Brookings lingcod and rockfish action remains very good (May 22, 2015)

We are now beginning to see more salmon show up out of the Port of Brookings, as conditions are coning together nicely for good king fishing on the Southern Oregon Coast. The water temperature is close to 50 degrees, and there is a lot of bait, both herring and krill. The pelicans are here. The rockfish are stuffed full of small shrimp and krill. And we are actually snagging herring on our shrimp flies while fishing the baitballs for rockfish. We will start focusing on salmon more now, but for the past week have enjoyed more great lingcod and rockfish action out of Brookings.

Ocean conditions have been perfect. Small swell, light winds and no rain. 

The light tackle rockfish action is great right now. Several days this past week we found schools of rockfish suspended off the bottom and hammered them on small jigs and grubs in 30 to 50 feet of water. These fish are great fighters on light tackle, especially when hooked in shallow water.

The lingcod fishing has been fair one day, then wide open the next. We are enjoying an exceptional lingcod season this year, with limits or near limits on many days. The grade of rockfish is also very nice now, with big black rockfish (also known as sea bass, snapper, rock cod and black bass). 

We offer three kinds of trips this time of year. Rockfish and lingcod charters are $100 a person and include all bait and tackle and the filleting and bagging of your catch. You will be fishing with a local, experienced captain in small groups (up to 6 on my boat, up to four with Capt. Scott). On my charters Joey is helping out as a deckhand. He is a local kid who is done with college for the summer and is gaining experience to be a guide, both on the ocean and the rivers he grew up fishing. Salmon charters are $150 a person. This is a longer trip, which allows us to venture further offshore to find the kings. Salmon/botton fishing combos are $175 a person and are a great way to fill the freezer with prime fillets. 

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

Below are a bunch of photos from the past week on my boat.

- Capt. Andy Martin

brookingsfishing.com

wildriversfishing.com

(541) 813-1082 or (206) 388-8988

Catching rockfish two at a time.