Boiler Bay Beacon
FISHING REPORT
DEPOE BAY — If you want to experience the fishing trip of a lifetime, call your favorite charter company now to get on the ‘A-List’ — as in ‘Albacore,’ the legendary, hard-fighting tuna of the Oregon coast.
“We’re building the list now, and it’s extensive,” reported Noelie Achen of Tradewinds Charters in Depoe Bay on July 29. “The minute the tuna move in close, we’ll call everybody to go fishing.”
The start of tuna fishing at the central coast is akin to an Oklahoma land rush as every roomy charter boat, sleek private yacht and seagoing tub heads to the green-blue water line where sea temperatures and bait balls converge to lure the tuna shoreward. According to the Oregon Dept. of Fish and Wildlife, Albacore are thought to be the fastest-swimming tunas in the world and can cover 50 miles per day. They fight like junkyard dogs and, according to one fishing myth, make “bad men go tame and tame men go mad.”
When the albacore hit the 15 to 20-mile mark, the calls and emails go out to the tuna list. The launch window is two weeks or less, according to Noelie.
“These are 12-hour trips with a limited load of 10 anglers so there’s plenty of elbow room,” explained Achen, who operates the award-winning sportfishing outfit with eminent trophy angler Tadd Mick. “It’s a shared fishery, so the catch is split among the fishermen at the end of the trip.”
Rules allow up to 25 Albacore per angler. To get on the ‘A-List,’, call Tradewinds at 541-765-2345 or go to their colorful website at tradewindscharters.com.
In the meantime, optimal weather conditions have kept the charter boats busy. According to the latest fishing report from ODFW, 2026 is stacking up as a record year for deep-sea fishing:
• Salmon Fishing: This season is noted as one of the best in years, with high catch rates reported across various locations;
• Bottom Fishing: Anglers are achieving limits on bottom fish, including lingcod, with many boats reporting successful outings;
• Crabbing: Fish and crab “combos” are returning with limits of both. What a year!
