Charleston / Coos Bay is a southern Oregon estuary-and-harbor fishery where the Coos system meets the Pacific through a jettied entrance. Lingcod, chinook salmon, and redtail surfperch are the principal supported targets.
Current Coastal Rating
Fair · 56
Beta
Conditions are fair, but confidence is reduced because some coastal inputs are partial or prediction-based.
Scores are model-specific and are not directly comparable across water types.
Should I Go?
Trip conditions only. Target-species activity and seasonal fishery patterns are not yet included.
Consider
Trip conditions may be workable, but important cautions or data limitations remain.
High confidence in the evaluated inputs — observational coverage is partial. — Required data sources were available and the key inputs were current.
Evaluates trip conditions using weather, tides, currents, waves, daylight, and active alerts.
This coastal rating is in public beta.
Missing waves are not calm. Forecast is not an observation. Prediction is not an observation.
Because this rating is in public beta, recommendations are capped at Consider when evidence is limited.
Service Status
Degraded
Coastal conditions are partial, stale, or predictions-only.
Recommended window
Tuesday · 11:00 AM–2:00 PM PDT
Window score
81
Max wind
8 mph
Max gust
11 mph
Daylight
100% of window
Tide state
falling
Why
Strong daylight coverage supports the evaluated window.
Current Readings
Updated Oct 20, 2026, 2:58 AM
NOAA Station
NOAA Station selected
Source
NOAA CO-OPS
Charleston station
0.0 mi from destination
Water level
2.0 ft MLLW
Updated 10 min ago
Wind
WSW · 0 mph
Updated 10 min ago
Wind gust
1 mph
Updated 10 min ago
Past 7 Days
NOAA Station
NOAA Station selected
Water level
Window Oct 13, 2026, 2:58 AM – Oct 20, 2026, 2:58 AM (rolling 168 hours)
Water level over the past 7 days. 1679 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 3:00 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 2:48 AM Range -0.3 ft MLLW to 8.1 ft MLLW.
Readings decreased over the available period.
1679 observations · from Oct 13, 2026, 3:00 AM · to Oct 20, 2026, 2:48 AM
Tidal-current predictions are not available for this destination.
Tidal-current timing can differ from high and low tide timing.
Fishery Profile
Fishery Overview
Charleston / Coos Bay bar and jetty fishery
A Coos County harbor-bar and lower-bay fishery at Charleston. Anglers target lingcod and redtail surfperch, plus Chinook when current ODFW ocean-salmon tables are open. ODFW treats Coos Bay as Oregon's largest bay, with named dock crabbing and jetty rockfish in the lower estuary.
Fishery type
Pnw bar entrance jetty
Fishing modes
Shore
Inshore boat
Habitat and structure
Charleston Boat Basin and T-docks · Lower Coos Bay jetties · Marine-dominated lower bay flats
Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Aug 21, 2026
Not a live bite forecast.
Fishery Targets
Lower-bay jetty bottomfish and perch follow current Marine Zone rules. Ocean salmon and Pacific halibut are season-managed. Coos Bay crabbing is named year-round opportunity by ODFW and is not frozen as a fish-species season.
This reflects typical biological/fishery timing, not a legal open season. Check current regulations before fishing.
Species images are AI-generated illustrations for visual reference and may simplify natural variation. Fishery records are based on the cited agency and editorial sources. About fish illustrations
Lingcod
Primary
Ophiodon elongatus
Typical seasonal window begins in December
Typical seasonal window: DECEMBER — MARCH
May also be present outside this peak window.
Redtail surfperch
Secondary
Amphistichus rhodoterus
Typical seasonal opportunity: SPRING — EARLY SUMMER
May also be present outside this peak window.
Chinook salmon
SeasonalRegulations vary annually
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Typical seasonal opportunity: SUMMER — EARLY FALL
ODFW ocean-harvest tag Charleston (13); Coos R. & Bay river-system code (33).
Typical Seasonal Targets
Lingcod — DECEMBER — MARCH
Redtail surfperch — SPRING — EARLY SUMMER
Chinook salmon — SUMMER — EARLY FALL
Seasonal presence is general guidance and does not indicate current fish activity.
How to Fish Charleston / Coos Bay
No profile-based seasonal technique guidance is listed for October.
Preparing for upcoming seasonal targets
Lower-bay jetty bottomfish
ODFW Southwest Zone: rockfish around the jetties in the lower Coos Bay estuary; slack-tide timing; jig with twister-tail trailer named as a bottomfish method. Sneaker-wave caution on jetties.
Best for
Lingcod
Setup
Charleston / Coos Bay setup
Charleston bar and bay boat
Marine Zone boat/charter salmon, rockfish, and lingcod when tables are open. Charleston dock crabbing and boat crabbing outside navigation channels. Clamming is a separate ODFW recreation object.
Best for
Lingcod
Setup
Charleston / Coos Bay setup
Common Tackle Setups
Charleston / Coos Bay setup
Jetty and boat spinning tackle for lingcod, perch, and Chinook when open. Umpqua and Winchester Bay access describes other harbors.
Rod
8–10 ft medium spinning rod for jetty, pier, and harbor work.
Reel
Spinning reel with a smooth drag.
Main line
20–40 lb braid.
Leader
Fluorocarbon or mono leader suited to rock, jetty, and surge.
Terminal tackle
Swivels.; Jig heads.; Hardware suited to current Marine Zone rules.
Presentation
ODFW Coos Bay crab/clam page names Dungeness and red rock crab plus named Charleston/lower-bay clam areas. Crab and clams are in this fishery.; Confirm current Marine Zone ocean salmon and groundfish tables.
Used for
Lower-bay jetty bottomfish
Charleston bar and bay boat
Typical October Lures and Flies
Coming into the seasonal mix
Soft-plastic paddle tail
Lure
Lingcod
Shallow, Midwater, Variable · Steady, twitch, jig
Swim steadily through seams or hop lightly near bottom transitions
Soft-plastic jig head
Lure
Lingcod
Midwater, Bottom, Variable · Jig, slow, drift
Keep intermittent bottom contact around structure and soft edges
Diamond-style jig
Lure
Lingcod
Midwater to variable · Jig, fast, steady
Cast and retrieve with a steady or pulsed cadence through bait schools
General seasonal guidance, not a live recommendation, product endorsement, or guarantee of success.
Access, Safety and Regulations
Access
ODFW names Charleston Visitor Center, T-docks south of the bridge, Charleston Boat Basin, and lower-bay flats. Access difficulty varies; some flats are 4x4 or boat-only.
Primary hazards
Watch sneaker waves on jetties, boat traffic, and navigation-channel crabbing restrictions.
Fishery considerations
Bar and jetty conditions can be unsafe in swell even when Charleston tide looks usable.
Regulations
Size limits, seasons, and possession rules change. Verify the current official regulations before fishing.
The map marker represents the cataloged waterbody or monitoring location and may not indicate legal parking or public access. Confirm access through the official information before visiting.
