|
12/5/11
It was a good weekend for crabbing in
the bay. There were a lot of people
crabbing off of the docks in Charleston
on Saturday. On Sunday, one person who
had gone crabbing in the bay reported an
excellent catch. The crab shells were
hard and the crab were very meaty.
That's positive news possibly for the
upcoming season.
11/1/11 In-bay fishing
Fishermen have reported good luck
catching bottom fish in the lower bay,
from the railroad bridge down toward the
jetties. Chinook salmon fishing has
moved up the rivers, but there are still
a few reports of people catching fish
from the bank near the Coos Bay
Boardwalk. Crabbing is excellent in the
bay and good from the docks.
9/16/11 Ocean fishing
Charleston charters have seats open for
weekend bottom fishing trips. The catch
has been good all week. Betty Kay
Charters plans its last tuna trip
Saturday and the trip appears to be
booked, but it never hurts to call late
afternoon to check for cancellations.
9/15/11 Coho season open
The wild coho Coos Bay fishery opens
today and remains open until Nov. 30 or
sooner if 1,200 fish are caught. You can
catch one per day, for a total of five
per season. Don't forget to thank the
local folks who have been working on
habitat restoration projects. They
deserve some credit for the healthier
wild coho population and this improving
fishery.
Chinook
fishing reports continue to improve.
Boaters have reported catching salmon
throughout the bay. Cut plug herring
remains the bait of choice.
Clamming is good. Crabbing is decent by
boat from Clam Island down toward the
jetties. It's so-so from the docks.
9/7/11 Still biting
Every morning, many boats. Salmon
fishermen who head out on the upper bay
in the early morning are almost assured
a catch. Troll with cut plug herring
behind flashers. Reminder, the wild coho
fishery opens Sept. 15 through Nov. 30,
or until the catch hits quota of 1,200
fish.
Crabbing is fair. Clamming is good.
Charters report slow ocean salmon
fishing. Tuna is far out. Bottom fishing
brought limits the past several days for
charter customers.
8/18/11 Happy fishing
Chinook salmon fishing remains strong.
Crabbing is good by boat in the lower
bay and fair on the incoming tide from
the docks in Chareston.
8/18/11 One more update today
One of our Charleston fishermen said two
guys in his boat pulled in 20-plus
pounders this morning. The fish in the
bay are big, with catches averaging 20
to 28 pounds. Jacks haven't shown up
yet, which was the case at this time
last year. Many more boats were in the
bay today and Marshfield channel today,
so expect to jockey for space.
8/18/11 Salmon are thick in the bay
The Charleston RV Park is full. The
marina parking lot is crowded with boat
trailers. You guessed it - salmon
fishing in the bay is dang good. Report
from fishermen Wednesday was that
Chinook were biting. In fact, one
fisherman said all of the boats limited
out fishing in the upper bay in the
Marshfield channel. At 6:30 a.m. today
there were already at least 15 boats
trolling that area.
8/3/11 Tuna farther offshore
Tuna have
moved out to about 50 miles offshore due
to the cooler north winds, according to
fishermen who were on the ocean
Wednesday. Salmon fishing has slowed
somewhat, too, near the jetties. A few
people are fishing for salmon in upper
Coos Bay, but there have been no reports
of fish caught that far up the river.
Ling cod
fishing is excellent in the bay. There
are reports of some rockfish catches in
the bay, too. Charters still have seats
for ocean fishing trips this weekend.
Crabbing is fair.
8/2/11 Boats catching salmon and tuna
Tuna
fishing still is strong. Sport fishermen
also have been catching salmon just
inside the jetties. Most boats have been
reporting catches on herring. There also
have been ling cod in the bay around the
railroad bridge.
Crabbing has been slow to fair off the
docks and in the bay. Clamming is good
as usual.
7/14/11 Boats are reeling in tuna
Tuna is
the talk of Charleston. Commercial and
recreational fishermen got lucky this
week. Reports indicated the tuna schools
were anywhere from 35 to 70 miles
offshore. There should be tuna in the
retail fish markets now for people who
aren’t ready to head that far out to
sea. Also charter boats are scheduling
trips.
Bottom
fishing has been good. Ling cod catches
are nice around Simpson Reef.
Crabbing
has been good in the bay, but slow off
of the docks in Charleston. I was in
Bandon last Sunday and crabbing was slow
off of the docks there, too. Divers say
the water is cold, so maybe that bodes
well for better crabbing to come.
7/8/11 Bay fishing is good
Windy and rough ocean weather kept some
charter and commercial boats in this
week. However, some boats are fishing in
the bay for ling cod and rockfish.
Pacific Charters does offer group
fishing trips in the bay if the ocean’s
too rough.
Crabbing has been slow to fair. Clamming
has been excellent at low tide.
There has been one report of California
halibut being caught up around the
highway bridge.
6/16/11 You're sure to catch surf perch
right now
It was 48 degrees at sunrise and it's
destined to be a spectacular day. Surf
perch fishing should be excellent today.
Fishermen had good catches Tuesday and
Wednesday.
6/10/11 Take your kids fishing
It’s free
fishing weekend. Come on out to the
Charleston Marina and take a charter, or
launch your own boat for bay or ocean
fishing. No fishing license required
Saturday or Sunday, for the Oregon
Department of Fish & Wildlife's annual
fishing celebration.
Crabbing
has been slow off of the docks and from
boats. Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf said
the bay is warming and getting saltier,
so crab should be moving back in. Divers
say the bay is full of fish.
Commercial
salmon boats are doing well, but catch
reports from charters are mixed. Rock
fishing, as usual, is excellent.
Charters usually have a few open seats
if you call a few days in advance.
6/6/2011 Halibut and rockfish are biting
Weekend fishermen reported excellent
catches of nearshore rockfish. Charters
reported successful halibut trips and
seats are open for the June 9-11
weekend. Charters also are scheduling
limited salmon trips, but the season
really hasn’t picked up yet.
Crabbing has been so-so. Clamming should
be good on the minus tides through
Wednesday.
5/27/2011 Charters have a few seats for
holiday weekend trips
Trout
fishing opens Saturday, but there still
are bay and sea fishing opportunities.
Bad
weather forced cancellation of some
halibut trips Thursday, but boats went
out today for the limited opener. No
results on the catch yet today, but it’s
worth checking with charters to see if
they have seats open for Saturday. The
average catch has been 22-pound halibut.
Charters are filling up for bottom
fishing over the three-day weekend, but
Charleston boats report a few seats for
Saturday and Monday.
Clamming
has been good on the low tides and
crabbing is decent, too, off the docks
and in the bay. Dockside crabbers have
been pulling in red rock and keeper
Dungeness crab.
Divers say
the bay has good numbers of ling cod and
black rock fish. White sturgeon and shad
are out there in the tidewaters.
Remember, you can’t keep green sturgeon.
5/18/2011 This is the week to go
clamming
It’s an excellent
time to go clamming. The weather has
been decent – partly cloudy and warmish.
More importantly, there are minus tides
each day this week through Saturday.
Today, there were many people clamming
in Charleston. Click here for tide
tables that include adjustments for each
region of Coos Bay ...
http://www.charlestonmarina.com/tide.htm.
If you don’t know how to clam, there are
usually folks on the tide flats who
would be happy to help you.
5/16/2011 First halibut opener a good
one
Charter boat operators say the catch was
excellent for the season’s first
three-day halibut opening last weekend.
Betty Kay’s trips limited all three
days, with everyone on the boats
catching fish. The largest halibut was
61 pounds. Poor weather deterred some
sport boats. The next halibut opening is
May 26-28. Charters still are booking
seats, but some trips are already full.
Bottom fishing remains good. The ling
cod catches are strong. If you haven’t
ventured out yet due to weather, local
fish markets are reporting nearly daily
deliveries of ling cod, rock fish and
salmon.
Speaking of salmon, Chinook fishing is
slow, although halibut fishermen aboard
charters out of Charleston caught two
over the weekend.
Crabbing is slow. Clamming is excellent
thanks to minus tides this week.
