Surging Salmon Season Economic Boost for Central Coast
Anglers showing off one of 34 salmon hooked July 13 aboard Captain’s Reel Deep Sea Fishing charter boat the Ocean Captain out of Newport. Charter operators say many of their clients come from out of the area and spend at least one night at the coast. (Photo courtesy of Captain’s Reel Deep Sea Fishing)
By Larry Coonrod
LINCOLN COUNTY-One of the best coho seasons in decades has charter boat operators and many local business owners smiling.
The season for hatchery-raised coho opened June 21 with a quota of 80,000 fin-clipped salmon. A marked increase from the 10,500-hatchery quota in 2013. When the weather cooperates and provides calm seas, two fish limits have been the norm.
“When you start getting limits for 14 customers plus crew, that’s pretty amazing,” says Barbara Powell with Captain’s Reel Deep Sea Fishing on the Newport Bayfront.
Salmon Synonymous with Coast
Hatcheries clip the small adipose fin in front of a salmon smolt’s tail to distinguish it from its wild brethren, which anglers must release unharmed until the non-selective coho season opens Aug. 30.
“We’re throwing back 28-30 fish on top of what we are keeping,” Powell said of recent charter trips.
Dockside Charters in Depoe Bay skipper Loren Goddard laughingly calls wild coho OFTM fish-as in one fin too many.
Bottom fishing for rockfish and lingcod has been the bread and butter fishery for charter companies during the bad salmon years, but this year many customers are opting for salmon instead.
“Salmon are synonymous with the coast and ocean fishing,” Goddard says.
Sport Fishing Economic Boost for Other Businesses
Sport fishing’s economic impact spreads beyond the charter fleet. Charter operators say many of their clients stay over at least one night.
The Newport Chamber of Commerce estimates each person who stays overnight in Newport spends $137 per day. Newport day-trippers spend about $85 per person.
Dylan McEntee of Mo’s Restaurant, says how the charter companies are doing is an economic precursor for other Bayfront businesses.
“If they are loaded up for the week or weekend, I know it's going to be busy, and I have to decide how to schedule my restaurants,” he said. “In years we have peak salmon seasons we see a noticeable difference in customers visiting the coast and coming into restaurants.”
Shopping and Fishing
Stan Pickens of Bayscapes Gallery and Coffee House next door to Captain’s Reel says women often wander into his business when their husbands are out fishing and anglers stop in to grab coffee and pastries.
Pickens has been around Newport long enough to remember coho fishing’s glory days before the collapse of the fishery in the 1990s.
“Those of us who have been in business a long time miss that. It used to be such a big part of the economy,” he said.
Randy Druvea, the owner of Harry’s Bait & Tackle in Newport, specializes in tuna tackle, but says with tuna fishing still slow, his sales are lagging a little behind last year.
“The salmon are keeping me close,” he said. “Coho are drawing a lot of people, but there’s so much competition on salmon tackle.”
Goddard, with Dockside Charters, says his clients are often part of larger family groups.
“The rest of the family goes shopping or eats in restaurants or go play on the beach while they are out fishing,” he said.
“A lot of time wives will go whale watching while their husbands are fishing or they go shopping between here and Newport,” said Tradewinds Charters Depoe Bay owner Tim Harmon.
Jerome Grant, owner of Gracie’s Sea Hag restaurant in Depoe Bay, says the local charter fleet in turn also benefits from tourists who stop to observe the town’s spectacular ocean frontage and wander the myriad shops and restaurants lining Highway 101 and then discover the world-class fishing the town offers.
“People are here for a lot of reasons, and the charter boat companies get the benefit of that,” Grant said.
That’s just how Justin Schmal of Granite Falls, Washington and his girlfriend happened to be fishing in Depoe Bay this week during a four-day stay. They had driven through the town once before and after stopping to look around decided to return for a vacation, which included a day of salmon fishing with Dockside Charters.
Schmal said they plan on kayaking and sightseeing during the rest of their visit.
Crowded Harbors
If you want to know how the fishing is on the coast, just drive through Depoe Bay and count the number of trucks with empty boat trailers parked alongside Highway 101.
On July 12, nearly 40 boats launched from Depoe Bay. Too many for the small harbor parking lot to accommodate. Many of them also buy gas and groceries before or after a day’s fishing.
Kioki Hookama of Salem says when the salmon and tuna fishing is good, he will trailer his boat to Depoe Bay three or four times a week. Last Saturday, Hookama and five others aboard his boat hooked 25 coho and each came away with a two fish hatchery limit.
“The salmon fishing was great. It was just weeding through the natives to get to the hatchery fish you can keep,” he said.
With halibut season set to open in August and the tuna fishing expected to improve with warming weather, locals say the fishing hasn’t yet reached its peak this year.
Halibut, Tuna a Big Draw
Chris Urbach, South Beach Marina harbormaster, says the Aug. 1 opening of halibut season could see hundreds of anglers journeying to the coast.
“If all the stars line up and it’s halibut season, and you have coho and the tuna are close, we can get overwhelmed,” he said. “We’ll be parking rigs out on the street clear to the bridge.”
The selective (hatchery) coho season continues through Aug. 10 or until the 80,000 fish quota is met. The non-selective season, when anglers can retain hatchery and wild fish opens Aug. 30.
Contact reporter Larry Coonrod by emailing editor@lincolncountydispatch.com
