Tag: Oregon halibut fishing

Point St. George Reef Lighthouse, Pacific halibut open May 1

BROOKINGS, Ore. (April 27, 2025) – The giant lingcod and rockfish inhabiting Point St. George Reef along the California-Oregon border have been off limits to sport anglers since last fall. When fishing re-opens near the lighthouse May 1, wide-open fishing is expected, as is typical for the fertile fishing grounds on what may be the best saltwater fishing outside of Alaska. The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet begins long-range trips to the reef on the May 1 opener, and will continue through September.

Three big lingcod caught as part of a triple hookup at Point St. George Reef a few seasons ago. The prolific reef re-opens to fishing May 1.

Pacific halibut season also opens May 1. While fish are caught from the beginning of the season until the Oct. 31 closure, the best fishing out of Brookings usually takes place in late June, July and August, as Pacific halibut mover closer to the shoreline to feed. During the peak season, the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet enjoys the well-earned reputation for the highest halibut catch rates out of Brookings.

Deckhand Eric holds a pair of halibut caught aboard the Miss Brooke last summer. Halibut season opens May 1 out of Brookings and runs through Oct. 31.

Another highly anticipated opener arrives May 16, when ocean salmon season begins. Anglers will be allowed to keep wild or hatchery king salmon until June 6, followed by a summer-long coho salmon season open through Aug. 24. The limit is two hatchery coho a day, and expectations are high, as the ocean abundance forecast for Columbia River hatchery coho is more than half a million fish. Those salmon, known as silver salmon, swim by the Brookings area as they migrate up the coast each summer on their way back to the Columbia, Willamette, Clackamas, Sandy and other rivers.

While we wait for the May 16 ocean salmon opener, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew has been targeting spring chinook salmon on the Rogue River. This nice springer was caught last week with Capt. Rye.

While anglers wait for the lighthouse, halibut and salmon openers, fishing has been good for lingcod on local half-day charters out of Brookings. During calm weather days, limits of rockfish and lingcod have been common. With plenty of lingcod near 20 pounds being caught, the lings are averaging 10 pounds. So far, this season has been better than recent years, with high catch rates for lingcod, and an excellent grade of rockfish.

Deckhand Eric Howard holds a 44-pound lingcod caught at Point St. George Reef by Rod Allec of Happy Camp, Calif.

Lighthouse area best bet for trophy lingcod

Quality lingcod are caught everyday close to Brookings, but the action at Point St. George Reef is unparalleled. Big lingcod inhabit the reef year round, with fish over 40 pounds caught each season.

The reef near the lighthouse also has a huge variety rockfish, with trophy-size canary, vermilion, black, copper, widow, tiger, blue and yellowtail rockfish, which can be kept, and big numbers of yelloweye and quillback rockfish, which are protected and cannot be retained. Limits of lunker rockfish are common.

A triple hookup in the shadow of Point St. George Reef Lighthouse aboard the Miss Brooke.

The big lingcod are the main target at the lighthouse. Fish to 50 pounds have been caught, and 20-pounders are brought over the rails almost every day. The extremely jagged reefs, with drastic depth changes and strong currents, are prime habitat for big lingcod. The Brookings Fishing Charters captains know where to find and how to catch these big lingcod, with large jigs and big baits used to entice them.

The Miss Brooke, Kraken and Nauti-Lady run trips to the lighthouse and Point St. George Reef. Lighthouse fishing trips are generally 8 hours. More about the lighthouse charters can be found here.

Halibut gets better as summer arrives

Although Pacific halibut season opens May 1, and plenty of fish will be caught on the opener, the best fishing is mid-June through September. Halibut spawn in deep water, upwards of 2,000 feet, during the winter in the Gulf of Alaska. The fish then move into shallower water to feed during the spring and summer, before migrating back offshore in the late fall. In May, most fish are in 300 to 500 feet of water. Some are already shallower, in the 180 to 220 feet of water most anglers target them out of Brookings. By early summer, more fish have moved into shallower water as bait arrives, and catch rates improve. The limit is two halibut per day. By July, anglers have a good chance at limits.

Rogue salmon action decent

Spring salmon are currently entering the Rogue River near Gold Beach. These fish, known as springers, arrive during the spring runoff, which historically allowed them to reach the headwaters, where they held all summer and spawned in early fall. Because they are in the river all summer, they are full of fat and oil, and when caught in the lower river are by far the best-tasting salmon of the year.

