The tuna season out of Charleston went from seven fish a rod to 1.4 in a week. The water at the Port Orford buoy was still 57 to 59 degrees, but the fish had moved and the boats that ran found scattered schools instead of stacked ones. Winchester Bay did a little better at 2.5. On the salmon side, ODFW took the coho fishery down to single days: retention was allowed Sunday, September 20, and again Saturday, September 26, with the season otherwise open for all salmon except coho through October 31. South of Humbug Mountain, the ocean closed to salmon fishing for the year. With that, the Charleston fleet started going back to the reefs, and next week’s report will have a rockfish number for the first time since June.
The week in numbers
| Charleston | This week | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Albacore per angler | 1.4 | Down from 7.0; Winchester Bay 2.5 |
| Salmon angler trips | 136 | 4,314 for the season against 5,089 in 2025 |
| Chinook kept | 9 | 413 for the season; 92 at this point last year |
| Coho kept | 20 | 1,716 for the season |
| Swell, Port Orford buoy | 5.4 ft average, 8.2 ft peak, 8 seconds | Wind 13 knots average, gusts to 29 |
| Water temperature | 57.6 degrees at Port Orford, 59 at the Umpqua |
Salmon
By Sunday, September 20, the coho catch for the Cape Falcon to Humbug area was about 22,250 of the 25,700 quota, which is why ODFW went to one-day openings rather than closing outright. Sunday the 20th was open for coho, no fin-clip requirement, two salmon a day. Managers reviewed the catch on Wednesday the 23rd and let Saturday the 26th go ahead. After that, Chinook only through October 31, 24-inch minimum. Below Humbug Mountain, from Port Orford south, ocean salmon is closed for the year.
Charleston’s week was small: 136 trips, nine Chinook, 20 coho. The season total is 4,314 trips and 413 Chinook; last year’s Chinook count at this date was 92.
Tuna
1.4 per angler is the sound of a season ending. The water temperature was fine, which means the fish moved rather than the water, and when albacore scatter in late September they usually do not regroup within reach of Coos Bay. Some years give one more push in early October. Most do not. The boats that want one more tuna day should go on the first calm forecast and not count on another.
Bottomfish
Brookings, which was sampled this week, had anglers on just over 2.7 rockfish per person, mostly black, deacon, canary and yellowtail, with cabezon showing and lingcod at 0.6 per angler. That is a fair preview of what the Cape Arago reefs will give up now that the Charleston fleet is heading back inshore. Fall is black rockfish time: the fish school up tight on the structure and a four-fish limit comes fast. Lingcod are around but have been slow to bite all over the south coast this month. Four rockfish, three lingcod, canary two within the four, cabezon one, descending device required. The long-leader grounds outside 40 fathoms remain the option for bigger yellowtail and canary.
Halibut
Summer all-depth halibut continues on remaining Central Coast quota, two a day, and the Southern Oregon subarea has enough quota to run through October 31.
Crab and clams
Ocean crab closes after October 15; three weeks left. The bay stays open year-round. ODA shellfish line: 1-800-448-2474.
Ocean and bar
A choppier week than the last two. Swell averaged 5.4 feet but the period shortened to eight seconds, which is wind swell stacked on ground swell and a lumpier ride. The peak day was 8.2 feet with a 29-knot gust. Mornings were fishable; afternoons were not much fun.
Looking ahead
Saturday the 26th is the last scheduled coho day. Fall rockfish on the reefs. Three weeks of ocean crab left. The Coos River fall Chinook run is the next thing on the calendar for local anglers.
Neighbors
Winchester Bay: 2.5 albacore per angler. Bandon: 0.29 salmon per angler before the closure south of Humbug. Brookings: 2.7 rockfish and 0.6 lingcod per angler. Florence: 0.93 salmon per angler.
How this report is built: catch rates are ODFW Ocean Recreational Boat Survey dock-sample estimates for the week of September 14 to 20, 2026, published September 24. Salmon counts are ODFW’s preliminary weekly estimates through statistical week 38. Coho dates and quota figures from ODFW’s September 22 and September 23 updates. Ocean conditions from NOAA buoys 46015 off Port Orford and 46229 off the Umpqua. Photos are file photos from the Pacific Charter Services archive (2023) and were not taken during the week covered. Compiled by Pacific Charter Services, Charleston, Oregon.