Coos Bay Charleston Oregon: Hello fellow fishers, I would appreciate any insight about fishing/crabbing the Coos Bay Charleston waters. Interested in steelhead, salmon primarily but...

BuffaloJoe 50 Loc: Sweet Home Oregon

Hello fellow fishers,

I would appreciate any insight about fishing/crabbing the Coos Bay Charleston waters. Interested in steelhead, salmon primarily but happy to try other fish.

Also any guide recommendations would be great as I may not have the boat along this trip.

Will be in the area week of 3/19 -3/22

Thanks in advance

plumbertom Loc: Eugene, OR

Although I fish Coos bay whenever I have fuel funds for a trip (I'm just down the road from you in Eugene),
I don't fish for salmonids, except for trout in the local spots, just for something to do.
My normal trip is to launch my small boat at Charleston, Drop crab traps along the edge of the channel on the north side, and then fish the structure for rock fish while my traps soak.
While this is almost always productive in a nice crab harvest, the rock fish are pretty much hit-and-miss. But sometimes I do limit and even occasionally harvest legal size ling cod.
I fish only close to the launch because my boat is just a 16' jon boat with a 25 hp motor and low freeboard.

RuffplayOR57 Loc: Klamath Falls, OR

BuffaloJoe 50 wrote:

Hello fellow fishers,

I would appreciate any insight about fishing/crabbing the Coos Bay Charleston waters. Interested in steelhead, salmon primarily but happy to try other fish.

Also any guide recommendations would be great as I may not have the boat along this trip.

Will be in the area week of 3/19 -3/22

Thanks in advance

Good luck Joe, I believe a chinook season will just get started up on the ocean before you get there. You could call Betty Kay Charters and ask some questions, as they should know. You can always crab off the Docks just to the inland side of the Boat ramps, always works for me if we don’t have a boat. Again, good luck and have some fun !

BuffaloJoe 50 Loc: Sweet Home Oregon

Thanks for the information.

BuffaloJoe 50 Loc: Sweet Home Oregon

Thanks ! Will try to use the docks as not taking boat.

Hartwa Loc: Reedsport Oregon

BuffaloJoe 50 wrote:

Thanks ! Will try to use the docks as not taking boat.

Hi Joe,
Winchester Bay has a huge crab dock. It was damaged in a recent storm but should be fixed soon. Salmon Harbor also has several docks that allow crabbing.
The Jetty fishing is also pretty good with sand crabs for bait. The Bites on Bait store in Coos Bay/ Empire can get them for you. Call them first.

Hartwa Loc: Reedsport Oregon

Try Todd Harrington from Elkton Oregon.
He’s a great guide

Edfisher Loc: Athens, WI and Sultan, WA

RuffplayOR57 wrote:

Good luck Joe, I believe a chinook season will just get started up on the ocean before you get there. You could call Betty Kay Charters and ask some questions, as they should know. You can always crab off the Docks just to the inland side of the Boat ramps, always works for me if we don’t have a boat. Again, good luck and have some fun !

Nice to see Betty K is still around.

JPW01 Loc: Coos Bay oregon

The tide change can be pretty brutal at the Charleston marina. The first seaside dock you can only trap on the inland side. I usually crab from the second dock and throw my traps in on the favorable tide side. Nothing sucks worse then your trap getting sucked under the dock. Can be a bear to retrieve