Everything About Salmon Fishing in Oregon

Everything About Salmon Fishing in Oregon

by | Dec 9, 2020 | Blogs

Everything About Salmon Fishing in Oregon

Oregon salmon are aplenty. Coho, chum, and chinook salmon reign over its waters and anglers flock there to get their hands on these fish. This article serves as your guide in salmon fishing in Oregon. It’ll talk about Oregon’s salmon species, best salmon fishing spots, best salmon baits, salmon fishing regulations, salmon season, and salmon meal ideas.

Catching Salmon in Oregon

Generally, fishing enthusiasts seek salmon for both game and meat. Coho salmon are pretty great fighters, while chinook salmon are humungous and fulfilling to catch. Both fish yield excellent-tasting meat.

On the other hand, anglers typically ignore chum salmon and even find them bothersome. This is because they don’t fight when hooked and their meat doesn’t taste as good as coho or chinook salmon meat.

Coho Salmon

Coho salmon are also called silver salmon, and they’re highly-admired fighters. They’re not that big, weighing only 2 to 6 pounds on average. They’re undersized when compared to chinook salmon.

However, coho salmon is the toughest, wildest, and best fighting salmon. They’re a challenge to catch to the point that some fishing enthusiasts are even dissuaded from attempting to bag them.

You can identify the coho salmon by checking its mouth. A coho salmon’s mouth is black and features white gums.

Chinook Salmon

Chinook salmon reigns among all salmon as the king. They’re labeled as king salmon due to their size, which averages at 10 to 50 pounds. However, the largest recorded salmon catch in Oregon was more than 100 pounds and 5 feet long.

This is what convinces anglers to fish for this salmon species in the first place. If you seek out chinook salmon, you’re bound to have a great sport session and a hearty meal afterward. 

The best way to identify chinook salmon is to check its size and mouth. Of course, the chinook salmon is huge. Meanwhile, its mouth features a black hue with black gums.

Chum Salmon

Chum salmon in Oregon isn’t really any fishing enthusiast’s favorite. They don’t taste good compared to other salmon species, and they barely even fight when they’re hooked. 

These fish weigh 4 to 10 pounds on average and display a white mouth and white gums. They have green bodies with purple stripes, and males of this species tend to have large teeth.

Despite being disliked by many anglers, however, chum salmon produces large and flavorful roe. Their eggs are larger than other salmon, and that’s the only thing that makes them stand out from the rest. us and enormous compared to the others.

Best Salmon Fishing Spots in Oregon

Salmon in Oregon are typically found within the rivers and lakes or inshore and nearshore. However, if you’re looking for specific salmon fishing spots in Oregon, check out Rogue River, Umpqua River, Nestucca River, Trask River, McKenzie River, Santiam River, Middle Fork River, Imnaha River, Tillamook River, Deschutes River, or Chetco River.

Alternatively, you can head on to Depoe Bay or Yaquina Bay. Both bays yield high salmon catch numbers yearly.

Best Baits for Salmon in Oregon

Salmon roe perfectly serves as salmon bait for any salmon species. However, small fish such as herring, sand shrimp, sardine, or anchovy works fine as well. Alternatively, you can opt for green-colored or red-hued plugs and lures.

Common Techniques for Salmon Fishing

Salmon fishing in Oregon isn’t complicated. The best techniques utilized for salmon fishing are spinning, trolling, drift fishing, and fly fishing.

Salmon Season in Oregon

Chinook salmon fishing in Oregon succeeds best when you fish from August to September and July to October. Meanwhile, coho salmon fishing yields positive results when you fish from October to November and July to September.  Lastly, chum salmon fishing provides you with plenty of chum salmon when done from August to September and July to October.

If you’d like more details about this, read Take Me Fishing’s post about salmon fishing in Oregon.

Salmon Fishing Regulations in Oregon

Two salmon per person can be bagged in a day. Likewise, you can only take home coho salmon that’s at least 16 inches long, while chinook needs a length of 24 inches, and chum possesses can be any length.