Capt. Rye has been focusing on the lower Rogue and has been catching nice springers. To book a trip, call (541) 813-1082.

Here are a few recent catches with Capt. Rye.

To book an ocean charter, or guided river trip, call (541) 813-1082 or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Here are a few recent catches from ocean charters out of Brookings.

Long-rang lighthouse trips yield lunker lings

BROOKINGS, Ore. (May 19, 2023) – The highly anticipated lingcod and rockfish season opener at the Point St. Geoge Reef and lighthouse lived up to its expectations, with easy limits of lunker rockfish and steady action on big lingcod. Halibut fishing also is off to a good start near the lighthouse, and has improved off of Brookings.

Aside from local half-day bottom fishing trips out of Brookings, and all-day long-range trips to the lighthouse, anglers fishing out of the Port of Brookings also have an ocean salmon season to look forward to. The coho salmon season off the Oregon Coast begins June 17, and Brookings is often ground zero for the best action in late June and early July.

A pair of nice lingcod caught near the Point St. George Reef lighthouse in mid May.

The lighthouse area is a highly popular trip because of the Alaska-style fishing often found in the productive waters of Point St. George Reef. Aside from big lingcod and halibut, the thriving reef is home to massive schools of blue, black, canary and yellowtail rockfish. Tiger, vermilion, China, copper and quillback rockfish also are caught near the lighthouse, located halfway between Brookings, Oregon, and Crescent City, California. Few boats venture to the far side of the lighthouse, where the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet has a large number of tried-and-true hotspots for lingcod and rockfish.

Chris, a frequent Brookings Fishing Charters customer, fights a lingcod near the lighthouse on May 16.
Chris holds a limit of lingcod caught aboard the Nauti-Lady in May.

Each season, lingcod topping 40 pounds are caught near the lighthouse. Charter boats fish shallow pinnacles, catching lingcod in was as shallow as 30 feet, and deeper water up to 250 feet. The lighthouse area often has more consistent fishing for lingcod compared to reefs closer to Brookings or Crescent City.

An angler fights a salmon that hit a bottom fishing rig in May. The salmon was released without being removed from the water.

Brookings Fishing Charters has been running trips daily. Half-day local trips are offered for lingcod and rockfish, along with a longer-range 6-plus-hour targeted lingcod trip. The lighthouse trips run 8 hours. All-day halibut trips also are available. Halibut season runs through Oct. 31 out of Brookings, with the best fishing in later June, July and August.

A pair of 20-pound lingcod caught May 19 aboard the Nauti-Lady.

Salmon fishing is closed in all of California this summer, but will open out of Brookings June 17. Two hatchery coho, also known as silver salmon, may be kept each day. River fishing for salmon also will open as normal on the Chetco and Rogue rivers this fall. River fishing for salmon is closed in California this year.

During a charter in mid-May to the lighthouse, a large king salmon was released on the Nauti-Lady. Several salmon also have been released by anglers fishing out of Brookings. Plentiful boat is a good indication of healthy ocean conditions, which generally lead to good silver salmon fishing. The action is often fast and furious, with double and triple hookups common during coho season.

Fishing in California waters opened May 15, and the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet spent much of the first week of the season at the lighthouse. The Nauti-Lady and Miss Brooke ran several trips to the lighthouse during the opening week, with limits of big rockfish daily, and boat loads of big lingcod.

For more information on the lighthouse, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call (541) 813-1082.

Capt. Kirby holds a 22-pound lingcod caught in May aboard the Nauti-Lady.

Lingcod action solid when weather allows

BROOKINGS, Ore. (April 1, 2023) – Lingcod fishing has been good out of the Port of Brookings when ocean conditions allow, although there were more rough weather days in March than fishable days. When the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet can get out of port, limits of rockfish and good numbers of lingcod have been common. Weather conditions typically improve in April, as winter storms become less frequent.

A customer holds a nice lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke in late March 2023.

Lingcod and rockfish season is open year round on the Oregon Coast. The Brookings Fishing Charters fleet runs charters out of the Port of Brookings year round. During the winter and early spring, lingcod are in shallow water spawning. Anglers are able to target them in shallow water with light tackle.

Eric, a deckhand on the Miss Brooke, holds some of the nice rockfish caught in late March.
Mark holds a nice lingcod caught aboard the Kraken on Spring Break 2023.