4/22/2011 Charters report excellent
catches
Ocean fishing is good. Charter boat
captains this week reported good catches
for ling cod, Cabazon, copper rock and
black rockfish. No reports of salmon
yet. Charters are scheduling halibut
trips for the June opener.
In the bay, it’s a good time to start
fishing for white sturgeon. Anchovies
and sand shrimp are the baits of choice.
Shad is due soon, too, in the upper
tidewater.
Crabbing is slow off of the docks. No
report on people's luck by boat.
Spring is the season to go clamming.
There will be minus tides Sunday and
Monday, and again mid-month. Pick up
free tide books at the Charleston Marina
office.
4/22/2011 Fishing Report
Good
weather equates to good fishing. Charter
boats have reported excellent catches on
ling cod and limits on rock fish.
Charters are booking trips and
scheduling is light, so seats are
available for the weekend and next week.
Ocean
sport salmon fishing is open. Word is
commercial boats are doing OK, but they
fish deeper than charters. Some private
sport boats are catching a few salmon,
but charters are waiting for more
success stories before they book salmon
trips.
There are
two Pacific halibut sports openings in
May off of Charleston. Charter boats are
booking trips now for May 12-14 and May
26-28.
People
have had good luck crabbing off of the
docks in Charleston the past few days.
There have been a lot of big red rock
crab and decent numbers of Dungeness.
There’s also a lot of ling cod in the
bay, and dry weather means the water
will clear and be salty.
Minus
tides end Saturday, so get out clamming
in the late morning early afternoon
today and Saturday.
Don’t
forget, steelhead fishing in the rivers
ends April 30. ODFW says sturgeon
fishing should pick up in the Coos River
and Isthmus Slough soon.
4/08/2011 Fishing Report
Keep your eyes on the forecast. Once the
weather settles, there should be good
bottom and rock fishing opportunities.
Chinook sport fishing is open off of
Coos Bay and should improve with the
weather. Charters are booking halibut
trips for May.
There’s still time to take home a
steelhead. Season closes April 30.
Crabbing has been slow to fair by boat
and off of the docks in Charleston. It’s
mostly due to the poor weather. Minus
tides start on April 16, so start
thinking about clamming. Minus tides
will be in the morning through April 23.
Pick up free tidebooks at the Charleston
Marina office or the Coos Bay Visitors
Center.
2/25/2011 Fishing Report
Cold weather kept fishermen in this
week; same with crabbers. Charter boats,
however, are booking trips for the
weekend and beyond. It’s not too soon to
be thinking about spring. Betty Kay
Charters is scheduling March and April
whale watching excursions and halibut
trips in May.
2/18/2011 Fishing Report
The water
in the bay is colder than it has been in
recent weeks, and that tends to bring in
food. There are a lot of black rock fish
and ling cod in the bay for fishermen.
Steelhead
fishing is good. People have had good
luck up the East and West Forks of the
Millicoma rivers. ODF&W says baitwise
you should get a bite if you’re drifting
corkies, eggs or sand shrimp. Spin
casting has brought results, too.
Cold
weather has been a bit of a deterrent
for crabbing in the bay and from the
docks. Even so, people are pulling in
some good-sized Oregon Dungeness out of
the bay by boat. Crabbing off of the
docks in Charleston has been slow, but
people are taking home some crab.
2/11/2011 Fishing Report
Reports in
Charleston indicate ling cod fishing has
been excellent this week. There are a
lot of ling cod and rock fish in the
bay. Charter and sports boats have been
doing well offshore, too. Watch the
weather, the ocean and for sneaker
waves, especially if fishing at the
jetties.
Crabbing
has been slow off the docks in
Charleston. People crabbing by boat have
had more success near the jetties and up
around Empire. The tides aren’t great
for clamming this weekend, but starting
with the minus tides in the afternoons
next week, Tuesday through Sunday, plan
to grab gear and go.
If you
just can’t wait for salmon season, the
word (and wish) around Charleston is
that it should be a good year. There
appear to be a lot of salmon in the
ocean. Fishermen around Port Orford have
reported some incidental catch while
jigging for rock fish. The Oregon Salmon
Commission meets Friday, Feb. 18, so
perhaps we’ll hear more next week.
1/25/2011 Fishing Report
Several days of sunshine has flushed a
lot of the freshwater out of the bay,
which is good news for people who want
to go steelhead fishing. Fishing has
been good. Many people have headed up
the East and West Forks of the Millicoma
River. The Oregon Department of Fish &
Wildlife is encouraging people to fish
in the West Fork at the Millicoma
Interpretive Center. You can call
541-267-2557 to be sure the gate is open
and for directions.
Crabbing has improved in the bay around
Charleston. One visitor to the marina
this afternoon reported catching a limit
of big, meaty crab after two pulls of
the crab pots.
1/14/2011 Fishing Report
Steelhead fishing slowed over the past
week, but may improve this weekend with
rainfall Thursday and today. People have
been using clumps of eggs and sand
shrimp, in addition to the usual
spinners and corkies.
Crabbing in the bay has slowed. Boaters
have had the best luck pulling in
Dungeness near the jetties. Crabbing
from the docks in Charleston has been
slow, too.
2009 ARCHIVED REPORTS
12/21/2010 Fishing Report
Rain
remains in the forecast, but we have had
sun breaks today. It’s worth a trip to
the docks in Charleston or by boat into
the bay to bring home crab for
Christmas. Dungeness are meaty and
plentiful, particularly by boat.
Boatwise, the best places to drop pots
are near the jetties all the way up to
the Empire Boat Ramp area.
Visitors
don’t forget, you’ll need a shellfish
license for anyone 14 and older who
crabs or clams. Those are available at
tackle shops where you can rent and
purchase gear, too. The annual license
is $7 for residents, $11.50 for 3-day
nonresidents, and free for disabled
veterans. Check out the following link
for details on catch limits, etc.
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/mrp/shellfish/regulations.asp
Steelhead
fishing is decent up the rivers. Eggs
and corkies drifted near the bottom are
the baits of choice.
12/14/2010 Fishing Report
Get out your crab pots. Crabbing remains
excellent in the bay. People are pulling
in the best catches by boat from the
jetties up to the Empire Boat Ramp area.
Crabbing from the docks is good, but
expect to get a mix of Dungeness and red
rock crab.
Steelhead fishing is strong up the
rivers, on the East and West Forks of
the Millicoma and on the South Coos
River. Many anglers are drifting eggs or
corkies along the river bottom. ODFW
suggests fishing at the Millicoma
Interpretive Center on the West Fork and
at Nesika Park on the East Fork.
12/3/2010 Fishing Report
Crabbing has improved from the docks in
Charleston. Matt LaDoux at Fishermen’s
Wharf said people have been pulling up
legal-sized Dungeness off the docks in
addition to red rock crab. Crabbing by
boat in the bay still is the sure way to
take home a good batch of Dungeness.
It’s a good weekend for clamming. The
best time to go is Saturday and Sunday
afternoons around 5 p.m.
Fishingwise, some people have been
catching steelhead on the East Fork of
the Millicoma River and South Coos
River. ODF&W reports anglers have had
luck with drifting eggs or a corky near
the bottom, or floating jigs under
bobbers.
11/18/2010 Fishing Report
Chinook fishing is basically over. With
nearly an inch and a half of rain in the
past 24 hours as of this morning, the
water is murky and the fish are far, far
up the rivers.
That’s not to suggest, there are no
fishing opportunities. Start getting
your gear ready. Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife biologists say
steelhead are coming our way.
Thanksgiving weekend is typically the
very beginning of the run.
Clamming on the low tide is good right
now, but you might want to wait a day or
so after the heavy rains subside to go.
Bay crabbing by boat is great, from the
Empire Boat Ramp down to near the
jetties. Dock crabbing is OK, but people
are hauling up mostly red rock crab.
They are tasty, but unlike Dungeness
most of the meat is in the claws. The
quality of this year’s Dungeness crab is
good, with the commercial ocean season
scheduled to open Dec. 1.