Cooking Oregon Salmon

Salmon can be prepared in countless ways. It can be canned, smoked, filleted, consumed raw, or turned into patties. Similarly, you can grill it, bake it, fry it, steam it, or boil it.

Any flavoring and spice can complement salmon, but non-overwhelming flavors are the wisest choice for cooking salmon.

Hiring a Fishing Charter for Salmon Fishing

Hiring a fishing charter like Oregon Coast Salmon Fishing Charters or Newport Salmon Charters guarantees memorable, safe, and successful fishing adventures for you and your companions. Charters provide you with the best fishing equipment, boat, and guides, so you don’t have to worry about anything while fishing.

Other Fish You Can Catch in Oregon

Besides salmon, Oregon features incredible fish like cabezon, sea bass, lingcod, halibut, and Dungeness crab. Check out our blog for more handy guides about catching fish in Oregon.

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Things to do in Depoe Bay, Oregon

Things to do in Depoe Bay, Oregon

by | Nov 24, 2020 | Blogs

6 Things to do in Depoe Bay, Oregon

You chose Oregon as your vacation spot. Specifically, you picked Depoe Bay. You were so sure there were plenty of things to do in Depoe Bay, so you impulsively went with your gut and headed there.

But then, you found yourself out of ideas. It could be because traveling had been tiring. You may also be suffering from a mental block with all the stress you had to deal with before you got to Oregon. Alternatively, you may just be panicking for driving to Depoe on impulse.

Whatever the case, Pastime Fishing Charters has you covered. We have 6 things for you to do in Depoe Bay. After all, it’s the Whale Watching Capital of Oregon and it houses marvelous parks, breathtaking outcroppings, and scenic views.

Whale Watching

Your visit to Depoe Bay isn’t complete if you didn’t watch the whales there. Oregon is home to six whale species: gray, blue, killer, minke, humpback, and sperm. The best time to see them is from March to December, and the best spots are the Whale Watching Center, the shores itself, or on a charter boat.

The gray whales are the most prevalent type in Depoe Bay. They’re 50 feet long and 80,000 pounds heavy, so they’ll be quite a sight to see. Meanwhile, minke whales are the smallest at 35 feet tall and 20,000 pounds, and people sometimes mistake them for gray whales.

On the other hand, blue whales can be spotted at least 10 miles from shore as they showcase a whopping 98-foot body that weighs 300,000 pounds. Humpback whales come next at at least 15 miles from shore. They usually grow up to 60 feet and 50-80,000 pounds.

If you’re lucky, you may also spot sperm whales within Depoe Bay. They’re usually around from March to November and found during offshore trips. They can weigh 80,000 pounds and be as tall as 60 feet.

During the whales’ peak migration season, you can see an average of 30 whales per hour. Often, they’ll be in an ordered formation that consists of pregnant whales, adult males, and juveniles. Whale mothers with calves usually pair up and travel slower.

Fishing

Oregon is known for its coast, so it’s not a surprise that fishing is one of the things you can do in Depoe Bay. This is the best fishing spot for any angler wishing for a laidback, less crowded trip.

The common sea creatures occupying the bay are crab, halibut, lingcod, rainbow trout, Chinook salmon, Coho salmon, sturgeon, and rockfish. For best results, it’s wise to hire a fishing charter to assist in your fishing adventure.

Hiking

Fogarty Creek State Recreation Area is one of Oregon’s finest hiking places. It also houses plenty of birds, so it’s the perfect place to sit in and have a picnic on or simply watch the birds in.

Fogarty’s hiking trail starts at the north trailhead road and ends in Fishing Rock. It’s a simple loop with spur that goes on for about 2.8 miles. Hence, it’s great for families looking for activities in Depoe Bay.

After hiking, you can also sit for a picnic or do some birdwatching. Fogarty has wind-sheltered picnic spots as well as awesome bird-watching spots.

Sightseeing

Cape Foulweather boasts a marvelous panoramic view by a cliff. It’s located near Devil’s Cauldron and the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, both of which are wondrous places to sightsee as well.

