess batter to drip off, or gently scrape excess batter on the inside of the bowl.

Fry three to four pieces at a time in hot oil, until crispy and golden brown, usually 3 to 5 minutes. Remove fish from oil and place on wire rack placed over a baking sheet to drain.

Serve with cocktail and tarter sauce, and lemon wedges.

To catch a limit of rockfish or lingcod to try with this recipe, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.

Deckhand Eric Howard with a nice lingcod.
A happy customer with a trophy vermillion rockfish.

Oven-poached salmon quick and delicious

Oregon Coast salmon, whether caught in the ocean, or soon after their arrival in one of the coastal rivers, are one of the most delicious bounties enjoyed by anglers. There are endless ways to prepare salmon, from grilling to smoking, but oven-poaching is one of the easiest ways to cook this great-tasting fish, with an easy cleanup, and plenty of options for unique flavors.

Oven-poached salmon is quick and easy, without a messy cleanup.

Poaching, a healthy way to prepare fish without adding fat or oil, uses moist heat to cook the fish, and is more forgiving than grilling or frying, which can leave the salmon raw in the middle and overcooked on the outer edge.

A fresh coho salmon fillet headed to the oven.
Poaching salmon in the oven keeps the fish moist and firm, and prevents the salmon from being overcooked on the outside and raw in the middle.

Capt. Andy’s favorite way of oven-poaching salmon leaves the fish moist and firm, and is topped with a delicious cucumber dill relish. The recipe is great for freshly caught salmon, but also works well with fish that has been frozen. Poaching works especially well during the winter, when weather conditions are less conducive for barbecuing outside. The fish is poached in chicken broth, with fresh or dried dill. The fish can be cut into smaller portions, cooked as a whole fillet, or steaks.

Oven-poached Salmon

1-2 salmon fillets, or steaks

1-2 cups chicken broth

1 tbs butter

2-3 sprigs fresh dill, or 1 tbs dried dill

1 sliced lemon (optional)

Cucumber Dill Relish

1 cucumber, chopped

1/4 cup sweet onion, chopped

2-3 radishes, chopped

1/4 cup white vinegar

3 tsp sugar

1 tsp salt

1 tsp dried dill, or chopped fresh dill

Broccoli Rice

2 cups chicken broth

1 cup rice

1/2 cup broccoli, chopped

Oven-poached salmon is a great alternative to barbecuing or smoking.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Rub cold butter to the bottom of a shallow baking dish.

For the Broccoli Rice, bring two cups of chicken broth and one cup of rice to boil, and simmer for 20 minutes. Add chopped broccoli after 10 minutes of simmering.

For the salmon, add salmon steaks or fillets to the baking dish, season with salt and pepper, add enough chicken broth (1 to 2 cups) to halfway cover the salmon fillets. Add a few sprigs of fresh dill, or sprinkle with dried dill. Add sliced lemon, if desired. Roast fish in oven for 12 to 17 minutes, until salmon is tender.

While salmon and rice is cooking, combine vinegar, salt and sugar in a bowl, add chopped cucumber, radishes and onion, and sprinkle with dill. Stir well to coat in vinegar mixture.

Remove fish from oven and transfer to a serving platter. Serve salmon topped with relish and the rice as a side.

Delicious oven-poached salmon with cucumber dill relish and a side of broccoli rice.

To catch an Oregon Coast salmon, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or www.wildriversfishing.com to learn more about our guided fish trips and ocean charters.

Capt. Andy with an ocean-fresh king salmon from the Chetco River.

Lingcod, rockfish biting between storms

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Feb. 17, 2024) – While 2024 has been off to a rainy, stormy start, when the ocean settles down and swells subside, fishing has been good for rockfish and lingcod. The Brookings Fishing Charters crew ran several bottom fishing charters last week, and returned with limits of rockfish and several lingcod. Some trips have resulted in limits of lingcod, although the lingcod bite is slower when swells and choppy seas prevent the boats from fishing near the inshore rocky reefs. However, the Miss Brooke has returned with lingcod every trip so far this year, along with full limits of rockfish.