11/8/2010 Fishing Report
Salmon fishing in the bay is slow.
However, over the weekend there were
several people fishing along the Coos
Bay Boardwalk path Saturday and Sunday.
People still are bank fishing at the
mouth of Daniels Creek on the South Fork
of the Coos River. Bank fishing
alongside state Highway 42 prior to
Greenacres near the House of Confusion
market is another preferred spot. Most
people are using spinners and some are
fishing with bait and bobbers.
If you’re a Coos River STEP program
follower, on Tuesday (Nov. 9) volunteers
will be spawning salmon all day at the
Noble Creek Hatchery at Greenacres. They
welcome visitors. If you go, don’t be
surprised if they hand you waders and
put you to work. To get there, from Coos
Bay take Highway 42 to the Greenacres
exit between mileposts 3 and 4. Follow
the signs. Can’t go, but want to? Call
541-267-3563 for details on the next
work day.
Bay crabbing still is strong. People are
having the best luck by boat from near
the jetties up the bay to the Empire
Boat Ramp. (One of the staff here went
bay crabbing over the weekend and took
home 18 nice-sized Dungeness.) Crabbing
from the docks in Charleston and Empire
is OK, but expect to take home mostly
red rock crab.
10/28/2010 Fishing Report
Chinook salmon are well up the rivers
thanks to this week’s big rains. While
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
biologists say the fishing still is
good, many local fishermen are putting
away their poles. For those who just
can’t quit, most of the fishing is
happening above the Chandler Bridge and
in the South Fork of the Coos River.
Baitwise, boaters have been trolling
mostly with sardines and somewhat with
cut-plug herring and spinners. ODF&W
reports people are having luck in the
upper South Fork with sand shrimp
drifted under a bobber. Bank fishermen
are using spinners or bait under
bobbers.
Crabbing still is excellent by boat in
the lower bay. Dock crabbing is decent,
but expect to take home mostly red rock
crabs from the docks.
10/18/2010 Fishing Report
Coos Bay’s Chinook salmon fishery still
is attracting fishermen, by boat and
from shore. Last week, the bait of
choice for trollers was sardines. Be
careful in buying bait. Some sardines
seem to be too big to attract salmon.
Herring reportedly hasn’t been as
productive. From shore, people are using
spinners or bait under bobbers.
Crabbing is excellent by boat in the
lower bay. Crabbing from the docks is
OK, but most people are pulling in a lot
of red rock crab from the docks.
10/7/2010 Fishing Report
Chinook
fishing is excellent. Anglers are having
the best luck in the Marshfield channel
up to the forks of the Coos River. From
shore, use spinners or bait under a
bobber. From boat, troll with cut-plug
herring or sardines. A big storm is due
Friday, so keep your eyes on the weather
even if you’re just boating in the bay.
Reminder
No. 1: Trout season closes in bays and
rivers on Oct. 31.
Ocean
fishing is winding down for charters.
Trips still are limiting out on
rockfish. The crews say the ling cod
catch is better some days than others.
Bay
crabbing is good to great, depending who
you quiz. Commercial boats are doing
well crabbing in the bay. Dock crabbing
has improved, as well, with people
pulling more legal-sized Dungeness. The
best places to go from shore are the
Port of Coos Bay’s docks in Charleston
and the Empire Boat Ramp.
This is a
good time for bay clamming. If you go,
expect minus tides in the evenings
through Sunday. Reminder No. 2: Razor
clam harvest at the beaches is closed
due to high levels of domoic acid.
10/1/2010 Local team airs new fishing
show
Coos County’s own Beaverhill TV will
premiere its show "The Joy of Fishing"
on Sunday, Oct. 3, on Fox Sports
Northwest.
The weekly show features the angling
adventures of Wayne Van Burger, as he
travels to spots around the world to
catch the toughest fighting fish. Some
people might remember Van Burger as a
former head wrestling coach for
Marshfield High School.
Airtime is scheduled at 9:30 a.m.
Sunday, Oct. 3, and again at noon on
Wednesday, Oct. 6. One of the shows will
feature video from the Oregon Tuna
Classic held in Charleston.
For more details,
go to
http://thejoyoffishing.tv.
9/30/2010 Fishing Report
Salmon fishing is excellent – by boat
and shore. The Chinook are fat and
plentiful, and jumping in the bay.
Trollers also are fishing up the
Millicoma and the South Fork of the Coos
rivers. They’ve reported the best luck
this week with cut-plug herring and
sardines. Anglers along the Coos Bay
Boardwalk and Coos Bay docks are using
spinners mostly, but a few people are
fishing with bait and bobbers. At drive
time this morning, more than a dozen
people were fishing along the Boardwalk
trail. If you’re looking for other spots
to fish from shore, go to the mouth of
Daniels Creek on the South Fork Coos
River or
Isthmus Slough near the House of
Confusion.
Out in Charleston, ocean fishing is good
when the bar is passable. There are
scattered reports of tuna. Charters
reported limits of rockfish and
intermittent ling cod. There are seats
open through the weekend and into next
week.
Go bay crabbing and you’re sure to take
home a Dungeness dinner. Crabbing from
the docks in Charleston and Empire has
improved, too. Crabbers are catching red
rock and Dungeness. Basin Tackle in
Charleston said one couple stopped in
today after catching 14 crab.
9/23/2010 Fishing Report
It’s been
an all-around good week to get out on
the bay for fishing and crabbing. The
water’s been calm and weather’s been
decent, attracting a lot of fish into
the bay.
Salmon
fishing is strong in Coos Bay and more
boats are crowding into the Coquille
River at Bandon. A good shot of rain has
pushed salmon up the rivers. Out on/near
the bar, fishermen are using cut-plug
herring. Farther up in the bay, people
are using spinners, such as rooster
tails, Panther Martins, Blue Fox. Along
the Coos Bay Boardwalk this week, some
people were bait fishing with bobbers.
Others were using spinners, with green
being the color of choice.
Bottom
fishing is excellent and the charters
have reported limits on rockfish. Ling
cod fishing is good, too.
Crabbers
in the bay and from the docks have been
doing well. There are still some
soft-shell crabs, which you should throw
back in the bay. If you’re visiting town
and crabbing from the docks or out of
your boat, the Charleston Crab Shack
will cook your catch. The Charleston
Marina RV Park also has a crab cooking
room open to the public. It’s outfitted
with filet tables, two burners and pots.
9/16/2010 Fishing Report
Recreational Chinook salmon fishing in
Coos Bay is the sport of choice these
days. There are a lot of boats trolling
and people fishing from the banks. Baits
of choice are cut plug herring and
sardines. Some fishermen have had luck
with lures and spinners.
Catches
have been reported from the Marshfield
Channel up into Catching Slough and the
Millicoma and South Fork Coos rivers.
There have been reports of people
catching Chinook from the banks along
the Coos Bay Boardwalk path, too. The
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
report suggests using spinners or bait
under a bobber from the bank at the
Boardwalk or the entrance to Daniels
Creek on the South Coos River.
Crabbing
by boat in the bay has been good, but
there are a lot of soft-shell crab right
now. Be selective. Crabbing from the
docks has been slower. Crab on the
incoming tide.
Tuna
fishing is winding down for charters.
Betty Kay Charters will take its last
tuna trip Saturday. As of this
afternoon, there are three seats left.
Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf said the tuna
are fat and will probably head back
across the Pacific soon. Bottom fishing
still is strong.
The bay is
full of ling cod and black rockfish. The
cod are reported to be legal sized and
smaller. Jetty fishing reportedly is
good, but don’t ignore the weather. The
storms are coming.
9/13/2010 Fishing Report
Get this.
The 11th Annual Coos Bay
Amateur Salmon Derby attracted 361
participants over the weekend. They
hauled in 210 fish. People came from
everywhere, some from as far away as
Montana and California’s central valley
area. Some arrived a week in advance (to
practice, right?). The big winner was a
local 10-year-old boy. He trolled the
channel and pulled in a 38.5-pound
Chinook. He took home a trophy fish –
the largest ever seen in the derby – a
trophy and $500.