The most well-known spot within Cape Foulweather is The Lookout, which is a gift shop with large glass windows that allow you to get a scenic view of the area. Besides being an amazing souvenir shop with interesting items, The Lookout also holds a historical significance.

Sightseeing in Cape Foulweather in Depoe Bay will suit you well if you’re in love with beauty and history. Here, you’ll get the best of both worlds: perfect sceneries of the now tinged with remnants of the past.

Birdwatching

Boiler Bay State Scenic Viewpoint is not only a great area to whale watch but also to birdwatch. Here, you’ll witness shearwaters, albatrosses, pelicans, oystercatchers, jaegers, grebes, loons, and murrelets pass by.

If you’re lucky and the tide is low, you’ll also catch a glimpse of the famous J. Marhoffer ship’s boiler, which sank during an explosion.

Strolling

Whale, Sea Life, & Shark Museum is a peaceful, wondrous, and educational place to stroll in. Of course, since Depoe Bay is known for its whales, the museum features whales alongside a couple of other sea creatures.

Whale museum holds the title as the only museum in the world that has gray whales as its focus. However, it also boasts rooms such as whale, porpoise, dolphin, shark, sea lion, seal, shorebird, and tropical ocean.

If you want to learn new things or appreciate whales more, this museum is your paradise.

Other things to do in Depoe Bay, Oregon

Other things to do in Depoe Bay include learning how to prepare fresh Oregon Dungeness crabs, filleting an Oregon king salmon, and trolling for lingcod.  With the sea on your side, granting you great views and even giving you activities to do, you won’t run out of things to do in Depoe Bay.

If you have any questions or need any help, feel free to contact Pastime Fishing. We’ll be more than happy to assist you with anything you need, especially if it involves charters and fishing.

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Portland Day Trip Ideas: 9 Places to Visit in Portland, Oregon

Portland Day Trip Ideas: 9 Places to Visit in Portland, Oregon

by | Nov 10, 2020 | Blogs

Portland Day Trip Ideas: 9 Places to Visit

You’re in Oregon, but you can’t afford to commence in anything more than a day trip. It could be due to time, money, or family constraints. Luckily, Portland in Oregon can cater to your day trip needs. We have some excellent Portland day trip ideas for you.

Columbia River Maritime Museum

You’ll love the Columbia River Maritime Museum if you’re someone who enjoys appreciating the past. Besides featuring a vast collection of maritime artifacts, it also showcases the events that passed.

One of the things you’ll see here is a map of the “Graveyard of the Pacific.” Shipwrecks in the Columbia River since 1792 amounts to a total of 2000, and the map there marks the spots where the ships have fallen.

Alternatively, you can stroll around and marvel at the U.S.S. shark cannons or wander the Brix Maritime Hall. All of the exhibits here showcase Oregon’s rich maritime history, so you’ll have plenty of things to keep you busy.

The Columbia River Maritime Museum is an almost two-hour drive from Portland, but it’s worth taking the trip if you’re in love with historic things. It’s open everyday from 9:30 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. except on Christmas and Thanksgiving. The current admission fee for children 6 years old and above is $5, while adults are charged $14, and seniors need to pay $12.

Columbia River Highway State Trail

If you’re already in Columbia River, visit the historic highway state trail. It’s a long road without any cars; just bikes, skateboards, or joggers and walkers.

Columbia River Trail offers everyone a chance to have a peaceful, scenic day. Here, you can just go on and on as you take in the marvelous sights before you.

Astoria and the Surrounding Area

Just northwest of the Columbia River lies Astoria. It’s a two-hour drive from Portland, Oregon as well, but it’s worth the drive if you’re aiming to experience and witness more historical things.

Astoria is among the oldest American settlements in the U.S., and it features quite a number of well-preserved Craftsmand and Victorian homes. Likewise, forested views, numerous parks, hiking trails, and art galleries surround the area. Hence, you can do pretty much most of anything in Astoria depending on your mood.

Sea Lion Caves

You haven’t fully enjoyed Oregon until you’ve been to the Sea Lion Caves. It’s a three-hour drive from Portland, but your efforts will prove to be fruitful once you see the sea lions.

