As of November 17, 2024, the fishing scene on the Pacific Ocean off the Oregon coast is quite challenging due to the onset of winter conditions. Here’s what you need to know:
### Weather and Tides
The weather forecast indicates rough seas with waves expected to be around 20 feet, accompanied by heavy rain and strong winds. This makes venturing out into the ocean hazardous. Tides for today show a high tide at around 9:30 AM and a low tide at 3:30 PM, but the turbulent conditions will likely affect fishing significantly.
### Sunrise and Sunset
Sunrise today is at 7:06 AM, and sunset will be at 4:42 PM, providing a relatively short window for fishing, especially given the poor weather.
### Fish Activity
Despite the adverse conditions, recent reports suggest that when the ocean was calmer, there were excellent catches of Lingcod and rockfish. On November 7, Dockside Charters reported catching a limit of rockfish and around 35 large Lingcod on both Wednesday and Thursday[1].
### Types and Amounts of Fish
Lingcod and rockfish have been the primary catches in recent good weather windows. However, with the current weather, it's unlikely that many boats will be out today. The bag limit for Lingcod is two fish per person with a minimum size of 22 inches, and the general marine fish bag limit is five fish per person[1][5].
### Best Lures and Bait
For Lingcod, a jig head with a rubber swim bait is highly effective. For rockfish, using squid or shrimp as bait can be very productive. When conditions improve, these lures and baits should yield good results[5].
### Hot Spots
When the weather calms down, Depoe Bay and Brookings are usually good spots for bottomfishing. Depoe Bay, despite challenging bar conditions recently, can offer moderate success for bottomfish. Brookings, on the other hand, has seen near limits of bottomfish even in poor conditions[5].
Given the current weather, it's advisable to wait for calmer seas before heading out. Keep an eye on the forecasts and be prepared to hit the water as soon as conditions improve. Stay safe and keep in touch with local fishing reports for updates.