Tag: Crescent City halibut fishing

Halibut season set for Brookings

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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