If you’re hankering to hook a Chinook,
troll with sardines or herring. Some
fishermen late last week were saying the
fish didn’t seem as enthused about
herring because they’re a bit big this
year. Remember, you have to release coho.
Crabbing has been good in the bay by
boat, but slow from the docks. People
have been catching more of the red rock
crab than Dungeness.
9/3/2010 What about trout fishing?
Question: I used to fish all the
time (Northern NY), but have not fished
in Oregon at all. My 3 year old soon is
hankering to go, practicing his casting
in the backyard – Does my heart good to
see. I will probably take him to Empire
Lakes, but am unsure what to use for
bait for him. We have some of the small
bait – He is sleeping now so I cannot
get the name, but they are about 1/3”
and ‘mini-marshmallow looking. Will
that work, or are worms better?
Answer:
It’s all a matter of opinion. Some days
you'll have good luck; some days you
won't.
The baits of choice for many people who
fish Empire Lakes are worms, PowerBait
and rooster tails. Some people do fly
fish near the shorelines. We’re not sure
about the mini-marshmallow bait, but try
it. There are largemouth bass, which
tend to like those plastic devices. You
also can catch big trout, small stock
trout and at times bluegill and perch.
If you fish with a worm, use a bobber,
put on a light weight and fish on or
near the bottom. Are worms the best?
Some people think so. The squeamish
factor determines baits for some
children.
Most people fishing the upper lake pull
in trout. Many use worms and PowerBait.
PowerBait works well at times,
especially at the bottom. When worms and
PowerBait fail, cast in a rooster tail.
Some people troll. Others float into the
upper lake on inner tubes, which is not
an option with a 4-year-old.
The upper lake is deeper. The lower lake
has more woody debris protruding around
the edges. There seem to be more
bluegill and perch in the lower lake.
Then again, some fishermen will tell you
they catch more of the trophy-sized
trout in the lower lake. It’s best to
take a variety of baits and see what
works.
9/2/2010 Fishing Report
Tuna are
close. As of today, boats were reporting
tuna at 25 miles out. That’s a good
range for sport boats. Charters reported
good catches and sold-out trips.
Crabbing
has been excellent in the bay by boat,
with people pulling in their limits
right away mid-week. Dock crabbing is
hit-and-miss. Remember, it’s best on an
incoming tide.
Salmon
fishing on the ocean is weak, but in
Coos Bay it’s good – if not excellent.
Last weekend, the boat launch in
Eastside was full of salmon boat
trailers and this weekend should be just
as busy. Oregon Department of Fish and
Wildlife biologists reported the best
catches in the Coos Bay channel between
the McCullough and Chandler bridges.
Don’t
forget the 11th Annual Coos
Bay Amateur Salmon Derby Sept. 11-12.
Derby tickets are $20. Kids younger than
13 can fish for free. Watch for posters
around town. Tickets are available at
Englund Marine, Coos Bay Marine, Y
Marina and The Bite’s On.
8/26/2010 Fishing Report
Bring your kids to the docks in
Charleston and jig for herring, while
waiting on crab pots. People around the
docks are reporting “huge herring” (8
inches long or so) and lots of them.
Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf says it’s an
easy way to catch your bait for fishing.
Basin Tackle has been outfitting people
who’ve reported luck with five or six
little jigs off of a mainline. Sardines
and anchovies are out there, but not as
plentiful as herring. (Fisheries
biologists remind you to be sure to toss
back juvenile salmon.)
Crabbing has slowed some from last week
in Charleston, but divers reported that
a lot of juvenile ling cod have moved
into the bay. Chinook salmon fishing has
picked up slightly. People have had luck
trolling from McCullough Bridge up to
the casino. Bank fishing is an option at
the end of Ferry Road in North Bend.
On the ocean, charters still are
reporting excellent bottom fishing off
Coos Bay and Bandon. Tuna are within 50
miles and charters have a few seats for
Sunday and more openings into next week.
8/19/2010 Fishing Report
Crab on!
Maybe it’s not as thrilling as hooking a
salmon, but bay crabbing is mighty good
this week. Recreational crabbers
reportedly hauled in pots full of
Dungeness crab. Fish markets reported a
jump in business from sport crabbers who
wanted their catches cooked. For those
who don’t have boats, crabbing from the
docks has been OK, with a mix of red
rock and Dungeness crab.
Bottom fishing still is going strong.
Charter boats have been limiting out.
Tuna are in close to shore, close enough
for sport boats. Check with the charter
boat operators for opportunities to head
out to sea. Most trips are booked weeks
out. As of today, there were limited
seats on a few days between now and
September.
The Chinook salmon bite has been
improving. Commercial boats are bringing
in some fish. There are more boats in
the bay with salmon catches reported
near the casino and up into the
Marshfield Channel. Fishing for
surfperch and rockfish has been good
near the airport and railroad bridge.
Minus tides are due for the weekend, so
it’s a good time to go clamming.
8/12/2010 Fishing Report
Plan to go
tuna fishing. They’re within 40 miles of
shore and the charter boats out of
Charleston and Bandon have been sending
people home happy with a lot of tuna.
(Betty Kay’s charter Wednesday landed 60
fish.)
In fact,
there’s not much else people are talking
about in Charleston this weekend. As of
this morning, 65 boats were registered
for this weekend’s Oregon Tuna Classic
out of Charleston. The tremendously
popular event supports the Oregon Food
Bank.
If you’re
not up to fishing for your own tuna or
can’t get a seat on the crowded
charters, the fish markets have plenty
right now.
Bottom
fishing still is going strong. Jetty
fishing for greenling and rockfish is
decent. Most people have been fishing
off of Coos Bay’s north jetty. There’s
typically too much swell along the south
jetty.
Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife reported
this week that anglers have caught a few
Chinook around the bar, but salmon
fishing’s still slow. Boats are starting
to troll from the McCullough Bridge up
the channel toward downtown Coos Bay.
Commercial
crabbing season ends Saturday, but
recreational crabbing is open
year-round. It’s been improving off of
the Charleston Marina docks, but there
are reports of some crab with soft
shells. Tides have been good for
clamming, but remember recreational
razor clamming is closed due to domoic
acid.
8/5/2010 Fishing Report
This is the weekend for halibut. The
two-day sports opener is Friday and
Saturday. Charters out of Charleston are
booked solid both days. There’s also a
two-day season Friday and Saturday, Aug.
20-21. Betty Kay Charters out of
Charleston is planning a trip Aug. 21 –
but it’s booked, too. It wouldn’t hurt
to check, though, to see if there’s a
waiting list. Prowler Charters out of
Bandon might still have seats.
Bottom fishing remains the sure bet.
This has been a good, good season for
bottom fishing. Tuna remain somewhat far
offshore. The reports around Charleston
are that tuna have moved closer this
week, with some fishermen reporting
occasional catches about 40 miles
offshore. The fish are few and far
between, but big when they bite.
Crabbing off the docks has been slow. If
you’re diving for fish in the bay, it’s
a bit murky out around Charleston. The
U.S. Army Corps dredge Essayons is
working near the entrance to the bay.
Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf was diving
Tuesday night and saw quite a few ling
cod and black rockfish.
If you’re fishing inland on rivers and
streams, you might have some luck
hooking trout in the smaller streams.
ODFW reports fishermen are having their
best luck in the early morning and late
evening. Cutthroats have been biting on
small streamers and spinners.
Salmon? It’s slow on the ocean and there
have been no reports of Chinook being
caught in the bay. But they are expected
soon.
7/22/2010 Fishing Report
Bottom fishing can’t be beat. Charters
from Charleston and Bandon have
continued to send people home with their
limits in fish. All trips have been
selling out, so if you want to go, book
well in advance.
That said, over the past week, big winds
have forced charter boat operators to
cancel a few trips. What’s up with the
wind anyway? At times, it’s blown hard
in the morning and quieted in the
afternoon. Recreational fishermen
who’ve had to stay in the bay, have been
catching mostly black rockfish.
