This 4th of July, the Ocean Is Open and the Fish Are Biting!

The photos in this update are from recent trips: bright ocean Chinook, rockfish, halibut and lingcod stacked at the ramp, salmon fresh off the water, and crab rings coming up loaded. Here’s what’s biting right now, and what’s about to.

Ocean Coho and Chinook is Open Now

The northern Oregon ocean salmon season is open, and we’re running both coho and Chinook out on the salt. Hatchery coho and Chinook are both fair game, and the ocean season is set to run through the end of September which means a long summer of fishing ahead! ODFW’s most recent marine report already shows salmon coming over the rail out of Garibaldi, our home port. Early-season ocean fishing rewards the anglers who get out before the crowds thicken, and right now the calendar and the fish are lined up.

This is troll-and-bait fishing at its best: flashers, bait, and a steady hand on the rod. We supply the gear and the know-how. You bring the cooler.

Bottom Fishing: Year-Round, and Catching in July

Rockfish, lingcod, and halibut are a dependable, hard-pulling, great-eating fishery, and they’re available year-round off the Oregon coast. Garibaldi anglers have been landing black, widow, and yellowtail rockfish, with halibut and lingcod in the mix. One timely note: cabezon retention reopens July 1 after its spring closure, so the bottom box gets a little fuller for summer trips.

Bottom fishing also pairs perfectly with a salmon day. We can split a trip between the two and send you home with a mixed box. Heads up on one rule change: a 2026 Ocean Endorsement is now required for most ocean anglers. It’s easy to add to your license, and worth taking care of before your trip.

Nehalem Bay Summer and Fall Chinook From Mid-to-Late July

Toward the middle and end of July, we shift to Nehalem Bay for the summer and fall Chinook run. This is one of the special fisheries on the Oregon coast. The Nehalem is the only coastal river besides the Columbia with a recognized run of summer Chinook, and those first kings start pushing into the bay in July – well before most other bays wake up. ODFW finalized the 2026 coastal salmon seasons in late June, so the regulations are set for the run ahead.

These are bright, bay-fresh kings, and we target them on the troll as they move through tidewater. It’s a quieter, more scenic alternative to the better-known Tillamook crowds, and the fish are every bit as good.

Add Crab to Any Trip

Dungeness crab is available year-round, and there’s nothing like stacking a haul of fresh crab on top of a day of salmon or bottomfish. Run it as a combo and everyone goes home with a true Oregon seafood spread – caught, cleaned, and ready for the pot the same day. Crab cooking is available dockside for a small fee.

Lock In Your Summer Dates

Summer books fast on the coast, and the 4th of July weekend kicks the season into gear. The ocean is open now, the bottom bite is reliable, and the Nehalem run is just weeks out. Whether you want a saltwater salmon day, a mixed bottomfish-and-crab haul, or a shot at an early Nehalem king, now is the time to claim a date.

Everything is provided including rods, reels, bait, and terminal tackle. Bring your fishing license, your 2026 Ocean Endorsement for ocean trips, food and drink for the day, and clothing for the weather. Your catch comes off the boat cleaned, filleted, and bagged. Crab comes home ready to drop in the pot.

What better way to celebrate the 250th year of America than to enjoy all that nature has to offer, fishing with family and friends?!

Crabbing: Year-Round

Dungeness crab is available year-round, and there’s nothing like pulling a ring stacked with keeper crabs. Run it as its own crabbing trip or add it onto a salmon or bottomfish trip. Fresh Dungeness, cleaned and cooked the same day, are hard to beat, and are a guaranteed way to send everyone home with a delicious meal or vacuum seal and freeze cleaned, cooked crab for crab cakes when you fancy them. Crab cooking is available dockside.

Book Now!

Call, text, or email to lock in a date before the calendar closes.

Everything is provided including rods, reels, bait, tackle. Bring your license and any required tags, food and drink for the day, and clothing for the weather. At the end of the day, your catch comes off the boat cleaned, filleted, and bagged.