Oregon Coast Tuna Bonanza: Offshore Action, Nearshore Bites, and a Classic Fishing Weekend

Artificial Lure here with your August 13th, 2025 fishing report for the Oregon coast and our outlying Pacific waters.

Today’s forecast is shaping up about perfect for tuna chasers and nearshore bottom bouncers alike. Weather conditions are holding steady with light morning fog clearing off by mid-morning, highs topping out in the upper 60s along the coast, and only a mild wind out of the west—expect 5-10 knots early, picking up slightly in the afternoon, but staying fishable throughout. Sunrise was right at 6:16 AM, with sunset coming up at 8:20 PM, so there’s a long window for those dawn patrols and evening bites.

On the water, the ocean's holding calm and blue, just above 60 degrees, prime conditions that the bluefin and albacore are loving this week off the coastline. According to Peninsula Daily News, we're seeing a run that could rival the banner years of 2015 and 2019—tuna are not only here, but they’re running bigger than usual. Commercial trollers working out of Portland and farther north report “extraordinary catches” lately, and with the cooler and cloudier August weather Portland’s seen this week, schools are pressing in within range for sportboats—making this potentially the best season in the last quarter-century.

Hot baits for those offshore tuna have been jigs and live bait fished near those temperature breaks—look for that 60-degree water line. For artificials, Blue Fox Vibrax Painted Inline Spinners and Minnow Inline lures have seen strong results as well, per Klamath Falls’ Hyatt Lake report, and those same styles will get bit along the coast for both tuna and larger nearshore species.

Tide-wise, we had a low at 6:07 AM (0.26 ft), high at 11:21 AM (3.25 ft), another low at 6:17 PM (0.16 ft), and a late high at 11:51 PM (3.51 ft). That means the morning outgoing and midday incoming should concentrate bait along the structure, setting up ambush points for everything from surfperch in the suds to lingcod and rockfish deeper out. Moving water equals moving fish!

Shore and jetty anglers have grabbed steady bags of black rockfish and some chunky cabezon, especially around Pacific City and the mouth of the Nestucca Bay. Drop shotting curly tail grubs or fishing fresh sand shrimp as bait around the high tide are both proven methods. Near Garibaldi, bottom fishing continues strong, with regular limits of lingcod and sea bass coming over the rails, Oregon Fish Reports highlights. The bite’s especially good on jigs tipped with scented twister tails or swimbaits—try white, chartreuse, or glow patterns.

Salmon action remains spotty at times, but there are still bright Chinook and plenty of coho moving through, especially at the river mouths early and late in the day. Troll herring or anchovy behind a flasher, or work spinners like the Blue Fox in green or pink.

Hot Spots:
- Offshore 30-35 miles off Garibaldi or Pacific City for albacore and bluefin—find the blue water, watch your sonar for bait clouds.
- Tillamook Bay entrance and the south jetty at Newport for mixed bottomfish and late summer Chinook.
- Nestucca River mouth and the beach at Cape Kiwanda for surfperch and the occasional striper.

Don’t forget—this weekend is the Oregon Tuna Classic out of Garibaldi. Expect extra activity on the water as some of the region’s top anglers compete and bring big albacore to the scales, all for a great cause, supporting Oregon Food Bank and Ducks Unlimited.

Thanks for tuning in to the Artificial Lure fishing report—be sure to subscribe so you never miss a tide or a bite. This has been a quiet please production, for more check out quiet please dot ai.

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