The weekend outlook for fishing in the
bay is good. Herring moved in Wednesday.
They’re good-sized, too, according to
Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf. If there’s
bait in the bay, there will be more
fish. Salmon fishing is slow, despite
decent conditions and tuna is far
offshore (100-120 miles). Sport boats
may get lucky and catch a few in closer
to shore, but the commercial boats have
followed the tuna wave north toward
Newport.
Crabbing is improving from the docks,
now that the minus tides are gone.
Crabbing in the bay is improving, too.
Commercial crabbing has been slow, and
that prompted Fishermen’s Wharf to fly
in some Maine lobster today to add to
its stock. The Crab Shack has some crab,
and it’s stocking spot shrimp now, too.
7/14/2010 Fishing Report
Wind is good for ocean upwelling, but
not so much for charter boats taking
people to sea. Tuesday’s wind kept boats
in port in Charleston and Bandon.
Charters are booking trips through the
weekend. Bottom fishing, when the boats
get out of port, is excellent. Early
week trips limited out. Call the
charters to check on the outlook leading
into the weekend.
Rockfish and greenling are plentiful
around the jetties. Use sand shrimp near
the bottom for greenling and jigs with
spinner tails for rockfish.
Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife’s
weekly report says there have been a few
people catching halibut while fishing
off the beaches. Matt at Fishermen’s
Wharf in Charleston said he’s heard
that, too. It’s the smaller California
halibut. He suggests using a surf perch
rig. Put a weight on the line with a 2-
or 3-foot leader. Use sand shrimp or
mole crab as bait.
Tuna are about 35 miles offshore, but
tackle shops and charter operators say
the warm water is north of Coos Bay
right now. Salmon fishing is slow.
Crabbing is slow in Bandon and
Winchester Bay, but decent in Coos Bay.
That’s prompted folks to head this
direction. Recreational crabbers have
had luck off the docks and from boats
out in the bay. The saltwater has
increased in the bay, which seems to be
helping.
There are two more days of morning minus
tides, so clamming should be good around
Charleston and up the bay near Clam
Island. Tide books and tips are
available at local tackle shops and the
marina and RV offices in Charleston.
7/08/2010 Fishing Report
The Charleston Marina parking lot is
full of trucks and trailers today. The
weather was calm this morning and people
are going out for crab, ling cod and
bottom fishing.
Crabbing has improved. Reports around
Charleston indicate people crabbing off
the docks and in the bay have been doing
better than those who dropped pots at
sea.
Rockfish and greenling are plentiful
around the jetties. Watch the waves and
weather. The rockfishing charter trips
have been limiting out. Fishermen are
pulling in a good grade of black
rockfish and red vermillion. The ling
cod catch has been good, too.
But what about salmon?
The folks at Basin Tackle say salmon
conditions are nearly perfect. They
watch satellite data, that matches a sea
surface temperature image and with a
satellite plankton image. Those are
aligned, so they’re betting salmon
fishing improves. Bait fish like to swim
on a cold edge of water. For example,
they’ll cruise along a 50-degree
upwelling of water, bordering a
54-degree bank. The salmon follow.
Margery at Betty Kay Charters said
salmon have been a bit slow to bite.
Betty Kay is offering a salmon trip on
Saturday.
The warm tuna current has moved farther
offshore. Albacore are estimated at 80
to 100 miles out. Charters are running
and seats are open.
We’ll have minus tides this weekend, so
it’s a good time to go clamming in the
bay. Razor clamming is closed due to
elevated levels of domoic acid, which is
caused by algae blooms. You can check
for shellfish harvest updates on the
Oregon Department of Agriculture’s web
site at
http://oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/shellfish_status.shtml.
FYI: If you want a break from fishing,
the Wild Women of Charleston are hosting
a Bring Your Own Picnic for families
from 1 to 4 p.m., July 17, at
Bastendorff Beach.
7/01/2010 Fishing Report
 Don’t
let the crowd fool you. There’s still
room to park your boat trailer in
Charleston if you’re headed out for
halibut today or Friday. Commercial
boats brought in fish Wednesday, so yes,
halibut is in the fish markets for
non-anglers. For sports halibut
fishermen, the reports today are mixed.
Tuna are moving closer to shore.
Bandon’s Prowler Charters reported one
of its boats catching some tuna about 35
miles offshore.
Bottom fishing still rules. All of the
charters say their boats have been
limiting out. There still are seats
available for the weekend for bottom
fishing. They’ll go salmon fishing, too,
if enough people sign up. The weather
for Saturday looks good. Sunday
afternoon is likely to be windy.
Crabbing
in the bay is decent. Dock crabbers have
been catching a mix of Dungeness and red
rocks crab. Either way, they’re bringing
‘em in.
Low tide today attracted quite a few
clammers to Charleston. Recreational
razor clamming is CLOSED from Coos Bay
to Bandon, due to elevated levels of
domoic acid.
6/29/2010 Fishing Report
Tuna have been reported about 100 miles
offshore. Fishermen in Charleston say
Oregon boats have been catching 400 a
day, with fish averaging 16 pounds.
Sports fishermen can hook halibut
Thursday and Friday (July 1-2) as far
south as Humbug Mountain. Commercial
boats will be fishing Wednesday only. If
you didn’t schedule a charter or don’t
have a boat of your own, local fish
markets should have halibut available
Thursday and Friday.
Go to the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife for
information on other openings this
summer and rules.
http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/halibut/
6/25/2010 Fishing Report
Charter boat operators say bottom
fishing is doing very well. Seats are
available, but the season is picking up.
The first salmon trips start this
weekend, as Coho season opens Saturday.
The charters are anticipating a good
year.
Grab your crab pots and bait. Crabbing
is good in Charleston from the docks.
People crabbing from boats have been
doing well, too, this week. Red rock
crab are the most plentiful.
Rockfish and greenling fishing at the
jetties still is strong. Use sand shrimp
near the bottom for greenling and a
plastic twister tail for rockfish.
Matt at Fisherman’s Wharf was diving in
Coos Bay this week and was amazed by the
underwater traffic. He reported seeing a
lot of black cod, sea trout, cabezon and
tons of ling cod, which were fairly
aggressive. There is spawn all over the
bottom of the bay, which probably
explains why Coos Bay is the destination
of choice for underwater visitors.
On the topic of visitors, keep your eyes
open for orcas. There have been several
confirmed sightings of a pod on the
Central Coast down to Florence.
6/11/2010 Fishing Report
Hankering for some rockfish? If so, this
might be the weekend for bottom fishing.
Charleston’s charter boats have been
limiting out on rockfish and catching
some lingcod. There are seats open in
Bandon and Charleston for the weekend.
The weather forecast is mostly good for
Saturday and Sunday (67 degrees and
sunny, but a bit windy). If the ocean’s
not too bouncy, the boats will go. As to
Chinook fishing, the boats will go if
there are enough bookings and the ocean
cooperates. Check with the charters for
scheduling.
Rockfish and greenling fishing around
the jetties still is the best option for
people who aren’t venturing out in the
ocean.
Don’t forget: It’s free fishing weekend.
That means neither adults nor children
need licenses to toss hooks in the
water. For families, the Oregon
Department of Fish and Wildlife is
sponsoring a kids fishing event at
Tugman State Park’s Eel Lake near
Lakeside.
Sturgeon fishing remains slow in Isthmus
Slough and up the Coos River. People
catching them have reported luck using
sand shrimp.
Crabbing off the docks has been slow,
but it should be a good weekend for
clamming, thanks to negative tides. FYI,
state officials have closed razor
clamming from Coos Bay to Bandon due to
the neurotoxin domoic acid in the meat.
It’s caused when there are red algae
blooms and the shellfish eat a lot of
it.
6/04/2010 Fishing Report
Charter boats have been doing well with
limits on bottom fish. Salmon fishing
has been slow for sport fishermen. The
fish still are swimming deep.