The sea lions here are free and wild, and they consider this cave as one of their safe shelters. The best time to visit the Sea Lion Caves is during winter, where hundreds of sea lions are present. Then, from spring to summer, you’ll find the sea lions by the rocky areas in front of the cave.

Brigham Fish Market

Now, if you’re in Oregon in search for fresh seafood, Brigham Fish Market is hands-down the best place you can pick. It’s a 45-minute drive from Portland, and it’s worth the trip.

You’ll know you made the right choice as soon as you spot the stout, cozy building that houses this restaurant. It’s run by a local family of fishermen, so they stand by the quality of the food they serve.

Bringham Fish Market’s main highlights are fresh fish cooked for you, market fish, and world-class service. Its best sellers are smoked fish, chowders, quesadillas, and fish and chips. However, they also sell fresh vegetables.

Willamette Valley

There’s no other well-known wine place in Oregon besides Willamette Valley. If you’re aiming to spend a relaxing day with your partner, try travelling around this valley to taste its wine offerings.

Willamette Valley is riddled with wineries, so anywhere you go will prove to be fruitful. Likewise, the roads to the valley itself are quite a sight to behold. Besides spoiling your tongue with excellent wine, you’ll spoil your eyes with great views, too.

Mount Hood

If you’re up for an adventure, you can opt to hike Mount Hood. Alternatively, you can come there just to see the scenic views it offers from various angles.

You can go for a relaxed walk by Mount Hood’s foot, hike its foothills and forests, meditate by its rivers, or hop around the restaurants surrounding it. Likewise, you can ski its snow-capped peaks during winter.

From here, you can also head to the Mount Hood National Forest, Timberline Lodge, Multnomah Falls, Hood River, Bagby Hot Springs, and Trillium Lake.

Bagby Hot Springs

If you’re already in Mount Hood, check out Bagby Hot Springs. It’s inside Mount Hood National Forest, and you need to pay $5 to enter.

Bagby Hot Springs was discovered in 1880, but it wasn’t open to the public until 1920. Here, you can choose to hang out in the public deck, upper deck, or private deck.

However, the main highlight of Bagby Hot Springs is the trail that leads to the hot spring and then the hot spring itself. The trail is brimming with life and great sceneries, so it’s quite worth the travel efforts even if you choose not to soak in the water.

Trillium Lake

Lastly, among our Portland day trip ideas is a picnic on Trillium Lake. The lake is on the bottom of Mount Hood, so it’s on quite a perfect location if you don’t feel like hiking.

Here, you can set up a camp or meditate, stroll around, and even swim or kayak. However, if you’re planning on swimming or kayaking, bring your own equipment since this isn’t a commercial place.

Portland Day Trips and Fishing Charters

Of course, the list wouldn’t be complete if fishing as a Portland day trip idea hadn’t been suggested. If you don’t want to go far from Portland, you always have the option to go for a fishing trip instead.

To make things smoother, book a fishing charter for your fishing adventure. 

On the other hand, if you’re trying to stay out of water for a while, use our Portland day trip ideas as a guide for places to visit and a few things to do.

 

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Preparing Fresh Oregon Dungeness Crab

Preparing Fresh Oregon Dungeness Crab

by | Oct 27, 2020 | Blogs

Preparing Fresh Oregon Dungeness Crab

I love catching and cooking dngeness crab with my family. It has been one of our favorites for years. During the peak season when I’m living in Newport, Oregon and running the Newport Oregon Fishing Charters, I try to catch as much as I can. Alot of the time when we do salmon, halibut, and rockfish charters, we’ll throw pots out at the beginning of the day and then pick them up when we’re done fishing. Keep in mind. The best time to catch these is in the fall when the temperatures start to cool down.

Over the yeras and after eating hundreds of these tasty animals, I have become a self-exclaimed expert at preparing them and thought I’d share my experience with you!