A nice lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke with Capt. Andy in February 2024.

When the weather has been calm, with minimal swell, lingcod fishing has been very good, with limits or near limits for each angler. The House Rock and Mack Arch area have fished best, as high water in the Chetco has made fishing tough closer to the harbor because of the muddy flows from the river.

A happy angler holds a limit of lingcod from a February trip aboard the Miss Brooke.

A break in the weather is expected the second half of this week, which should allow charter boats to get out this coming weekend. So far this year, Brookings Fishing Charters is the only charter company in Brookings to run ocean trips. The Miss Brooke has been out several times, along with the Papa B.

Some of the nice rockfish caught in early February aboard the Miss Brooke.
A customer with a nice lingcod from late January 2024 aboard the Miss Brooke.

Lingcod fishing is often good during the winter months, between storms, as the fish move into shallow water to spawn. Large numbers of male lingcod, between 20 and 26 inches, move shallow to stage for spawning, followed by the larger females, which can top 20 or even 30 pounds. Smaller males outnumber of females by a large margin, and are extremely aggressive during the spawning season. They eagerly bite jigs or baits. Calm weather produces better fishing, as the lingcod are in 20 to 50 feet of water. Large swells can make fishing shallower water, near wash rocks, more difficult, so the best success occurs when the ocean is flat.

A nice lingcod aboard the Miss Brooke.

Lingcod and rockfish seasons are open year round in Oregon. Salmon seasons are set by the federal government and will be announced in April. Halibut season opens May 1 and runs through October. The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse usually opens to fishing in May. California ocean seasons will be announced in April, although a general season option will be revealed in March.

The Brookings Fishing Charters crew fishes year round out of the Port of Brookings. The Nauti-Lady, Miss Brooke, Kraken, Dash and Papa B comprise the fleet. Each captain also is a river guide, and the crew runs drift boat salmon and steelhead trips in the fall and winter when the ocean is too rough to fish.

Happy anglers with a nice steelhead caught with Capt. Andy in February on the Chetco River.

Spring Break is approaching and is generally a good time to fish for lingcod and rockfish. To book an ocean charter, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082. For information on river trips, visit www.wildriversfishing.com.

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.

Albacore tuna, Pacific halibut, lingcod action heats up

BROOKINGS, Ore. (Aug. 6, 2023) – Two weeks of mostly nice ocean conditions resulted in some of the best fishing of the entire year to end July and begin August, as the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet enjoyed excellent catches of lingcod and rockfish at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse. The first albacore tuna of the season also were caught last week, and offshore halibut action heated up.

Some of the albacore tuna caught last week aboard the Kraken out of Brookings.

Mid-summer is a premier time to fish out of Brookings, as good weather often results in good fishing. Limits of big rockfish and limits or near limits of lingcod have been common at the lighthouse. A few lingcod close to 30 pounds were caught in recent weeks, while plenty of 10- to 15-pounders and several over 20 pounds were brought in by Brookings Fishing Charters customers. Fishing at the lighthouse will continue through mid-October.

Capt. Andy holds an albacore tuna caught aboard the Nauti-Lady last week.
Some of the nice tuna caught aboard the Miss Brooke last week.

With calm ocean conditions, Brookings Fishing Charters sent its entire fleet out for albacore tuna last week. The office quickly put trips together based on the tuna call list (call 541-813-1082 to get on it), and nearly 30 customers were able to get out on the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Nauti-Lady, Papa B and Dash. It took a few hours to find the fish, then the action was wide open, with a 50-fish-per-boat average. Trolling tuna clones with rod and reel produced the best action, as the captains found 62-degree water offshore of Pistol River. The action was non-stop until the boats ran out of ice and cooler space for the tuna.

A few tuna from the Nauti-Lady last week.
Happy customers with their tuna catch from the Papa B last week.

More tuna trips are expected this week of weather conditions calm down as expected Wednesday and Thursday. Tuna charters are a 10- to 12-hour trip.

Limits of halibut caught in early August aboard the Dash.