During the first week of Spring Break 2023, the Brookings Fishing Crews fished several families on their first ever ocean charter. Many of these groups were from Eastern Oregon, Idaho, Utah, Nevada and Northern California. We also had large numbers of our regular customers from the Rogue Valley, Klamath Basin and Siskiyou County.

A family from Eugene shows the results for a double, double-hookup of rockfish on the Nauti-Lady.

Trips are available during the spring on the Miss Brooke, Kraken, Papa B, Dash and Nauti-Lady. We are offering our popular four-hour bottom fishing trips, and the longer 6-plus-hour targeted lingcod trip. Lingcod and rockfish are caught on both charters, but the catch rate for lingcod improves on the longer trip, as more time is spent targeting lingcod, larger baits are used, and the trips travel further up the coast to less-fished waters.

A nice lingcod from Spring Break 2023 caught on the Miss Brooke.

We will find out early this month what the dates for this summer’s ocean salmon season will be. We are expecting a June 17 opener for coho salmon on the entire Oregon Coast. Chinook season will be closed this summer in the ocean waters off of California, in the Sacramento and Klamath rivers, and in the ocean in most of Oregon until Sept. 1. The bay seasons will go on as normal on the Rogue and Umpqua rivers and at the mouth of the Columbia River. Normal salmon seasons also are expected on the Chetco and Smith rivers, where the Brookings Fishing Charters captains run drift boat trips during the fall and winter.

An angler holds a vermilion and canary rockfish caught on the Nauti-Lady in late March.

Pacific halibut season opens May 1 out of Brookings. The Brookings Fishing Charters crew has a well-earned reputation for producing the highest halibut catch rates out of Brookings. Trips run daily, weather permitting. Typically, the best halibut fishing is in late June, July and August. We also will be offering trips to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse beginning May 15. Those trips produce catches of lingcod and rockfish that rival those in Alaska.

A nice lingcod from the Dash in March 2023.
Kirby, a longtime deckhand in Brookings, holds his certificate for his 100-ton near coastal masters US Coast Guard captains license course.

In March, longtime Brookings deckhand Kirby Anderson completed his courses for his 100-ton Near Coastal Masters US Coast Guard captains license. Kirby has worked on charter boats and commercial fishing boats in Brookings for decades. A longtime Brookings resident, Kirby went to high school in Brookings with Capt. Andy and Capt. Travis. He will soon be at the helm of the Brookings Fishing Charters boats running trips as a captain. A number of local charter boat captains earned their sea time and experience working as deckhands with Brookings Fishing Charters. Eric, who is still in high school, is also accumulating sea time to earn his captains license.

The Nauti-Lady during a Spring Break 2023 charter off the coast of Brookings.

To book a fishing charter out of Brookings, visit www.brookingsfishing.com, or call our booking office, (541) 813-1082.

Lingcod action good in Brookings

BROOKINGS, Ore. (April 22, 2022) – Charter boats fishing out of the Port of Brookings Harbor on the Southern Oregon Coast are continuing to enjoy solid action for lingcod and rockfish, with limits of both on calm weather days. A winter-like storm sidelined the fleet this past week, but conditions have improved for the weekend. Before the storm, fishing was nearly wide-open.

Fishing has been good for lingcod and rockfish, as frequent customer Denise found out last week on the Miss Brooke.

Lingcod are in shallow water, allowing anglers to catch them on light tackle. In recent weeks, the Miss Brooke, Nauti-Lady, Kraken, Papa B, Bout Time and Dash, all working out of the Brookings Fishing Charters office, have been getting customers into limits. Most of the fish are being caught in shallow water, from 30 to 60 feet.

Capt. Mick sorts through limits of rockfish and lingcod aboard the Kraken.

Last weekend, the six-pack charters from Brookings Fishing Charters, got into a surface bite for rockfish at Mack Arch. The rockfish are just under the surface, feeding on small baitfish and crab spawn. They can be seen splashing on the surface, and are being caught by anglers casting small swimbaits or curly tail grubs fished with light jigheads. Since Brookings Fishing Charters boats are equipped with light spinning rods, it’s easy to switch gear and start casting when rockfish are spotted splashing at the surface.

The lingcod are biting large herring, or scampis fished with leadheads. One of the tricks of the Brookings Fishing Charters captains in targeting lingcod is using a paddle tail swimbait combined with a small strip of herring or squid. It has been a deadly combination in recent weeks for big lingcod.

