Hooked on Westport! Discover your perfect charter fishing trip.
You may have heard that halibut dates were released for the 2023 season or that the charter offices are beginning to book – but what exactly is a halibut trip? And what other trips are available? Here is a quick overview of the fishing opportunities out of Westport (specific details may vary depending on the charterboat – please call your preferred boat, company, or booking agency to confirm details).
Westport is historically known for salmon fishing and still supports an annual salmon derby fetching the winner a $10,000 prize for the largest Chinook (or King) salmon of the year. The final season is set in April but often starts in mid-June and wraps up when the quota (allowed catch) is caught, or by the end of September. Salmon trips target only salmon (Chinook and Coho), departing early in the morning and returning mid-afternoon or once limits are reached. A variety of fishing methods are used, commonly mooching and trolling, depending on the boat and captain's preference and what technique is proving most productive at that time.
Combination (Combo) trips combine salmon and rockfish fishing. Rockfish are a generally reliable target species, so these trips are a great first-time opportunity for friends and family who want the best chance to catch dinner on the ocean but are seeking (the sometimes elusive but incomparably fun fighting) salmon. These trips run during the salmon season (usually mid-June through September), departing early in the morning and spend the first part of the day targeting rockfish, then moving on to salmon once limits are reached.
Bottomfish trips are common and are often very productive. Fishing excursions targeting rockfish and lingcod will fill your bellies and freezers with excellent white fish. Our bottomfish season extends from the second Saturday in March to the third Saturday in October. These trips can be particularly enjoyable with the potential variety of fish caught as incidentals, such as colorful rockfish, cabezon, skates, sharks, and other unique fish that may or may not have food value to keep but still provide an exciting experience. Targeting rockfish and lingcod employs several fishing techniques that depend on the time of year, availability of live-bait, and captain's preference. Some examples include live-bait (anchovy) or shrimp flies to target rockfish and live-bait flounder, herring, or pipe-jigging for lingcod.
Halibut trips are limited in number, beginning on May 4th, 2023, and continue through the end of the month on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays. On these early morning long-distance trips, delicious halibut are targeted in deep (500-800 feet) water. Once halibut limits are acquired, any remaining time will be spent targeting lingcod to further fill the freezer with fresh fish. Thankfully, Westport provides consistent halibut fishing with a great chance of catching your limit.
Tuna fishing is a fast-paced, exhilarating trip targeting albacore tuna 30-100 miles offshore using various techniques, but most notably live anchovies. These trips vary in duration from one-day "express" trips to 2- and 3-day overnight trips on larger charterboats. Like all fishing, there is no guarantee on catching, but it isn't uncommon to land on a hungry pile of albacore and catch fish until your arms feel like Jell-o and the fish-hold is full.
Your catch will be bled and cared for, cleaned and fileted if desired, and put into heavy-duty fish bags by the deckhands for tips (for more information on what your deckhand is there for, please read my earlier blog Deckhands – not just baitboys).
Lastly, whale watching trips and bird watching trips are also available. More about these trips may be found through Ocean Sportfishing and Westport Seabirds.
There are many fun, capable, safe, licensed fishing charters operated out of Westport. I urge prospective fishermen to help support our community by using properly licensed and permitted charterboat companies to prevent illegal charter operations that threaten the safety and legitimacy of our fisheries.
Westport Charterboat Association was founded in 1957 as a non-profit group to promote, enhance, and support charterboat fishing in Westport, WA. The members work with State, Federal, and Tribal fishery management entities to ensure sustainable fisheries for current and future fishermen and women. Most of the charterboats in Westport belong to this association, adhering to the strict safety standards required for membership, and their information, links, and booking information is listed here: CharterWestport.com
For more information about Westport's world-class fishing and a list of local charterboats, please visit our fishing page: ExperienceWestport.com/Fish
About the Author:
Meet Marina May, one of Westport's most beloved deckhands, and a veterinarian technician turn fish slayer! She's a baitgirl, master filleter, fishing line management expert, and purveyor of good times!