Halibut action also improved again last week after a lull in mid-July. The Dash ran a trip over the weekend with full two-fish-per-person limits of Pacific halibut, with fish to 50 pounds caught. Calm weather this week is allow charters to get back offshore for halibut.

Oregon is now the only option for halibut fishing, as the Pacific halibut quota has been reached in California waters. Halibut season runs through October out of Brookings.

Trophy-size vermillion rockfish caught last week aboard the Miss Brooke.
A 29-pound lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady at Mack Arch.
Limits of lingcod caught at the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse.

On local half-day bottom fishing charters, limits of rockfish are being caught, with fair action on lingcod. A 29-pound lingcod was caught last week aboard the Nauti-Lady at Mack Arch.

Fishing charters may be booked online at www.brookingsfishing.com, or by calling (541) 813-1082.

Here are a few more catch photos from the end of July and beginning of August.

Lighthouse best bet for big lingcod, rockfish biting close to harbor

BROOKINGS, Ore. (July 18, 2023) – Big lingcod are being caught on our long-range trips to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, while Pacific halibut are biting closer to the harbor on calm weather days. Limits of rockfish have been common on local half-day , with plenty of fish on the nearshore reefs.

Whopper-size canary and vermillion rockfish caught at the Point St. George Lighthouse aboard the Papa B.

Calm weather last week allowed our charter boats to make several trips to the lighthouse, where big lingcod and a nice variety of rockfish were caught. The lighthouse, halfway between Brookings, Oregon, and Crescent City, California, is known for producing some of the best bottom fishing action outside of Alaska. The productive reef is home to giant schools of rockfish, including canary, vermillion, copper, black, blue, tiger, China, quillback and yellowtail rockfish, and trophy-size lingcod. The daily jackpot winner at the lighthouse is often a lingcod pushing 20 pounds, while fish to 40 pounds or more are caught each season.

Limits of Pacific halibut caught in 200 feet of water off of Brookings last week.

Brookings Fishing Charters makes the long run to the lighthouse on its six-pack charters boats – the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Papa B and Dash – as well as the 42-foot Nauti-Lady. Limits of rockfish typically come fast at the lighthouse, giving anglers plenty of time to focus on catching big lingcod and even Pacific halibut.

During calm weather days, the Papa B and Dash have been running halibut trips closer to Brookings. Halibut are generally caught in 200 to 250 feet of water. Our charter boats anchor, a technique that has been highly effective in Alaska for decades, to create a scent trail to bring the halibut to them. This year, the limit is two fish a person, and our boats got customers into numerous limits last week.

Nice canary rockfish.
Let’s see your lingcod face!

Rockfish action has been good on local half-day bottom fishing trips. With windy weather over the weekend, our boats were forced to fish close to the harbor. Rockfish action was steady, with a mix of black, blue and canary rockfish, and a few lingcod and cabezon mixed in. Nicer weather is expected later this week!

Ocean coho action remains slow out of Brookings. No king salmon can be kept until October, when there is expected to be a four-day season in the ocean at the mouth of the Chetco. Salmon fishing has improved in the Rogue Bay, where we are offering trips aboard our jet sled.

Deckhand Eric holds an octopus caught aboard the Miss Brooke.

Offshore water temperatures have reached 60 degrees, warm enough for albacore tuna. We are keeping a close eye on the forecast in hopes of offering tuna trips as soon as the wind lets up and conditions are safe to venture 20 to 40 miles offshore. Be sure to add your name to our call list if you want a chance to catch tuna – (541) 813-1082.

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

Here are some more photos from the past week on our charter boats.

Seafood Bisque great way to enjoy rockfish, crab

The delicious combination of Oregon Coast rockfish, crab and shrimp in a thick, creamy soup will have your family coming back for seconds, and friends or co-workers over for dinner impressed. Seafood Bisque, which resembles clam chowder – but without the clams, potatoes and bacon – is surprisingly easy to make, yet rivals the menu of an elegant French restaurant.

The combination of fresh rockfish, crab and shrimp make this creamy soup a home run.

