Tag: Oregon Coast lingcod fishing

Lingcod action hot in Brookings as lighthouse, salmon and halibut openers near

BROOKINGS, Ore, (April 21, 2024) – Lingcod fishing is the best it has been so far this year out of the Port of Brookings, while anglers will have several more options for exciting ocean charter fishing in May, as the Pacific halibut and king salmon seasons open, along with the extremely productive Point St. George Reef Lighthouse.

A nice lingcod caught aboard the Papa B in mid-April.

The past week, the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Papa B and Dash, all six-pack charter boats with Brookings Fishing Charters, have been getting limits of nice lingcod as well as non-stop action for rockfish. The lingcod bite hasn’t shown any signs of slowing down, as the winter and early spring spawn is in full swing.

During calm weather days, limits of lingcod have been common, with fish over 20 pounds being caught. The rockfish action has been fast and furious, with limits of quality fish. The best fishing has been from Bird Island north. During the long-range six-hour trips, the Brookings Fishing Charters boats have been cruising to Mack Arch, for the best lingcod fishing on the Southern Oregon Coast.

Limits of lingcod caught near Mack Arch aboard the Miss Brooke.

Pacific halibut season opens May 1, with a two-fish-per-day limit. Normally, fishing is still fairly slow in May before catch rates accelerate in late June, July and August, as halibut migrate closer to shore to feed. For the past decade, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew has produced the best catch rates for halibut out of Brookings. Several of the local captains spent years running charter boats in Alaska, and are experts and finding halibut, and fishing for them out of Brookings.

A lunker lingcod caught in mid-April with Brookings Fishing Charters.

Ocean salmon season opens May 16. For a preview of the 2024 ocean salmon season out of Brookings, click here. Anglers will be allowed two king salmon, hatchery or wild, a day. The Brookings Fishing Charters crew has a well-earned reputation for producing limits of coho and king salmon. The peak season is mid-June through July.

The Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, with fishing rivaling that of Alaska, opens May 1. This is the best area to target trophy lingcod, and a colorful variety of rockfish. It is a customer favorite. For a preview of the lighthouse season, click here. Capt. Andy of Brookings Fishing Charters attended Pacific Fishery Management Council meetings in Fresno in March, and Seattle in April to advocate for a re-opening of the lighthouse season, as well as the Oregon ocean salmon seasons.

Capt. Andy and Dave Marciano from Wicked Tuna after a charter aboard the Miss Brooke.
Deckhand Eric with a black rockfish caught by Dave Marciano of Wicked Tuna.

In March, Capt. Andy and deckhands Eric and Chris enjoyed the opportunity to fish with Dave Marciano from Wicked Tuna. Dave runs the Hard Merchandise, and was visiting the Oregon Coast after attending a sports show in California. He chose Brookings Fishing Charters for his first Oregon Coast fishing adventure.

Here are some of the lingcod caught in recent weeks with the Brookings Fishing Charters crew. Lingcod and rockfish is open year round out of Brookings.

The Brookings Fishing Charters captains also have been running spring salmon trips on the Rogue River. Here are a few catches with Capt. Rye and Capt. Mick in recent weeks.

To book an Oregon Coast charter trip, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.

Spring weather results in awesome fishing off of Brookings

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.

Book online at www.brookingsfishing.com or call our office at (541) 813-1082.

Earlier this month, we had the pleasure of having Craig Reed from the Roseburg News Review on the Miss Brooke. Check out his article and photos here: Bottom fish feed the industry off Southern Oregon Coast | Outdoors | nrtoday.com

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.

Brookings Fishing featured on KTVL Channel 10

The crew of Brookings Fishing Charters was recently featured during a three-part series about winter lingcod fishing on the Oregon Coast that aired on KTVL Channel 10 in Medford.

The segment, part of Oregon Outdoors with Mark Freeman, can be viewed at https://youtu.be/NwqAZNWL7Cw

To film the series, Capt. Andy Martin took the Miss Brooke to Mack Arch and Arch Rock, about 17 miles north of Brookings. Thd TV crew, along with customers that day, enjoyed fast action for rockfish and caught several lingcod.

The Mail Tribune in Medford published an accompanying article. http://mailtribune.com/oregon-outdoors/ling-on