"Late Summer Swell: Casting for Rockfish, Crab, and Salmon on the Oregon Coast"

Artificial Lure here with your September 6th, 2025, fishing report, straight from the Oregon coast where summer’s finally giving way to fall. The first hints of cooler air have crept in this week and there’s just a touch more chop on the Pacific. Anglers, it’s shaping up to be a textbook weekend for casting lines and chasing tail.

Let’s start with **the tide**. According to NOAA’s tide predictions, Pacific City and much of the north-central Oregon coast saw a low tide early this morning at around -0.3 feet just before 6:40 AM, with the high tide swinging in at 1:45 PM and cresting around 5.6 feet. The pattern is classic for late summer, so if you’re looking to work the nearshore rocks or estuaries, plan your casts as the tide swells this afternoon. This will push baitfish in and get things lively for the big predators.

**Weather-wise**, it’s a crisp, clear start with that classic late-season ocean haze burning off shortly after sunrise—officially 6:39 AM today, with sunset expected at 7:41 PM. Light westerlies will keep offshore runs doable for smaller craft, and the lack of serious rain or wind means the surf and jetties are approachable for all.

**Fish activity** is ramping back up as water temps take their late-season dip and the first of the Pacific storms remain just over the horizon. This week, local dory and charter crews out of Pacific City and Garibaldi maxed out on rockfish and lingcod, pulling easy limits before lunch. Dungeness crab action is also strong, especially for those dropping pots just past the breakers—several crews came back loaded, with crabs running large and sweet. Salmon reports are picking up, too, with chinook and coho both staging just offshore. The Pacific Fishery Management Council notes essential fish habitat protections in place, but there’s strong evidence of salmon moving closer in as the month unfolds.

**What’s working best?** For **rockfish and lingcod**, nothing’s outperforming the classic setups: dropper loop rigs with fresh herring, and big swimbaits in white or chartreuse fished over reefs and structure. Jigs like the Z-Man or SPRO work wonders when bounced over rocky bottoms. For salmon, trolled cut-plug herring or anchovy behind a dodger is the ticket. If you’re running spoons, the Silver Horde Coho Killer has been picking them off early.

**Top baits** this week for surf perch and jetty action are sand shrimp and Gulp! camo sandworms. Don’t be afraid to throw a casting spoon like a Kastmaster or metal jig into the surf for perch and the occasional striper.

**Best hotspots**:
- **Haystack Rock out of Pacific City**: still the go-to for easy dory launches, fast action on rockfish and lingcod, and some surprise chinook mixed in. The reef edges here are lit up on both tides today.
- **Tillamook Bay jetties**: salmon are starting to stack near the mouth, and crabbing is excellent—drop pots from your boat or right off the rocks if you’re footing it.

Anglers working the beaches near **Oceanside** in the low-light periods are also reporting perch bites, and don’t skip the southern jetty at **Netarts Bay**: plenty of crab and the occasional flounder close in.

That’s the story for today—bring those extra layers, watch for surging swells, and remember that September on the Oregon coast is unpredictable, but always rewarding if you put in the time. Thanks for tuning in to your local line on conditions! Don’t forget to subscribe for tomorrow’s tide, tackle, and tally.

This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

Great deals on fishing gear https://amzn.to/44gt1Pn