Everyone knows seafood taste best when they’re cooked fresh. However, simply being fresh isn’t enough to warrant for a great meal if you don’t know how to properly prepare it. So, if you get your hands on an Oregon crab, how can you shell and cook it? How can you ensure you’re preparing the Dungeness crab well enough?

First, you need to know facts about the Dungeness crab. They’re a common type of crab that happens to be good for your health. They have low fat content yet pack a lot of protein, and they also contain helpful minerals, such as selenium and zinc.

Second, you need to understand how they taste like. It tastes similar to other crab species, where the general flavors that come out of it are mild yet sweet, nutty, and salty. It features tender meat as well, with the exception of its legs having a firmer texture.

You can shell and cook the Oregon Dungeness crab by boiling or steaming it, making crab cakes and dips, out of it, or adding it in pastas, soups, and salads.

 

How to Cook Fresh Crab

Preparing a fresh Oregon Dungeness crab is simple. For the initial phase, all you need is a pot, some salt, and water. Mix the salt and water in your pot, and wait for it to boil. As soon as it boils, add the live crab inside. Then, boil it for some minutes. The length of the crab’s boiling time will depend on its weight. For every pound, 8 minutes of heating time needs to be allotted in cooking the crab.

A surefire way to know your seafood is done will be to look at its color. Once its shell turns bright orange, that means it’s been heated well enough and ready to be eaten.

How to Clean Boiled Crab

Once the Dungeness crab is done with the first phase of cooking, run it under cool water or soak it in cold water. You can immediately crack the crab’s shell afterwards, or place it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to eat it. If you opt for the latter, you can choose to serve it chilled or heat it up by steaming it before serving it.

If you’re serving it without shelling it first, be sure to remove the Dungeness crab’s innards and gills first. To do this, start by removing the crab’s back. Separate the crab’s back by holding onto its base with one hand and then pulling off its shell by prying it with your thumb. Note that you need to position your thumb on the middle of the shell.

Once you see the gills, remove them using your thumb or something firm enough. Then, place the crab under running water to remove its innards.

How to Shell Dungeness Crab

Cracking Dungeness crab is easy. First, twist off its legs on the part connected to the body. You’ll notice that it has pincers, and of course, they’re not edible, so simply remove those. Then, snap the crab’s large claws into two, and crack it. You can use a mallet or a nut cracker, or be creative and invent your own shell-breaker.

When you’re done with the big claws, turn your attention to the next largest piece of the crab. Those will be the leg joints. You have three choices for this part. First, you can use a mallet or a nutcracker to access the juicy meat inside this part. Second, you can decide on sucking the meat out. Third, you can pluck the meat using a fork.

Shelling the other leg parts of the Dungeness crab requires you to repeat the same process mentioned above. Likewise, you can just snap the smaller leg joints with your fingers and then suck or pick the meat out.

Lastly, breaking the crab’s body needs you to firmly grip its body with both hands and then snap it. You can then choose between repeatedly striking the crab with a mallet or something firm enough to get access to its meat, or plucking the meat with your fingers.

How to Store Cooked Crab

If you didn’t eat your freshly-prepared crab as your cracked it, you’ll need to know how to properly store it for later consumption. The best place to store cooked crab is in the refrigerator. However, make sure the crab is thoroughly covered. Likewise, remember to store it in a good container if you plan on keeping it for a few days, and ensure that no air enters the container by wrapping it in a plastic wrap or some foil.

How to Catch Oregon Crabs

There are plenty of ways to catch Dungeness crabs, but the most common instrument used are crab pots. If you want to learn more or have people guide you into catching Oregon crabs, you can contact a charter like the Newport, Oregon Fishing Charter for support.

Alternatively, you can check out some of our pages for helpful videos and articles. You can also contact us if you’re unsure about something, or figure out more information about us.

Our goal is to make fishing fun for everyone. That includes giving you tips on preparing Oregon Dungeness crab, catching different fish species, and connecting you with the best guided fishing services in the Pacific Northwest. 

