On a drive into the tiny Oregon Coast town of Depoe Bay, it is impossible not to notice its harbor filled with fishing boats. After all, the town itself is only a few blocks long, and anyone driving along Highway 101 has to pass over the bridge that spans the rocky entrance to the town’s claim to fame: the smallest navigable harbor in the world.
At the south end of downtown, you’ll notice storefronts for two different fishing charter/whale-watching operations. Both run boats out of the harbor that sits just down the cliffside behind the buildings.
On our recent trip to Depoe Bay we decided we couldn’t miss getting out and trying our hand at catching some of the bottom fish that are known to lurk in the waters just outside of the bay.
Both of the bigger local charter companies, Tradewind and Dockside Charters, offer half-day bottom fishing charters that include the opportunity to catch lingcod, rockfish, and, weather permitting, crab. We chose Dockside for its convenient location and availability during our visit to Depoe Bay.
At only $100, the 5-hour charter is a great deal. You are almost guaranteed to come home with a haul of fresh fish that would cost nearly that much at the grocery store!
Fishing for Rockfish Out of Depoe Bay
As our trip approached, the forecast looked ominous, to say the least. Small craft warnings, gale warnings, and some impressive wave sizes all blared in red text at the top of every forecast we read.
As we headed to the dock for our very early departure, the ominous weather was definitely approaching. But so far, the wind was holding off, so Dockside gave the green light for us to head out and try our hand at bringing in our bag limits of five fish per person.
Knowing the storm was approaching, they decided to cut the crabbing portion so we could maximize our time fishing and offered everyone a partial refund.
After a quick introduction and safety rundown, we made our way through the very narrow passage that separated the harbor from the now ominous-looking Pacific Ocean.
Luckily for us, there is a reef just offshore that is known to have a healthy population of rockfish, so we quickly motored there and prepared to drop our lines.
From there, the fishing was fast and furious. Every few seconds, someone would hook into a rockfish or lingcod, and the deckhands made quick work of the fish, kept track of them for everyone, and got our lines back in the water.
Most of us were able to limit out within two hours, although some chose to throw the rockfish back in hopes of hooking into one of the large ling cod that prowled the waters below.
Luck was on their side, as many of them ended up taking home a lot more of the delicious lingcod at the end of the day!
All in all, we spent a little under four hours out on the water, which was more than we had expected when we headed out. While the ride was certainly a bit rocky, the boats were well-equipped to handle it.
So, other than feeling a little bit green by the end, it ended up being a great day.
When we returned to shore, a team of fish processors was set up and ready to clean and bag our catches. They also offer vacuum packing for a small additional fee, and if you plan on freezing the fish, this is well worth the cost.
All in all, the trip was outstanding, as was our whale-watching trip with Dockside the day before, and both are highly recommended for anyone making a visit to Depoe Bay.
