Salmon fishing improving out of Brookings (June 27, 2015)

Since the ocean salmon season opened in early May out of the Port of Brookings Harbor, fishing has been rather slow. This week, we finally started to see some major improvements.
On Wednesday, the commercial trollers out of Brookings had their best day of the season. Most boats returned to the harbor with their 30-fish daily limits. On Thursday, the sport boats began to find better numbers of fish.
Salmon fishing improved again today, with a couple dozen kings reported. We ventured several miles offshore and had two take downs, catching a really nice hatchery king. It was caught in 300 feet of water, trolling 135 feet down on the downrigger. We were right in the middle of the big shrimp net boats.
Some boats that went further out got limits of kings and hatchery silvers. We had a combo trip today, so we only spent a few hours trolling, then ran back toward shore to limit out on rockfish and catch half a dozen nice lingcod, as well as a bunch of crab.
For the past week, we've continued to enjoy good action for lingcod and rockfish. We also are doing well on crab, and the quality of the crab has improved, with the majority now hard shell.
July is the peak month for kings out of Brookings. Remember, we specialize in light tackle, small groups and offer lingcod/rockfish trips, salmon charters and combos where we troll for salmon and jig for lings and rockfish. We also are checking crab pots each day on our way back to the dock.

To book a trip, call (541) 813-1082 or (206) 388-8988, or visit www.brookingsfishing.com.

Below are a few photos from the past week.

Brookings ocean fishing report (June 22, 2015)

While much of Oregon and Northern California has been sweltering in temperatures topping 90 degrees, with highs this weekend expected to surpass 100 degrees, we've been enjoying mild weather, calm ocean conditions and spectacular fishing out of the Port of Brookings Harbor. The lingcod fishing continues to be the best we've seen in years, with limits or near limits daily, and easy limits of quality rockfish.
Salmon fishing remains slow on the Southern Oregon and Northern California coast, but things are improving, although it has been slow to happen. They are catching kings in the Rogue Bay and off of Winchester Bay. The commercial trollers are finding decent numbers of kings in the deeper water off of Brookings. There is an abundance of bait inshore, so the kings could arrive in big numbers any day.
Fishing for lingcod is wide open. We are coming back to the docks with limits of fish between 5 and 25 pounds. The rockfish are in excellent shape. Lots of big black rockfish (also known as rockcod, black snapper, sea bass, black sea bass and black cod) and some really nice canary rockfish as well.
The rockfish and lingcod provide exceptional light tackle action. We use high quality Shimano and Penn spinning combos for the rockfish, and when caught in shallow water they give an impressive fight. For the lingcod, we have been using small rockfish, whole herring or sardines, and large jigs.
With three boats a day available out of brookingsfishing.com, we have room to get you on the water through the rest of June and July and August.
Below are a few photos from the past week.

To book a trip, call (541) 813-1082 or my cell, (206) 388-8988, or visit brookingsfishing.com.

Brookings deep sea fishing best on Oregon Coast right now! (June 12, 2015)

The lingcod and rockfish action out of the Port of Brookings Harbor has been nothing short of spectacular the last couple of weeks. Except for a couple of trips when the wind kept us very close to port, we've been able to find limits of lingcod and a very nice grade of rockfish (known also as snapper, sea bass, black bass, rockcod and black cod).
The ground swell off the coast of Brookings has been minimal. Most days it is less than 3 feet. If the wind isn't blowing, it has been very flat. Northwest winds, however, have limited where we have been able to fish a few days because of the wind chop.
Talking with charters on the rest of the Oregon Coast, Brookings has had some of the best fishing in the region, mainly because we have been able to get out onto the ocean more than the boats up the coast. Remember, Brookings sits in a protected bay and we aren't exposed to the direct swell like other Oregon ports.
The big rockfish have moved into shallow water. Lately we've been finding them as shallow as 45 feet. That makes for some exciting light tackle action on the spinning rods and 12-pound-test line we use.
The lingcod fishing continues to be exceptional this season. Limits almost every day. Today, for example, most of the other charters didn't run because of the wind. We fished the Chetco Point area, and despite the wind chop, managed to get 10 keepers to the boat. We have had great action all week!
I have also been setting crab pots out and we have been checking them each day on the way back in. It's a nice bonus to leave with a couple of crab per person along with limits of great-tasting lingcod and rockfish fillets.
Salmon fishing is still slow. The good news is the anchovies are thick in the Port of Brookings. The sardines, smelt and herring also are here, along with the pelicans. Salmon fishing should take off any time now.

To book a trip, please call (541) 813-1082, or my cell, (206) 388-8988. You also can book on my web site, brookingsfishing.com, or wildriversfishing.com.

Below are some of the photos from the past few weeks. As you can, we've been catching some great fish out of the Port of Brookings.

- Capt. Andy Martin
Brookings Fishing
www.brookingsfishing.com
541-813-1082