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Why Charter an Experienced Fishing Guide on Newport, Oregon

Why Charter an Experienced Fishing Guide on Newport, Oregon

by | Oct 13, 2020 | Blogs

Why Charter an Experienced Fishing Guide in Newport, Oregon

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Newport, Oregon is one of the best places for a fishing adventure. You can encounter a variety of fish there, especially if you opt for a deep sea fishing session. However, merely entering Newport to trawl without much knowledge of the place or experience in angling may prove itself to be unfruitful.

So, what can you do to make sure your fishing trip goes well? First, do some research about Newport. Figure out what kinds of fish reside there, what to expect when fishing, and what objects would prove to be valuable to bring. More importantly, find a trustworthy fishing guide.

Reasons for Hiring a Fishing Guide

For a smooth and enjoyable angling adventure in Newport, hiring a fishing guide will be your wisest option. This is especially true if you’re inexperienced when it comes to fishing, but it still applies to experienced fishermen as well. Among other things, you’ll highly benefit from a fishing guide’s knowledge of the place and its fish.

Fishing Guides are Knowledgeable and Experienced

When you fish with a guide, you’re more likely to bag fishes than without a guide. This is because an experienced guide already knows which spots are vacated by the fish and when. He’ll be able to tell you where you should fish based on what you want to catch, and will even be glad to go into detail about why and how he knows such things.

Remember, a local guide knows the ocean like it’s his own house. He’ll also be updated with the latest news in Newport and well-versed in its rules.

Fishing Escorts Can Give You a Short Crash Course

As mentioned earlier, a fishing guide will be more than happy to share their knowledge with you. You can ask him about the fish residing in Newport, the best baits for the fish you’re after, and the most optimal fishing times. Likewise, you may ask your escort for advice regarding water and weather observation.

More importantly, you can opt to receive feedback for your fishing process. This will be highly useful for beginner and even intermediate fishermen. Remember, when it comes to fishing, it’s best to keep improving your techniques and skills.

You may have been having trouble tying certain knots, so you can ask your guide to demonstrate for you and then check if you got it right. You may also have some problems with casting, reeling, or proper posture as you fish, so feedback from your escort will be quite useful in that instance.

Fishing Guides Have Great Equipment

With a guide, you won’t even have to invest in expensive gears. You can expect your escort to have the best gear as he helps you fish. He may lend or lease these out to you, or the use of his equipment may be part of a package. Additionally, you don’t have to worry about repairs if damages occur on your trip.

You can also rest assured that all the knots are properly tied, which increases your chances of catching the fish you want. More importantly, it’ll be a safe trip because fishing escorts know what they’re doing. They’ll make sure to check the boat before heading out and while out, analyze the weather and predict how it’ll affect your adventure, and apply necessary measures to ensure your well-being.

Fishing Escorts Guarantee Fresh Catches

Because a fishing guide had already done it a thousand times or even more, you’re guaranteed to catch a fish with his help. With the supervision of an escort, you can bring home your dream fish, and have a photo of you with the fish.

Other Things to do in Newport, Oregon

Besides fishing, a fun activity in Newport is exploration and sightseeing. If you can’t get enough of the water, you can visit Pirate’s Plunder, South Beach State Park, or Aquatic Center. They’re perfect for those who enjoy peaceful but fun getaways.

Meanwhile, if more adventures are what you’re after, try the Agate Beach Golf Course, Bike Newport, Coast Park, or Cycle Grind. They’ll get you moving and amazed.

However, if you can’t quite decide on where else to go, check out the Aquarium Village, Burrows House Museum, Oregon Coast Aquarium, Don Davis Memorial Park, Oregon Coast Glassworks, Hatfield Marine Science Center, Oregon Oyster Farms, Newport Recreation Center, or Pacific Maritime and Heritage Center.

If you get hungry along the way, pick one of the many restaurants scattered across Newport. Also, check out our helpful videos that feature guides on fishing and preparing your fresh catches. Alternatively, you can browse our blog if you like reading better than watching.

Lastly, if you need help or have any questions, feel free to contact us. We’re quite a friendly team and would love nothing more than to help our fellow fishing enthusiasts.