Matt at Fishermen’s Wharf in the
Charleston Marina went diving this week
in the bay and reported seeing a lot of
lingcod and black rockfish.
Sturgeon fishing in Isthmus Slough is
slow. Sand shrimp is the preferred bait
right now. Rockfish and greenling
fishing around the jetties has been
good, but be very careful. Pay attention
to weather forecasts and the ocean.
Recreational crabbing is improving for
people in boats. It’s still a bit slow
from the docks.
5/27/2010 Fishing report
Ocean fish rule right now. Fishermen had
luck last week hooking greenling and
rockfish along the Coos Bay jetties. Use
a jig with a plastic twister tail for
rockfish and fish sand shrimp near the
bottom for greenling. Keep caution in
mind and an eye on the weather if you
fish near the jetties.
Betty Kay Charters reported today that
bottom fishing’s been going well out of
Charleston. The boats have been catching
limits on rockfish. Anglers have hauled
in nice, big blacks and vermilion.
They’ve also been catching a few
lingcod.
If you’re hankering for halibut, book
your seats now. The three-day opener,
June 3-5, may prove popular. This will
be the last chance to hook halibut if
the catch hits the 105,948-pound quota.
If not, the state may offer more
opportunities. Seatwise, Betty Kay’s
June 4 halibut trip is full. There were
plenty of seats left for Thursday, June
3, and a few for Saturday, June 5.
Bandon’s Prowler Charters halibut trips
are mostly full.
Crabbing is slow in the bay for those in
boats or dropping crab pots off the
docks. Still, it’s worth a try over the
holiday weekend. Use fish, chicken or
turkey legs for bait.
Want salmon? Local charters are booking
ocean trips for June.
5/20/2010 - Local Report
Stop wishing for a family fishing
weekend – just go. Trout fishing in the
bay and rivers opens Saturday. Anyone
fishing for trout above tidewater must
use lures or artificial flies.
Local lakes and ponds are stocked with
legal-sized rainbow trout. Worms, small
spinners and flies still are the
preferred snack. The hot spot for kids
is the Millicoma Pond at the Millicoma
Interpretive Center on the West Fork of
the – yes, you guessed it – Millicoma
River near Allegany. (Kids fishing
only.) Call 541-267-2557 to be sure the
gate is open.
The 3-day Halibut season continues
through Saturday. Charters were nearly
booked earlier this week, but it’s worth
checking to see whether there might be a
few seats open or cancellations. The
next window for hooking halibut is June
3-5.
Rockfish and greenling fishing has been
good around the jetties. Use a jig with
a plastic twister tail for rockfish;
fish with sand shrimp near the bottom
for greenling.
Sturgeon fishing is very slow, but you
can try hooking them with sand shrimp.
Crabbing is slow. Fish, chicken and
turkey legs have been the bait of
choice. Also, mussel harvesting is
closed from Bastendorff Beach at
Charleston to the California border.
5/18/2010 - Halibut fishing update
Halibut fishermen were smiling after the
three-day window last weekend. Charter
boat operators reported decent landings
on a somewhat rough Thursday, but good
landings on Friday and Saturday.
Betty Kay Charters out of Charleston
reported 10 fish on Thursday. On Friday,
fishermen pulled in 22 halibut and
Saturday’s catch totaled 18.
As for this week’s May 20-22 opening,
Betty Kay still had seats available for
Thursday, but the weather outlook isn’t
good. A couple seats were available for
Friday and Saturday was sold out.
Bandon’s Prowler Charters also reported
good halibut catches last weekend and
the outlook remains good for this
weekend. Prowler’s Saturday seats were
full, but there was room for Thursday
(weather willing) and Friday charters.
If you missed out this month on the
limited halibut season, there’s one more
opening scheduled June 3-5.
If you go: It’s a 12-hour trip. Bring
snacks. Wear shades. Dress for all
weather and bring sunscreen.
Reminder: Local charter boat operators
are booking ocean salmon fishing trips
for June.
5/13/2010 – Local Report
Halibut season is under way today
through Saturday. If you didn’t make it
to Charleston, there’s still time. Other
open dates are scheduled, including May
20-22 and June 3-5. There could be more
windows of opportunity if we don’t hit
the 105,948-pound quota.
State fish and wildlife workers recently
stocked local lakes and ponds with
legal-sized rainbow trout. They’re
biting on worms, small spinners and
flies. Take the kids to Empire Lakes in
Coos Bay.
Fishermen are hooking a few sturgeon in
Isthmus Slough, but overall sturgeon
fishing has been slow. Sand shrimp
appears to be the best bait right now.
Reminder: You can’t keep green sturgeon,
which are listed under the Endangered
Species Act.
Rockfish and greenling fishing has been
good around the jetties. Use a jig with
a plastic twister tail for rockfish;
fish with sand shrimp near the bottom
for greenling. People have been pulling in mostly red
rock crab, but overall bay crabbing has
been slow by boat and from the docks.
Fish, chicken and turkey legs have been
the bait of choice. Ocean crabbing has
been better.
Wait for a calm ocean to fish near rocky
outcroppings for rockfish and lingcod.
The recent rough ocean hasn’t helped
surfperch anglers. If you go, make sure
it’s an incoming tide and find a beach
with smaller waves. Put sand shrimp or
sand worms on your line. Mussel
harvesting is closed from Bastendorff
Beach at Charleston to the California
border.
04/27/2010 - Local Report
Local lake stocking will be taking place
this week with legal size rainbow trout.
The best thing to use for bait is worms
and bright spinners.
Bay crabbing from the dock has been slow
and boat crabbing from a boat has been a
bit better, but both have been reporting
Red Rock Crab as the main harvest.
Rockfish and Greenling bottom fishing
has been decent when the swells have
been calm.
Surfperch fishing has been slow with the
active high surf. Anglers are
using sand shrimp and fishing when its
an incoming tide for the best results.
03/19/2010 - Local Report
Bay crabbing has been very slow.
Most of the harvest has been Red Rock
Crab with very few Dungeness.
Reports coming in with people coming in
with about half their allowed limits.
Rainbow Trout stocking has begun in many
Coos County Lakes. Check out the
ODF&W
website for the most up-to-date stocking
schedules. Anglers are finding
success using flies and worms.
There have been reports of sturgeon
being caught near the Coos Bay Estuary.
Baits being used are sand shrimp and
squid.
02/08/2010 - Local Report
Empire lakes, Tenmile Lakes and Saunders
lake are all reporting excellent trout
fishing. Anglers are using bright
spinners and worms for the best luck.
The rivers have been reportedly low and
clear, but there are still Steelhead
being caught although it has slowed down
with these river conditions.
According to the Oregon Department of
Fish and Wildlife: "Access to
the South Coos River above Dellwood is
by permit from Weyerhaeuser Company, and
is subject to their rules. Anglers can
call the Weyerhaeuser hotline number at
1-888-741-5403 for recorded information
on access and permit purchases."
Recreational crabbing has slowed down in
the area, its more been more productive
for bay crabbers with boats, with most
of the harvest being reported as Red
Rock Crab. Dock crabbing has been
very slow in the Charleston area.
Bottomfishing for Rockfish, Greenling
and Cod has been decent when the waters
have been calm enough to go out.
01/25/2010 - Local Report
The West fork of the Millicoma river was
clear yesterday and the East Fork was
clear but with better fishing conditions
as one Angler reported. He stated
that he was using a corky and an egg and
landed 3 with that combination. He
said that the banks were a little
deserted yesterday and reported only
seeing about 10 cars up the East Fork.
The angler said that his friend caught a
nice 30 incher weighing in at nearly 9
pounds using a bobber and jig set up.
There really needs to be a couple inches
of rain to bring some more steelhead up
into the river, that fishing has
definitely slowed down from last week.
01/15/2010 - Local Report
The East fork of the Millicoma river was
reportedly perfect fishing conditions
today. The West fork was also in
good shape and got even better as the
day progressed. There were
hundreds of fishermen on the banks of
both forks most of the day. Many
steelhead were being landed through out
the day. Anglers were reportedly
using eggs and corkys or yarn and a
corky. There were some fishermen
using a Blue Fox #4 lime green spinner
and having good luck with that.
