Newport Oregon Fishing Calendar: When to Catch Different Species!

Newport, Oregon is one of the top places to fish in, known for its many fishing opportunities for species like halibut, salmon, lingcod, sea bass, and more! As you plan your fishing trip, there is one crucial factor to consider right from the start: When you should go fishing in the first place.

Factor in your free time and budget, sure, but another vital factor is the fish you want to catch and the appropriate seasons. You wouldn’t want to head to Newport expecting salmon only for them to not be in season! That’s why we present a Newport Oregon fishing calendar to help guide you on when to schedule your trip based on the fish you want to catch.

 

Newport Oregon Fishing Calendar

When in Newport, Oregon, we highly recommend fishing from June to September for sockeye, chinook, coho, and pink salmon, along with flounder and lingcod. If you plan to catch chum salmon, then fish from October to December.

Let’s break that down based on the different popular species found in Newport:

 

Halibut

Halibut is the most common and sought-after species in Newport, and for great reasons! This fish species put up a good fight, can weigh up to a couple of hundred pounds, and they have delicious meat you can take home!

When targeting halibut, we recommend fishing from May to September. Halibut fishing season is closed from January to April and October to December.

As for the exact time of day to catch halibut, it depends on the tides. If the tide moves, it might be challenging to keep your bait on the bottom from the currents. It’s possible to catch halibut during low tide, but we highly recommend catching them during high tide.

 

Salmon

Another common and sought-after species in Newport, Oregon are coho, chum, and chinook salmon. All salmon, except for coho, are open to fish from mid-March to the end of October. Coho will be open from mid-June to the end of September.

We recommend targeting salmon in the morning as the fish are more active when the sun isn’t too harsh.

 

Trout

The most common fish species in Newport is trout, particularly brown, rainbow, and cutthroat trout. The great news is trout season is open all year long when in lakes. In other bodies of water, you can fish for trout from late May to the end of October.

We suggest fishing for trout in the morning because the sun isn’t as harsh. Moreover, predators like birds won’t easily see them in the water!

 

Tuna

Tuna would finish up their migration to Oregon in July, staying in the area until early October. You can still fish for tuna during the offseason, though you’ll have fewer chances of doing so.

We highly recommend fishing for tuna at night as they’ll have a more difficult time seeing the tackle attached to the line. Furthermore, the dark night will allow you to use heavier lines, adding more weight if you must go deeper.

Lingcod and Rockfish

You can fish for lingcod and rockfish any time of the year. However, their high seasons. Are from December to May. There isn’t the best time of the day to fish for these fish species as both of them aren’t sensitive to it. That said, they are more affected by tides, so you want to aim for before high tide so your bait stays at the bottom.

 

When Should You Fish?

While the fishing situation is good throughout the day, the best time is usually in the morning. While the sun is still low, gamefish are more active since they won’t be exposed to the harsh sun. Furthermore, baitfish are more active, which makes gamefish more active during the time.

While fishing in the evening gives you the same benefits, you get more time to fish in the morning. Plus, it might not feel as cold or dark! That said, night fishing continues to be a popular tactic, especially for tuna fishing. While you can’t fish for salmon or trout at night in Oregon, you can do so with other fish species like rockfish or lingcod.

 

What Affects the Fishing Situation?

Besides the fishing seasons and times of days to fish, there are two major factors that impact your fishing trip.

 

Tidal Impacts

The tide can make or break your day of fishing. It’s best to fish just before or after high tide because the moving water will move baitfish, making gamefish active.

Also, the fishing is excellent during high tide as the water is stabler and deeper. There won’t be many currents drifting your bait away from your target fish. Plus, having deeper water allows you to not go as far offshore to find fish.

 

Storm Impacts

Newport, Oregon would see a lot of rain. If you’re ocean fishing, some storms going through the area may be bad enough to keep you from fishing. Most storms are rainstorms, making some fish less active. But hey, you can still try to go to the waters to catch fish.

If you’re fishing in streams, rain makes the water very muddy and it won’t clear out until a week or so. As a result, fish won’t be able to see your bait as easily. If you insist on fishing, use baits with contrasting colors to the water. It’s more difficult to fish in lakes before and during a storm as the fish scatter and move deeper, but it’s still possible if the weather isn’t too bad.

 

Wrapping It Up

While you can fish in Newport Oregon any time of the year, we highly recommend visiting from June to September for salmon and May to October for trout. In general, July to September are the best months to catch various fish species.

We hope our Newport Oregon fishing calendar helped you out. If you would like to schedule a fishing charter with your trip, feel free to contact us now! We provide services to help you catch any fish species from Oregon in style.