A large group of dolphins was seen swimming offshore in the Pacific by fisherman on the hunt for early season Albacore tuna. Never know what you might see when you are 50 miles from shore. Fishing out of Garibaldi, Oregon anglers often encounter whales and other mammals, this was however quite a large group on the move.
Halibut fishing has been one of the most rewarding and productive types of fishing in the North Pacific. Most of the time, it serves as a race and a form of entertainment to the anglers involved seeing who can get fish in the box the fastest. First to gain the most number of pounds in a limited given time wins. Although there are certain rules that they should follow such as not catching any halibut below 30 inches or 76 cm. One of the problems faced by fisherman is the weather. When the weather is bad, it becomes dangerous to go to sea.
izik, CC-BY, Via Flickr http://www.flickr.com/photos/izik/220648048/
In Oregon, the fishing trip would generally take about 12 hours and a limit of one halibut per person with no length limit is given. However, this type of fishing is not recommended for children below 12 years old, because this giant flatfish has great strength and it is very difficult to bring in a huge 70 to 100 pound fish.
This kind of fishing is said to be so much fun due to the challenge of catching the big and heavy fish and being able to put it on deck. It is hard to find another fish that fights like a halibut. This fish tends to push and pull back and forth making the catch feel like you are dragging more than what you are getting.
According to The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission, they will be deciding the fishing seasons in Salem on the 26th of April. The proposed dates are from the Department of Fish and Wildlife staff and the Pacific Halibut Commission.
Below are the dates for the seasons for Halibut fishing:
May 9-11, May 16-18, May 30, June 1, June 6-8 (All-depth seasons along the central Oregon coast as recommended by the staff.)
June 20-22, July 4-6, July 18-20 (Back up weekends)
August 2 and 3 then every other Friday and Saturday (Summer all-depth)
May 3 and every other Friday to Sunday (when the area of the mouth of the Columbia River opens)
August 2 (Summer season)
If there would be in season changes to open dates, they will be announced on the NMFS Hotline (1-800-662-9825; #5; #1) and posted at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/
Give Garibaldi Charters or JB and Water Sportfishing a call, if you are looking to go out for these bottom dwelling fish out at Halibut hill around 20 miles past the Tillamook Bay bar near the Garibaldi marina.
Find Oregon fishing guides here.
Here is what it is like to go fishing on a charter for Pacific Butts off the Oregon Coast.
If you are looking for a great deal on a Wednesday at the Oregon Coast check out the Fish Peddler located at the Pacific Oyster site in Bay City. The all you can eat dinner is a great way to stretch your dollars when you want to enjoy a big seafood dinner. You can choose from grilled, fried, and sauteed for the all you can eat dinner. They come out in 6 oyster batches along with the various dipping sauces. For the fried oysters I was provided cocktail sauce and a pretty good tarter sauce that was heavy and flavorful. Accompanying the oysters was a fresh coleslaw that was prepared well, not runny and still very crispy providing the fresh light crunch that is so good with fried foods. It also was served with a side of fries. The restaurant is located out on the end of the point, not the first blue building that you see when pulling in to park. There is a seafood counter with all kinds of seafood available for purchase from oysters to clams, shrimp, halibut, salmon and many other items. The restaurant has large windows that look out to the Tillamook bay.
The menu at the fish peddler has several kinds of oyster options from fried, grilled, sauteed, and also oyster shooters. There is kids options and other seafood fair like halibut and chips.
Pictures from our dinner at the Fish Peddler restaurant at the Pacific Oyster in Bay City Oregon.
The Pacific Edge Espresso is a great coffee location that is located in a hut on the South side of Garibaldi near the tall tower. This drive through coffee station has a great line up of coffee and the largest cup size is a 24oz drink which is great when you need to stay warm on a cold day at the Oregon Coast. They are also stocked with lots of different tasty treats. I picked up a blueberry muffin and it was great. They have a punch card system and so if you are driving through Garibaldi on a regular basis you will want to make sure and ask for a card because after your 12th cup of coffee you will get $3.25 off your next cup.
Don’t forget to get the chocolate covered coffee bean with your espresso. This is a nice treat and packs a punch of quick caffeine to get going for a great day. The Garibaldi marina is really close and is a great place to launch a boat and go fishing when the Salmon fishing and crabbing is in season in the Tillamook Bay. Grab a cup of Coffee at Pacific Edge Espresso and go fish.