Capt. Andy of Brookings Fishing Charters has cooked up several variations of seafood bisque recipes. This is his favorite, in part because it is simple and quick, yet incredibly delicious. This recipe is perfect with rockfish, lingcod or halibut, combined with shrimp (either large shelled and deveined shrimp or Oregon Coast salad or cocktail shrimp), and fresh crab meat. Just rockfish and crab, or fish fillets and shrimp meat will work with the recipe, although all three give it a 10 out of 10.

The Louisiana twist to the recipe – with cajun seasonings – gives it a unique flavor that complements Pacific Northwest seafood.

Seafood Bisque takes just a few minutes to prep, and is ready to serve in 45 minutes.

Seafood Bisque is a great way to enjoy the rockfish caught on our charter boats.

Rockfish and Crab Bisque

1 pound rockfish, lingcod or halibut fillets, cut into small chunks

1/2 pound crab meat

1/2 pound shrimp meat

2 cubes unsalted butter

1 bunch green onion, chopped

2 cups heavy cream

2 cups half and half

1/4 cup white flour

1/2 can creamed corn (optional ingredient)

1 tsp cajun seasoning

1 tsp Old Bay seasoning

1/2 tsp cayenne pepper

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

Melt butter in a large pot, and saute green onions.

Sprinkle flour over the melted butter and onions, and stir well.

Add heavy cream, half and half, seafood, seasonings, and if desires, the half can of cream corn. Stir continuously as the bisque is brought to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. The raw fish will quickly cook, and add an incredible flavor to the creamy soup.

Garnish with fresh parsley. Serve with sour dough or french bread, and white wine.

Melt butter in a large pot, and saute chopped green onions.
Once the onions are cooked, add 1/4 cup flour.
Add heavy cream and half and half, seafood, cajun seasons, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, and Old Bay.
This creamy soup is ready to serve after simmering for 40 minutes.

To book a charter to catch your own rockfish or lingcod, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call (541) 813-1082.

Parmesan Rockfish tasty way to enjoy catch without frying

Fried fish and chips is a delicious way to enjoy a day’s catch of rockfish, lingcod or halibut, but baked fish is a tasty alternative to deep fried fillets. Aside from being healthier, baked fish, when cooked properly, tastes great, is easy to prepare and clean up, and adds variety for anglers who enjoy weekly servings of their catch. Parmesan Rockfish is also a lower sodium alternative to fish and chips, since it tastes great without adding salt.

Fish with white fillets, such as rockfish, lingcod and cabezon, like these caught last summer aboard the Kraken, taste great baked with a mixture of parmesan cheese and bread crumbs.

Parmesan Rockfish requires just a few ingredients, and since it’s baked, several portions may be cooked at once. Delicious when served with baked potatoes, rice, or pasta, along with coleslaw. This recipe tastes great with rockfish, lingcod, halibut, surfperch (which can sometimes flake apart when fried) or Pacific cod. Serve with lemon and tarter sauce.

Parmesan Rockfish

1-2 lbs. rockfish (or other white fish) fillets (works great with whole fillets, or fillets cut into smaller pieces)

1/3 cup bread crumbs or panko

1/3 cup grated parmesan cheese

1/2 tsp. dried thyme

1/4 tsp. dried basil

1/4 tsp. onion powder

1/4 tsp. black pepper

2 or 3 eggs, beaten

1 lemon, sliced into wedges

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Combine parmesan cheese, bread crumbs or panko, basil, thyme, onion powder and black pepper. Dip fish in egg wash, and then coat with breading. Place on a baking sheet (use a nonstick cooking spray). Bake for 10 minutes, or until fish easily flakes with a fork.

Combine bread crumbs or panko, parmesan cheese, thyme, basil, onion powder and black pepper.
Dip fillets in egg wash and then coat with breading.
Place on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray. Bake 10 minutes at 400 degrees.
Serve with coleslaw, lemon and tarter sauce.

To catch a limit of rockfish or lingcod to enjoy this delicious recipe, contact Brookings Fishing Charters at (541) 813-1082 or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.