The ride into Tillamook was spectacular! It was a sunny spring afternoon. The Scotch broom was beginning to come out and there were thousands of daffodils in full bloom. The coastal highway from the south follows rivers on an inland route. Small dairy farms and a few little farm towns occupy the flat lands in the valleys surrounded by forested mountains.

Garibaldi is a fishing village located at the north end of Tillamook Bay. Both commercial and sport boats operate out of the harbor. The harbor and marina dominate the town. There used to be a mill but it was torn down and turned into a park. All that remains is a huge smokestack rising hundreds of feet into the air.

Check in was at 6 AM at the Garibaldi Charters ticket office with departure scheduled for 6:30. There is a restaurant at the marina but I opted for a couple of cinnamon buns and a cup of coffee from the bakery across the street before heading off to "Charter Boat Row". With all eleven anglers on board Captain Bob Bales warmed the D & D's diesels while deckhand Bill(fish)Hogancamp went over the safety procedures and fishing technique.

"I won't know what direction we are heading this morning until I get out of the bay," Captain Bob told us. There was a front approaching the Oregon coast, it was threatening to rain, the swell was nearing 5 feet and winds were expected to be twenty-five knots in the afternoon.

Upon hitting open water we could see a large weather cell approaching the coast about fifteen miles to the south. The decision immediately made to head north.

Garibaldi Charters supplies anglers with tackle and bait. We would be fishing shallow water, seventy to a hundred feet, with light tackle. Billfish checked the terminal tackle, a three ounce diamond bar with a shrimp fly tied in a couple of feet up the leader. The rods were six foot spinning outfits.

Captain Bob slowed the D & D as we neared Smuggler Cove and turned on the scope. "Occasionally we'll find a concentration of fish in here. I just want to check it out," he told me. A couple of minutes later he announced over the PA, "OK folks grab a rod, we're going fishing!"

Captain Bob had indeed located a healthy school of black rockfish. Within a half an hour the D & D was only nine fish short of limiting out. Billfish was running around like a crazy man trying to get fish off the hook as fast as they were being caught. In the frenzy, I just gave up on waiting for him and took care of matters myself. Not only were there good numbers of fish, most of the blacks were over five pounds!

We fished the reefs around Cape Falcon and had our limits before 10 AM. Finding the school of blacks early was truly a stroke of good fortune. The wind and waves were both coming up quickly and it was making the fishing very tough. Conversely, limiting out so soon didn't provide much of a chance to find the lingcod the area is famous for. We only had three lings on the boat.

We took a pounding from the increasingly heavy seas on the ride south back to Garibaldi. Wave after wave crashed over the bow and Captain Bob frequently changed course to provide us the smoothest ride he could.

The day's catch was offloaded at the nearby cleaning station and the D & D deposited us back at Charter Boat Row. A tough day proved to be very successful thanks to a little luck and some extremely hard work when it mattered by Captain Bob and Billfish.

There are a number of reasons the groundfishing out of Garibaldi is consistently the best the Oregon coast has to offer. Ports to the south are actually a shorter drive from Portland than Garibaldi so the fishing pressure is light. Sea conditions around Cape Falcon are frequently tumultuous. For those prone to seasickness this might not be the best place in the spring. Be sure and pack your rain gear! Lodging is in short supply! There are two motels in Garibaldi and only four in nearby Tillamook so the rates are steep. Garibaldi Charters has a special deal with one of the local motels. If you plan on making the trip, be sure to have Linda book you a room.

Seafood Feast:

There are two oyster farms in the area that raise both oysters and razor clams. One is located in Tillamook Bay and the other in Netarts Bay. The "Netarts" are better because they are not exposed to run-off from Tillamook Bay's numerous dairies. You can get them at Garibaldi marina or at the Blue Oyster (Head west a couple of blocks from the Kentucky Fried Chicken in Tillamook). I was also able to load up on FRESH uncooked crab at the harbor. I headed home tired with the cooler packed full of superfresh goodies for an unforgettable feast!

Oregon Rockfish season Runs from January until the quota is reached, usually around Labor Day.

Check out Steelhead's Barbequed Oyster recipe.

For more information, or to make reservations, contact: Garibaldi Charters
800.900.4665
www.GaribaldiCharters.com
fishon@garibaldicharters.com

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