Ocean salmon season opens June 18 for coho and June 25 for kings out of Brookings, and continues most of the summer. Pacific halibut season opens May 1, the same day Brookings Fishing Charters will begin running trips to the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse between Brookings and Crescent City. The lighthouse is known as a hot spot for trophy-size lingcod.

Late June and early July is peak season for salmon out of Brookings. Last summer, the Brookings Fishing Charters crew enjoyed the best catch rates for ocean salmon on the Southern Oregon Coast.

To book an ocean charter out of Brookings, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call the Brookings Fishing Charters booking office at (541) 813-1082.

A limit of lingcod from the Miss Brooke.
Nice limits of lingcod and rockfish from the Papa B.
Full limits of lingcod in early April aboard the Miss Brooke.
The rockfish action has been fast and furious this month out of Brookings.
Frequent customer Barb with a nice lingcod and rockfish from the Miss Brooke.
Another nice limit of lingcod, this time from the Kraken.
A nice lingcod from the Bout Time.
A nice lingcod from the Kraken that fell for a swimbait and squid combination.
Lots of large rockfish have been keeping customers happy.
John with one of several lingcod he landed aboard the Kraken in April.
One of many lingcod caught last week on the Miss Brooke.
A lingcod from the Miss Brooke.
A nice vermilion rockfish from the Kraken at Mack Arch.
This nice lingcod was caught aboard the Miss Brooke.
Limits come fast when you double up on rockfish.
Capt. Mick with a nice lingcod from the Kraken.
A nice lingcod from the Kraken in early April.

Brookings lingcod action phenomenal

Lingcod action is usually the best of the season in early spring, as the big fish come into shallow water to spawn, and this year has been nothing short of phenomenal.

Over the weekend, Brookings Fishing Charters sent four boats out, and each returned on Sunday with full limits of rockfish and lingcod. The lingcod action was so good, the six-pack boats actually released more lingcod than they kept after limiting out. They had limits of lings well before they had limits of rockfish. The Nauti-Lady, on its half-day bottom fishing trip, also limited every customer on lingcod and rockfish.

A limit of lingcod aboard the Nauti-Lady on March 31, 2021.

As a general rule, the better the weather, the better the fishing this time of year. That has been true, as we’ve been getting full limits on calm days, and limits of rockfish and some lingcod when it is rough and windy. Charters are now running daily, weather permitting.

Limits of lingcod in late March at Mack Arch.

Most of the lingcod are being caught in shallow water, from 30 to 60 feet. The lings are biting flutter jigs, shrimp flies, Farallon Feathers, small grubs and twin-tail scampies. The grade of rockfish has been good, with a nice mix of black, blue, canary, China, vermilion, copper and quill back rockfish.

We are running the 6-plus hour targeted lingcod trips on the six-pack boats, and usually fishing around House Rock or Mack Arch. The Nauti-Lady, our larger party boat, is focusing on the 4-5 hour half day bottom fishing trips, and has had good success limits on rockfish and lings when the weather cooperates.

A boat limit of lings and rockfish for the Nauti-Lady.
Nice lingcod caught aboard the Miss Brooke at Mack Arch.
Limits of rockfish and lingcod for the Papa B.
More Mack Arch lingcod.
Good lingcod action on the Miss Brooke.
Catching a limit of lingcod at Mack Arch is a trip to remember.
Really nice vermilion from the Nauti-Lady.
A nice limit of lingcod from the Nauti-Lady.
Our six-pack charter boats are the fastest charters in the fleet, and will get you to and from the fishing grounds quickly and safely.
Limits of lingcod aboard the Miss Brooke.
Capt. Michael gaffs a lingcod aboard the Nauti-Lady in front of Bird Island.
This young angler not only caught her first lingcod aboard the Nauti-Lady, she caught her limit!
Nice lingcod to start the day on the Nauti-Lady.
Quality lingcod and rockfish aboard the Nauti-Lady.
Nice keeper lingcod from the Nauti-Lady.
Our half-day bottom fishing trips are ideal for young anglers. Lots of action, beautiful scenery, and good eats afterward.

We will be focusing on lingcod and rockfish in April. In May, there are lots of new fishing opportunities. We will begin the Point St. George Reef Lighthouse trips in May, when California waters open, and also begin Pacific halibut trips in May. The halibut season out of Brookings runs May. 1-Oct. 31. Brookings Fishing Charters had the best overall catch rate of any charter out of Brookings last year, as its captains have decades of halibut fishing experience in Oregon and Alaska. The best halibut fishing takes place in July and August, but we had success as soon as the season opened last year.

