When albacore are off Winchester Bay
Local trip pages run July through September. The Oregon Albacore Commission says albacore are caught off Oregon June to October. For the wider picture, see the Pacific Northwest albacore regional guide (see also the wider Pacific Northwest guide).
The two ranges at a glance:
- Local trip pages: July through September
- Oregon Albacore Commission: June to October
The local trip window
SOA Charters and Apocalypse Guide Service both list July through September on their albacore trip pages. Local operators build private trips around that window, and it falls inside the commission’s wider range.
Where boats run and how far
Albacore fishing out of Winchester Bay starts with a run past the Umpqua River bar into deep open water. The fish are not on the jetties or the reefs. They are well offshore, and the distance depends on where the fish are at the time rather than on any fixed mark. This briefing is written for owner-operators and draws on local charter trip pages, the Oregon Albacore Commission and NDBC. The albacore species guide covers general biology and tackle. This page is meant to help you decide where to look, and it makes no promise of fish.
Past the bar into deep water
SOA says boats head out past the bar into deep water. Albacore are fish of deep open water and do not hold on the jetties.
20 to 60 miles
Apocalypse’s offshore tuna trip page puts the grounds 20 to 60 miles offshore, depending on where the fish are. That works out to 40 to 120 miles round trip before any trolling, and the fuel and range decision is yours.
Local charters run a 28 ft Hewescraft with twin 150 hp Yamaha engines. Treat that as a reference point for what the fleet fishes from, not a recommendation.
Reading 46229
The nearest buoy is NDBC station 46229, Umpqua Offshore, OR, at 43.772 N, 124.549 W. Pull wind, wave height and period, and plan the run against those numbers and the forecast.
A single buoy reports a single point and does not describe the whole 20 to 60 mile range. Read the NWS Portland coastal waters forecast alongside the buoy before you commit to the run.
Named water near the port
These named features sit near the harbor and are what you pass or know on the way out. The albacore grounds lie well beyond them.
- Umpqua River South Jetty (Umpqua Jetty), 50 ft
- Triangle Jetty, 25 ft
- Half Moon Bay
- Tenmile Reef
- A deep-water reef listed by SOA, unnamed on its site
Chart layers are not for navigation.
How albacore are fished here
Local boats troll to find fish, then fish rods and hand lines with bait.
Trolling to find fish
Apocalypse runs fully rigged trolling boats with multiple lines. SOA’s Winchester Bay albacore page describes trolling to locate fish. A multi-line spread lets boats cover water until they find them.
Rods, hand lines and bait
Once fish are located, SOA switches to rods and hand lines with anchovies, sardines or live bait. Trolling finds the fish, and the bait keeps them biting.
Who fishes for albacore tuna out of Winchester Bay
These local operators list albacore trips. If you are comparing guided tuna trips before running your own boat, this is the local field.
| Operator | Site | Boat | Captain |
|---|---|---|---|
| SOA Charters | southernoregonanglerscharter.com | 28 ft Hewescraft, twin 150 hp Yamaha | Captain Travis Marsh |
| Apocalypse Guide Service | apocalypseguideservice.com | 28 ft Hewes Craft Alaskan 250, twin Yamaha 150s, hard top | |
| Ocean Obsession Guide Service | oceanobsessionguideservice.com | Captain David Morrow | |
| Mark LaDuke Guide Service | markladukeguideservice.com | Captain Mark LaDuke | |
| NW Oregon Outfitters (Salmon Harbor Tackle & Charter Service) | nworegonoutfitters.com | Guide Ted Jones and crew | |
| All American Guide Service | allamericanguideservice.com | Captain Jason Rounsaville |
FAQ: albacore out of Winchester Bay
When is the season for albacore tuna fishing out of Winchester Bay?
Local trip pages run July through September. The Oregon Albacore Commission says albacore are caught June to October.
How far offshore are albacore from Winchester Bay?
Apocalypse puts the grounds 20 to 60 miles offshore, depending on where the fish are. Boats run past the bar into deep open water.
How do local boats fish for albacore?
They troll a multi-line spread to locate fish, then switch to rods and hand lines.
What bait do they use?
Per SOA: anchovies, sardines or live bait.
Which buoy should I check?
NDBC 46229, Umpqua Offshore, at 43.772 N, 124.549 W. Pull wind, wave height and period, and read them alongside the official forecast.
