Lingcod fishing out of Westport splits at the 30-fathom line: nearshore rock inside about 180 ft, and deepwater ground beyond it. Both trips cross the Grays Harbor Bar first. This page covers where boats run, the structure they fish, how the port fishes it, who fishes it, and the rules specific to this port. General biology and tactics are in our lingcod fishing guide. For the whole coast, see the Pacific Northwest fishing guide.
Where Westport boats run for lingcod
Westport lingcod boats fish two kinds of water: nearshore rock inside the 30-fathom line, and deepwater ground beyond it.
| Nearshore | Deepwater | |
|---|---|---|
| Distance | Inside the 30-fathom line | About 20 to 38 miles out |
| Depth | Inside about 180 ft | 300 to 600 ft |
| Typical method | Bottom fishing with live bait, shrimp flies or jigs | Bottom fishing with pipe jigs or bait |
Nearshore rock inside 30 fathoms
Thirty fathoms is about 180 ft. The rock inside that line is the nearshore lingcod ground. The line is also the Marine Area 2 lingcod line, covered in the Regulations section below.
Deepwater, 20 to 38 miles out
Deepwater trips run about 20 to 38 miles out into 300 to 600 ft, all beyond the 30-fathom line. One piece of structure on that run, about 25 miles west, is described in the next section.
Crossing the Grays Harbor Bar
Every Westport trip crosses the Grays Harbor Bar, out and back, and it is the main hazard at the entrance. Tide data comes from NOAA tide station 9441102 at Westport. Tide and conditions for the bar are on our Westport port page.
A tide station reports tide, not sea state on the bar. Before crossing, read the official marine forecast for wind speed, wave height and period, and base your decision on those numbers.
Grounds and structure off Westport
Westport’s named structure runs from the harbor entrance out to the shelf edge.
- Westport Jetty: at Westport Light State Park.
- North Jetty: across the entrance, near Ocean Shores.
- Grays Harbor Bar: the entrance hazard.
- 30-fathom contour: about 180 ft, the Marine Area 2 lingcod line.
- Deepwater structure: about 25 miles due west of the entrance, in 500 ft.
- Quinault Canyon edge: a halibut spot.
- Continental shelf slopes: about 700 ft, generally about 35 miles out, per Captain & Crew.
The 30-fathom contour and the structure near the 500-ft mark are easier to read on the Chart Contours layer. Chart layers are not for navigation.
The jetties
Westport Jetty is at Westport Light State Park, on the Westport side of the entrance. North Jetty is across the entrance, near Ocean Shores.
The 30-fathom contour
The contour runs at about 180 ft. It separates nearshore from deepwater and marks the Marine Area 2 lingcod line.
Deepwater structure 25 miles west
A piece of deepwater structure sits about 25 miles due west of the Grays Harbor entrance, in 500 ft. It falls inside the 20 to 38 mile, 300 to 600 ft deepwater band.
Canyon and shelf-edge halibut grounds
The Quinault Canyon edge is a halibut spot, and the continental shelf slopes are halibut ground at about 700 ft, generally about 35 miles out, per Captain & Crew. Long deepwater runs overlap these grounds. Operators quote the albacore blue water zone at 35 to 70 miles offshore.
How lingcod are fished out of Westport
Westport lingcod are taken bottom fishing, with live bait, shrimp flies or pipe jigs.
Live bait
Locals send down live anchovies, herring, live flounder and sand dabs.
Jigs and shrimp flies
Shrimp flies and pipe jigs are the local artificial options. For 300 to 600 ft, pipe jigs and bait rigs are covered in our deep-drop guides.
June and September deepwater runs
Charter sites describe deepwater runs for larger lingcod in June and September, on the 20 to 38 mile, 300 to 600 ft ground.
Who fishes lingcod out of Westport
Six Westport charters list lingcod.
Charters
- Mutineer Charters: fleet of Fury, Gold Rush, Hot Pursuit, Reel Electric, Slammer and Stardust.
- Sudsy Sportfishing: lists lingcod.
- Gold Rush Charters: boat based on Float 8.
- Tequila Too Sportfishing: lists lingcod.
- Captain & Crew Charters: albacore boat The Swifty, which takes up to 10 people.
- Far Corners Adventures: 31-ft purpose-built vessel.
Westport Fishing Derby
The Westport Fishing Derby is the local tournament that includes lingcod.
FAQ: lingcod fishing out of Westport
How far out do Westport boats run for lingcod?
Nearshore boats fish rock inside the 30-fathom line. Deepwater trips run about 20 to 38 miles out.
How deep do you fish lingcod off Westport?
Nearshore ground is inside about 180 ft. Deepwater ground is 300 to 600 ft, including structure about 25 miles west in 500 ft.
What bait do Westport anglers use for lingcod?
Locals use live anchovies, herring, live flounder and sand dabs. Shrimp flies and pipe jigs are the artificial options. All of it is fished on the bottom.
When do charters run deep for lingcod?
Charter sites describe deepwater runs for larger lingcod in June and September.
Is there a lingcod derby at Westport?
Yes. The Westport Fishing Derby includes lingcod.
Where do I check the tide for the Grays Harbor Bar?
NOAA tide station 9441102 at Westport gives the tide. It does not give sea state on the bar, so check the official marine forecast for wind, wave height and period.