Ocean salmon season dates will be announced in mid-April. The season could open as early as the end of May, or by mid-June. Late June and July are peak season. Our captains are salmon fishing experts and have a high success rate of getting customers into nice kings. This year we also we be able to target coho, or silver salmon, increasing the likelihood of limits.

To book an ocean charter out of Brookings, visit www.brookingsfishing.com or call our booking office, (541) 813-1082.

Halibut action heats up near Brookings

Anglers fishing out of the Port of Brookings Harbor are being treated to a surprisingly good season for Pacific halibut, while their cousins the California halibut also are making a strong appearance. Brookings Fishing Charters has been at the forefront of getting anglers into these prized fish.

Bruce Beck, a frequent customer of Brookings Fishing Charters, holds a 40-inch Pacific halibut caught with Capt. Andy Martin in early August 2020.

The season for Pacific halibut has been open since May 1. The fishing has generally been good when boats can make it to the deeper water Pacific halibut live in. In recent weeks, however, fishing has been surprisingly good. Bigger numbers of halibut are being caught, and boats are actually returning with limits. “Normally, when someone goes out of Brookings for halibut, catching one fish and especially caching two fish is a good day,” said Capt. Andy Martin of Brookings Fishing Charters LLC. “Catching a boat limit of Pacific halibut has always been a fairly rare feat out of Brookings. We are essentially at the southern end of their range, and the halibut populations are smaller here.” But this year, halibut numbers are up. Some boats are getting two or even three halibut a trip, although most are small between 10 and 20 pounds.

Customers of Brookings Fishing Charters hold their one-fish limit for Pacific halibut in their right hand and a California halibut in their left hand. The fish were caught in August 2020.

In early August, with calm ocean conditions, Capt. Andy ran a pair of halibut trips out of Brookings. The results were very impressive. His customers caught boat limits of Pacific halibut two days in a row, five the first day and seven the next. The biggest fish was nearly 40 pounds. After limits of Pacific halibut in deeper water, Capt. Andy headed to shallow water, where his customers each caught one to three California halibut each. The combined catch of Cali Hali and Pacific halibut in the same day was something even ODFW said was a rare sight. The limits of Pacific halibut also turned heads, catching the attention of other anglers anxious to learn how and where such big numbers of Pacific halibut were being caught out of Brookings.

Capt. Andy with a Pacific halibut caught on one of his charters last week.

Capt. Andy holds a distinct advantage over most charter boat operators on the Oregon Coast when it comes to halibut fishing. He ran offshore charter boats in Alaska for a decade, both larger inspected party boats with more than a dozen passengers, and six-pack charter boats similar to those operated by Brookings Fishing Charters. His customers have landed thousands upon thousands of halibut, and he is an expert at finding and catching them. His biggest catch in Alaska was over 90 inches and weighed over 400 pounds.

Brookings Fishing Charters customers pose with Pacific halibut, front row, California halibut, second row, and petrale sole.

The Pacific halibut season runs through October out of Brookings, or until the quota is filled. Now that salmon season is over, the Brookings Fishing Charters fleet will focus on Pacific halibut and California halibut when the weather allows them to get to the fishing grounds.

Bruce Beck admires a Pacific halibut gaffed by Shane Brooks during a charter last week.

The Brookings Fishing Charters boats have the latest halibut gear, and anglers use advanced techniques perfect by the captains. Capt. Andy, Capt. Travis, Capt. Rye and Capt. Shane all have considerable Alaska and Oregon halibut fishing experience. Each has guided customers to countless halibut. “There are little tricks, special ways to bait hooks, custom rigs, use of scents, selecting locations, judging currents and deciding on what depth to fish that you learn by trial and error, and lots of experience,” Martin said. “Our captains have probably forgotten more about halibut fishing than most people will ever know.”

Bruce Beck holds a beautiful California halibut caught an hour after he landed a Pacific halibut in deeper water.

Pacific halibut are caught in deeper water, using larger baits, waiting patiently for a strike. Sand dabs and petrale sole also are caught while halibut fishing. California halibut are caught in shallow water, by trolling baits. Brookings is perhaps the best area to catch Pacific halibut and California halibut in the same day.

Capt. Shane nets a keeper California halibut.

To learn more about halibut trips, call Brookings Fishing Charters, (541) 813-1082.