01/04/2010 - Local Report
Steelhead fishing was reportedly picking
up speed today. One angler's
report stated that he was up the East
fork of the Millicoma River and hooked
three and landed one. This angler
was using drifting eggs with a corky.
This angler saw 6 other fish being
hooked this morning. The waters on
the east fork were in perfect condition
and the river was being fished heavily
from Nesika park on down. The West
fork of the Millicoma was low and clear
today. Crabbing remains excellent
in the bay.
2009 ARCHIVED REPORTS
12/15/2009 - Local Report
Steelhead are reportedly being caught up
on the East Fork of the Millicoma River,
but it has been pretty slow. The
next rain should bring in some brights
and there should be a good return this
year.
Crabbing continues to be excellent both
off the dock and in the bay.
Limits are being met and the shells are
firm and full.
11/30/2009 - Local Report
Rainbow trout fishing is reportedly
excellent in many local lakes.
Anglers have been successful using Powerbait and spinners.
Recreational crabbing and clamming
continue to be excellent in Coos Bay.
Limits are being met quickly and the
weather has been excellent.
Steelhead season is now open and there
are a few being caught in the Coos River
Basin. This should pick up through
the month as the best fishing should
start about the end of December.
Bottom fishing for Lingcod and rockfish
has been reportedly strong.
11/18/2009 - Local Report
Both recreational crabbing and clamming
have been excelled in Coos Bay.
The crabbers are limiting out quickly
either off the dock or out in the bay
with a boat. The dock crabbers are
reporting mostly rock crab and the bay
crabbers are reporting reaching limits
on Dungeness.
Salmon fishing has continued to slow
with very few brights being reported.
11/5/2009 - Local Report
Clamming and Crabbing are both being
reported as excellent in Coos Bay.
Tides have been good late evening and
the crabs being harvested are hard
shelled.
Salmon fishing has slowed down since
most of the fish have moved up river.
There are a few being caught at the Coos
Bay boardwalk, but most of them are
dark.
Empire Lake in Coos Bay was just
recently stocked with Rainbow Trout and
anglers have been successful using
Powerbait and spinners.
10/30/2009 - Local Report
Crabbing inside the bay has been very
successful this week. Sport
crabbers are limiting out quickly on
Dungeness Crab and the shells have been
hard.
Chinook Salmon have been reportedly
being caught down on the Coos Bay
Boardwalk and in the mouth of Daniels
Creek in Catching Slough.
Trout fishing will close in Coos Bay and
the rivers on October 31.
10/21/2009 - Local Report
Crabbing outside the bar has now closed
for the season. Inside the bay,
crabbing has been slow with very few
coming close to their limits.
Bay fishing continues to be slow with a
few sea trout, perch and bottom fish
being landed.
10/03/2009 - ODFW Report
There have been a few sea-run cutthroat
trout caught in Coos Bay. The use of
bait while fishing for trout in streams
above tidewater is now allowed. Trout
season is open until October 31.
Harvest of fall Chinook has slowed down
this past week in Coos Bay but there are
still plenty of fish to be caught.
Harvest this past week has been almost a
50/50 split between jacks and adult
Chinook. The best place to fish from a
boat is in the Marshfield Channel, Coos
River, and South Fork Coos River.
Harvest of Chinook by bank anglers has
picked up this past week. A few of the
bank fishing area are at the Coos Bay
City Boardwalk, the mouth of Catching
Slough, the mouth of Daniels Creek, and
the upper end of Isthmus Slough near the
House of Confusion. The 2009 temporary
regulations for fall chinook are now in
affect until Dec. 31. The quota has been met for the
wild coho fishery in Coos Bay and
harvest of wild coho is no longer
allowed. Anglers may still retain
fin-clipped coho.
Fishing for rockfish, surfperch, and
greenling in the lower Coos Bay estuary
has been good. To catch rockfish and
surfperch fish near pilings or submerged
rock piles and for greenling concentrate
your fishing effort near kelp beds for
the best success. The best baits to use
are sand shrimp or a jig and twister
tail.
The entire Oregon
Coast is still closed to recreational
mussel and clam harvest due to elevated
levels of paralytic shellfish poisoning
or PSP toxins according to the Oregon
Department of Agriculture. Crabs are not
affected by this level of toxin and are
safe to eat. Before any shellfish
harvest trip, make sure to check the
Oregon Department of Agriculture website
for any recent shellfish closures recent
shellfish closures at:
http://oregon.gov/ODA/FSD/shellfish_status.shtml.
Recreational crab harvest inside the bay
is good for those with boats and those
on the docks. Red rock crabs are the
main harvest at the Charleston and
Empire docks but there are also a few
legal Dungeness crabs being harvested as
well. The best time to crab is a few
hours before high tide and the preferred
baits to use are fish, chicken, or
turkey legs.
9/18/2009 - Local Report
Salmon are reportedly being caught in
abundance by the Chandler Bridge area on
Coos River. One angler
reported that yesterday their boat
hooked 12 and landed 8. There were
many boats out and lots of fish being
caught in that area. The anglers were
using #6 Blue Fox lures (orange) with 2
oz. of lead with a splitter bar.
9/16/2009 - Local Report
Chinook Salmon fishing over the last
week has been excellent off Coos Bay
near the Channel and Coos River sections
of the bay. Plug cut herring seems
to be the bait of choice with most
anglers. Some are trolling with a
flasher, and some are not.
Wild Coho are being caught near the
McCullough Bridge area. The most
recent ODFW regulations state that the
limit on wild Coho is one non-fin
clipped Coho per day and a total of five
non-fin clipped Coho for the season.
This will run through the last day of
November or until a 1,000 landed quota
has been reached.
Bottom fishing continues to be very
active with fishermen reportedly having
the best luck with a jig and twister
tails or sand shrimp.
There are some great minus tides this
week and the clamming has been great.
Make sure to check the tide table
section of this website to time your
trip for the best time to go.
9/14/2009 - Local Report
Over the weekend, it was reported that
Salmon were biting and being landed in
the channel in Empire about 10 feet
deep. The anglers were trolling on
downriggers using plug cut herring about
3.5 MPH. Bay crabbing was excellent with most
everyone harvesting their limits with
hard shelled Dungeness.
9/9/2009 - Local Report
According to a local charter operator,
the bottomfishing has been spectacular.
Limits were caught on Rock Cod, Black
Cod and Snapper and even Lingcod.
Shrimp Flies and Rubber Scampis have
been successful luring them in.
Tuna fishing has been excellent since
there is still lots of warm water.
Reports of tuna being caught as close at
18 miles out but the majority of catch
is out around 25 miles.
Ocean Salmon fishing has been slow, very
few being caught. The river Salmon
fishing has been very successful using
plug cut herring with or without a
flasher.
Ocean and Bay crabbing has been
excellent. The shells have
hardened back up and limits are being
met on Dungeness.
9/3/2009 - Local Report
Tuna are being fished hard about 30
miles out. One local angler came
in with 18 on his boat today.
Bottom fishing has been great off
Simpson's reef and Coho are being caught
in the mouth of Coos River. Coho
are reportedly biting on hoochies and
flashers. The ODFW announced that
anglers are now allowed to keep one wild
Coho Salmon caught inside the river.
8/27/2009 - Local Report
Salmon are being caught at the mouth of
the Coos River, using plug cut herring
and a flasher. There have been
several landed over the last few days.
Crabbing still remains active on the
docks and in the bay, but most of the
shells are reported as half full and
soft.
8/20/2009 - Local Report
Largemouth bass, yellow perch and
bluegills in the local area lakes is
still decent.
Chinook Salmon fishing has been slow but
is expected to pick up in the next
couple weeks.
Clamming has been good this week with
some great minus tides.
Crabbing has been still going strong for
those on the dock and also in the boats.
Shells are getting pretty soft on the
Dungeness pulls and on
the docks, most pulls are Red Rock crab.
