Reel Deal: Less windy forecast bodes well for ocean catch

Al McVay of San Luis Obispo holds up a 15-pound Chinook he caught in the Klamath River. Courtesy of Mike Coopman’s Guide Service

Windy weather continues to keep ocean-faring boats from catching fish, but the bite’s as good as it gets when the sea is safe for passage.

The report on the lower Klamath River continues to be slow fishing. River anglers might have better luck heading up to the Rogue River.

Eureka ocean fishing

After taking a few days off due to bad weather, Tim Klassen of Reel Steel Sport Fishing wet some lines Sunday and found the salmon.

“Once again the salmon action was red hot with limits by 9:30 a.m.,” Klassen wrote in his fishing report at ReelSteelSportFishing.com.

Klassen’s crew was looking for just one more salmon to meet the crew’s limits, when all four rods on board had strikes.  

Weather kept Reel Steel moored this week, but Klassen expected to get back out today when the ocean calms down.

“The weekend forecast is starting to shape up nicely,” his report said.

Brookings rockfish

Brookings charter boat Tidewind Sportfishing was similarly hindered by windy weather the past few days, but when it was able to get out last week, rockfish “were practically jumping in the boat,” said Jan Pearce of Tidewind.

“Last week everyone was getting lingcod,” she said. “We were limiting out early with good quality fish.”

The charter vessel was able to get a fish per person (half limits) for its clients Wednesday.

“This is just a little lull in the catching, because usually it’s excellent,” Pearce said. “Let’s go catching!”

Klamath River fishing

The unusually absent spring chinook on the Klamath River prompted fishing guide Mike Coopman to cancel the rest of his trips for the season.

Coopman usually fishes for Klamath springers into July, but after weeks of catching just one to two salmon per day, he decided to put an early end to his season.

Despite the slow bite, Al McVay of San Luis Obispo hooked into the 15-pound chinook pictured.

Lower Rogue River

Fishing report from the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife:

“There are quite a few spring chinook in the lower river, but getting them to bite has been tough. Water temperatures are expected to drop this week which should put some of these late spring chinook on the bite. Early mornings are usually the best for late season spring chinook fishing. Boat anglers usually do the best this time of year, but bank anglers casting spinners or fly fishing can occasionally pick up a fish.

“Summer steelhead have been moving up river, but there is very little fishing pressure. Most of the steelhead are being caught by spring chinook anglers.

“The surf perch bite in the lower Rogue Bay has been excellent. Most of the fishing pressure is on the south side, where a sand spit has formed and provides great bank access.”

Fishing guide contacts: Reel Steel Sport Fishing at 707-499-492 or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it ;  Tidewind Sportfishing at 541-469-0337.

Reach Adam Spencer at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it