Here are five of the best West Coast fishing trips to put on your calendar.
West Coast fishing is some of the best in the United States, but you have to start planning now if you want to catch fish in the future. Honestly, a location doesn't have to be smack-dab right on the coast, just close enough to be a hub of good fishing.
Regardless of where you might want to do some fishing, there's something for everyone to enjoy out west. There is no shortage of hotspots to try for a once in a lifetime trip.
If you are looking for yellowfin tuna, sea bass, halibut, albacore, or marlin, there's going to be something out on the left coast waiting for you.
Anglers from Bristol Bay to Baja, California can get in on the action and have the best fishing experience of their lives. Here are some of the best.
Alaska
The main fishing targets here are massive halibut, rockfish, lingcod, and most of the salmon species. It's not enough that these fish are in a class of eating all by themselves, because they also provide some of the best sportfishing anywhere in the world.
Charter captains that take clients out to deep ocean fishing areas routinely see whales, sea otters, orcas, and other ocean creatures. If an open ocean fishing excursion is not for you, then the surf fishing from the Alaskan Panhandle to the Alaskan Peninsula is some of the most exciting anywhere in the world. And of course, the inland rivers are epic.
Oregon
Fishing along the Willamette and Columbia Rivers is some of the most fast-paced action there is with steelhead, chinook, and coho salmon there for the taking, but don't forget about the esteemed sturgeon fishery there.
Further west on Tillamook Bay, you can get access to some great salmon and steelhead fishing, and then it's not too far to some great surf fishing action as well.
Washington
Puget Sound is the last stop on many angler's wish list, but it should be their first. Seattle is excellent for all types of fishing because of its proximity to both fresh and saltwater fisheries, with catches of coho, pink, chum, and king salmon routine.
Or if you prefer, lingcod, rockfish, halibut, and even crab and sturgeon are available throughout the Puget Sound and Elliot Bay.
San Francisco
San Francisco Bay harbors great populations of rockfish of all sizes, albacore, chinook, striped bass, California halibut, and sturgeon. Charter captains regularly take excursions that fill the boat with many of these species.
Surf fishing enthusiasts can find great striper fishing on Ocean Beach by casting or by live-bait fishing. There is a limit, but anglers usually do so well there that it's an important restriction.
San Diego
Let's take a short look at what is available to anglers in this southern California town: dorado, albacore, marlin, yellowtail, wahoo, sand bass, barracuda, halibut, sea bass, rockfish, and bonito.
The best part may be the fact that many charters are of the long-range variety, meaning that they can make amazing runs up and down the coastline for an amazing array of fishing opportunities.
San Diego and Mission Bay anglers also often catch bonito, barracuda, seabass, and other ocean predators that will ruin the tackle of the uninitiated. Coronado Beach, Mission Beach, Blacks Beach, and Torrey Pines State Beach are just a few of the great places to try some surf fishing.
The West Coast is Your Next Fishing Destination
Fishing adventures and fishing boats usually go hand in hand, but that's not necessarily true here. You may be looking to do some halibut fishing or some salmon fishing, but one thing is for sure, if you're looking to do some of the best saltwater fishing there is to try then the West Coast is what you are looking for.
From Oregon to southern California there are angling adventures to be had by anyone willing to take the time to try. Throughout the early summer months, albacore tuna, bluefin tuna, and even dolphinfish begin making an appearance in offshore southern California waters.
In fact, throughout the year you will find something to catch in these waters, so now is the time to plan your own fishing adventure.
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