7/29/09 - Local Report
A few reports from around the Charleston
Marina and the Marina RV Park this week
that say that the tuna is about 14-20
miles out and the water is warming back
up. The bottomfishing has slowed
down a bit in the last week. The
bay and dock crabbing has been good, but
the shells are starting to get pretty
soft. Salmon fishing has been
active, but very few keepers being
reported.
7/21/09 - Local Report
Both Empire and Tenmile Lake trout
fishing has been reportedly still active
with the weather warming up. The
trout have been averaging between 17 and
20 inches long. Using a bobber
with the bait attached just underneath
has been what most people have been
using, or trolling with a flasher or
worm. Blue Gill have begun to
spawn and are interested in worms on a
small jig under a bobber. One
angler said that the fish have been
pretty aggressive trying to protect
their nests. Largemouth Bass are
also biting using crankbaits, spinners
and plastic worms. Bay crabbing is still doing well, with
people harvesting close to their limits.
Most dock crabbers are reporting mainly
Red Rock Crab and a few legal Dungeness.
Trout fishing is reportedly open in Coos
Bay and the rivers. Angling is
restricted to artificial flies and lures
in streams above tidewater.
7/17/09 - Local Report
Ocean fishing has seen rough weather for
the last few days but that changed going
into the weekend. Seas and winds have
calmed and the fog lifted this morning
allowing over 40 sport boats to cross
the Charleston bar. Reports indicate
that bottom fishing is fabulous with
great catches of blacks and lingcod. Crabbing and fishing off the docks has
been slow with crab catches being
predominantly red rock.
7/14/09 - Local Report
The charter fleet reports that tuna
fishing has been fantastic! Yesterday a
nine person charter landed 85 nice-grade
fish in the 20 lb. range. They report
averaging 50 tuna per day trip. Expect
to find them about 15 to 20 miles off
shore at this time.
The charter fleet reports that salmon
catches have been spotty but the sport
segment indicate that the salmon fishing
is great. They reported limiting out on
salmon yesterday and also indicated that
bottom fishing is holding up well.
Crabbing and fishing off the docks have
also been good. Thoughts are that local
upwelling is bringing food and bait fish
closer to the surface making for good
catch off the docks. Hard shelled crabs
are still being caught among soft
shelled ones indicating that molting is
still continuing.
Weekend Summary 7/13/09 - Local Report
The weekend was busy in Charleston, OR
with flat and foggy ocean conditions.
Visibility was low and reports indicated
tuna was 26 miles off the coast.
One angler reported a Saturday tuna
catch of 26 and a Sunday total of 16 all
in the 20 to 55 lb. range.
Bottom fishing was good and reports of
Salmon catch were high as well.
7/10/09 - Local Report
Tuna are being reported about 20 miles
out in 60° water. Anglers are
having luck fishing with cedar plugs.
Salmon and bottom fishing have also been
reported as very active with fishermen
catching their limits.
Bay crabbing continues to be excellent
with reports of full limits with most of
the catch still being firm shelled.
A few soft-shells reported, but the
ration is about 9 to 1.
7/08/09 - Local Report
Salmon fishing was reportedly excellent
yesterday with one group catching 8 fish
and only two of those were natives and
had to be put back. They were fishing
about 10 miles out in 360 ft. waters.
They were using a diver with an apex
yesterday which seemed to be working
well.
The ODFW Fish Checker reported that she
has checked in a lot of Salmon in the
last two days.
Recreational Tuna fishing has been
excellent as well, although the waters
are cooling again and the tuna have
headed out a bit further. The Tuna
were reportedly 19 miles out yesterday
with one anglers report of 12 fish
landed.
Sturgeon fishing at the bottom for the
forks of the Coos River continues to be
slow. Many anglers are still
fishing the area using squid and shrimp
in bait bags with bites being few and
far between. One report came in
that near Gardiner on the Lower Umpqua -
they are really getting active and many
fisherman have been lined up fishing
that area hard.
 7/07/09 - Local Report
Tuna fishing for recreational and sport
fisherman has been very good. The
tuna are now being reported as close as
15 miles.
Weekend Summary and Morning Update - 7/06/09
- Local Report
Bottom fishing was very active over the
weekend - many anglers reporting
catching their limits even a report of a
good sized 24" ling
cod. Black Rock, Vermillion,
Coppers and Cabezon were all reported
being landed - a very good mix.
One report came in saying that they were
trolling jigs for the bottom fish and
having luck with the zucchini clones.
Tuna fish were reportedly being caught
by recreational fisherman about 20-25
miles out. Many boats out of
Charleston harbor reporting.
Commercial fisherman were also doing
very well with their tuna catch.
Bay crabbing was excellent this weekend.
Many people were catching their limits
and a few semi-soft shells were reported
but most of the crab were firm.
Many Salmon fishermen went out on Friday
July 3, but the high winds forced them
back in early. The salmon were
slow biting and it was reported that for
about every 10 Native caught, one fin
clipped was being caught. So,
there was just basically some catch and release
happening.
Charter fishing boats were all out and
active this last weekend fishing for
bottom fish and catching their limits.
Update 7/02/2009 - Local Report
The weather is reportedly better today
and winds have calmed down some.
It was reported that 20-30 recreational
boats left the Charleston area this
morning to go Salmon fishing. It
was also reported that the local charter
fishing boats are out. Halibut
season has opened back for for July 2, 3
and 4.
Another report regarding Dungeness crab
in the bay reporting that many people
were catching their limits yesterday and
the shells are still semi-hard.
Update 7/01/2009 - Local Report
Sturgeon are still not biting below the
forks on the Coos River. There
have been several boats there fishing
that area over the last two days and no
one has reported any landings.
Wind and chop continue to slow the
recreational fishing.
Update 6/30/2009 - Local Report
The weather conditions continue to slow
down the recreational fishing. The
water is very choppy and the winds are
high.
Dock crabbing has been very slow with
most of the catching being juvenile or
female crabs. There has been a bit
of luck in the bay crabbing, but no one
seems to be reaching their limits.
The shells are being reported as still
firm enough to eat.
Although the tides weren't the best in
front of the Portside Restaurant in
Charleston Oregon yesterday, there were
a handful of diggers that got their
limits on gapers. Several of them
also raked in enough cockle clams to
fill their buckets.
Update 6/29/2009 - Local Report
Due to extreme wind and the inability
for anglers to cross the bar, there has
been no recently reported fishing
activity.
There has been some successful bay
crabbing reported over the weekend.
The Dungeness crab shells are reported
being semi-firm.
Update 6/26/2009 - Local Report
Sturgeon Fishing has nearly come to a
standstill below the forks on the Coos
River over the last two days. The
bait being used is squid and shrimp tied
in bait bags (due to the bullheads
making off with bait not secured) and it
has not enticed the sturgeon to bite.
The Shad are starting to come in and the
sturgeon usually follow the shad this
time of year. There are also many
reports of sea lions attacking and
eating the 7-8 foot sturgeon.
Clamming is great today and the Martha
Washington's are in abundance on clam
island (north spit area)!
Halibut fishing will be open for three
days - July 2, 3 & 4 - according to
local reports.
Windy conditions are slowing down local
anglers from accessing the ocean.
Please check the
weather and water
page of this website for
links and information on the latest
conditions.
Recreational Fishing Update 6/25/2009 -
Local Angler Report
Yesterday it was reported that salmon
were being caught about five miles out,
due west, of the Charleston Oregon bar.
The lures being reported are; pink
hoochies down about 15 ft. in 250 ft.
waters, and watermelon hoochies down
about 100 ft. in 300 ft. waters.
It was also reported that NW on 270° 4-5
miles out in 200-350 ft. waters that
salmon are being caught 30 ft. down and
the hot lure being used is the
watermelon hoochie.
An
angler stated that they caught 10 wild
salmon before catching three clipped fin
salmon -
and they are biting!
Hot Tips
l
News
l
Trophy Board
l
Better Boating
l
Kids Safety
l
Beach Safety |
