Tourist coming to visit. Please help.

[hooknhunter]

So I am coming to the Oregon coast during the last week of July. I am mainly interested in crabbing and bottom fish. I'd love to catch some rock fish and/or flounder/sandabs. Can those be caught in the bays (Nehalem, Tillamook, or Yaquina) from a small boat (14 footer)? I consider myself a fairly competent boater and fisherman, but I am not at all comfortable taking my small boat out beyond the bays. If the swells are not too big (ie, nice weather) I think I'd feel okay fishing inside along the jetty if that is legal. Any help you can give will be appreciated.

I've read the regs fairly thouroughly, I think, but they are just so confusing. I'm not even certain what I'm asking is legal.........

 

[C_Run]

Fishing near jetties in the bays is a good plan. Flounder might not be too common as our abundant seal populations keeps them thinned out but such things as rockfish and ling cod are out there. Any number of types of jigs work for both. Just pay attentions to bag limits and the size limits on some of the species. Fish near the rocks or other structure.

 

[rogerdodger]

as for the regs, they take a little effort but can be figured out, you want to focus on 'Marine Zone' as that covers ' the Pacific Ocean, coastal bays, and beaches.'

rockfish ID PDFs here also: http://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/groundfish_sport/index.asp

crabbing seems to have picked up nicely, I am starting to get some really good reports from the central coast, you boat would be really good for the Alsea Bay (Walport), and provided the wind isn't too strong, Yaquina and Winchester and the Siuslaw (others can comment on the northern bays)...each one just takes a little effort and you can find out where the crab are...

not sure where the best chance is of finding bottom fish without getting into the ocean...cheers, roger

 

[DrTheopolis]

A 14 footer in Tillamook or Nehalem is fine, but you'll need to stay well inside the jaws. Once you get near the mouth, both of those bays can turn very rough very quickly, and it gets pretty ugly. Stay a little farther up the bays, but along the inner jetties, and you'll be fine. Tillamook is great for rockfish. Should be a handful of chinook in Nehalem by then, too.

 

[hooknhunter]

Thanks for all the input so far. I really appreciate the help. Now I just need to nail down exactly where we are going.