Fishing off the jetties in Oregon whether you are fishing at the Columbia, Nehalem, Tillamook / Garibaldi, Newport, or Florence are great places along the coast to catch salt water fish from shore. Whether you are fishing with traditional sinkers and bait or using a jig and grub / swimbait you have the chance of hooking into some saltwater fish such as ling cod, cabezon, rock bass, greenlings, and others including the chance for a salmon at the right time of year. There are so many successful jetty fishing techniques, so if you are unsure of how to catch fish in a specific location check with the local tackle shops or just ask around while on a walk on the Jetty and you are likely to get all the details you will need to have the opportunity to catch a fish. The jetties are a platform made of rocks that extend well out into the ocean at the mouths of estuaries in order to eliminate the build up of sand and silt that traditionally would create large bars that could be impossible to cross. The jetties are a potentially dangerous place to fish and are not the places to take the kids to play around as the rocks can be slippery and the current in these areas is treacherous. However the fishing at times can be incredible when the fish are biting so for the hardcore angler the jetties are the right place to wet a line in hopes of setting the hook on a monster salty fish.
Make sure that you have a tide table book and know how to read it for the area you are fishing. Most tackle shops and even the grocery stores in the local areas will have one and it is essential as the best times to go fish off the jetty are around the high tide. Anywhere between 2 hours before or after the high slack tide are the best times to catch a fish. Also evening and night time can be very productive especially for species such as the bass that inhabit these waters as they get the most of their feeding done during the day.
Here is a few of the most popular jetty fishing locations to check out in Oregon.
Columbia River South Jetty
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Nehalem Bay North and South Jetties
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Tillamook Bay North Jetty – Barview Jetty County Park
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Newoport – Yaquina Bay State Recreation Site and South Beach State Park
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Florence – Harbor Vista County Park and South Jetty County Park
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Bandon South Jetty County Park
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Remember to be safe and have a blast fishing the Oregon coast jetties for saltwater fish that are not only fun to catch, but really tasty as well, whether you fry them up, bake’em, or grill’em these fish are excellent table fair and a special treat to enjoy on your next adventure to the Oregon coast for a weekend of fishing.