Neah Bay is a Washington coast harbor fishery at the western entrance to the Strait of Juan de Fuca, with protected bay water, rocky shoreline, kelp, and immediate access to exposed Pacific grounds. Lingcod and chinook salmon are the principal supported targets.
Current Coastal Rating
Poor · 46
Beta
Conditions are poor, 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.
Wait
Trip conditions may improve later. Review the recommended window and the reason for waiting.
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.
Best later window
Tuesday · 8:00 AM–11:00 AM PDT
Window score
81
Max wind
10 mph
Max gust
20 mph
Daylight
100% of window
Tide state
rising
Why
A later window scores 81 vs near-term 46; wait for the stronger period.
Current Readings
Updated Oct 20, 2026, 2:56 AM
NOAA Station
NOAA Station selected
Source
NOAA CO-OPS
Neah Bay station
0.0 mi from destination
Water level
1.3 ft MLLW
Updated 8 min ago
Water temperature
52.5°F
Updated 8 min ago
Some observation sources are temporarily unavailable.
Past 7 Days
NOAA Station
NOAA Station selected
Water level
Window Oct 13, 2026, 2:56 AM – Oct 20, 2026, 2:56 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 -0.7 ft MLLW to 8.0 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
Neah Bay Marine Area 4 fishery
WDFW Marine Area 4 Neah Bay: Cape Alava north and inside Juan de Fuca Strait to the Sekiu River. Neah Bay is the primary access point. Anglers target lingcod and Chinook when current MA4 tables are open. WDFW states there is not a dangerous bar to cross. Rocky habitat and kelp hold rockfish and other kelp-bed fish, and Pacific halibut are part of this ocean fishery when the season is open.
Fishery type
Pnw rocky headland harbor
Fishing modes
Inshore boat
Habitat and structure
Neah Bay harbor / Makah access · Waddah Island and Green Can entrance · Rocky habitat and kelp beds
Static seasonal guidance · Last reviewed Aug 21, 2026
Not a live bite forecast.
Fishery Targets
Ocean Chinook and bottomfish follow current WDFW Marine Area 4 tables. Opening dates change and are not fixed here. The inner Strait is a different fishing area.
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.
Lingcod hold around the rocks. Rockfish use the same rocky habitat and the kelp beds.
Chinook salmon
SeasonalRegulations vary annually
Oncorhynchus tshawytscha
Typical seasonal opportunity: SUMMER — EARLY FALL
WDFW: salmon around Waddah Island, the Green Can at the entrance to Neah Bay, and when weather allows Makah Bay / inshore ocean south of Cape Flattery.
Typical Seasonal Targets
Lingcod — DECEMBER — MARCH
Chinook salmon — SUMMER — EARLY FALL
Seasonal presence is general guidance and does not indicate current fish activity.
How to Fish Neah Bay
No profile-based seasonal technique guidance is listed for October.
Preparing for upcoming seasonal targets
Neah Bay small-boat salmon and bottomfish
Small-boat salmon inside east of Tatoosh or around Waddah when the forecast requires; outside past Bonilla-Tatoosh only when weather allows. Rockfish jigging in nearshore kelp. This destination does not represent Sekiu or the inner Strait.
Best for
Lingcod
Setup
Neah Bay boat setup
Common Tackle Setups
Neah Bay boat setup
Boat spinning/jig tackle for lingcod and Chinook when MA4 tables are open. La Push and inner-Strait Sekiu are separate destinations.
Rod
8–10 ft medium spinning rod for jetty, harbor, and nearshore 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 Area rules.
Presentation
C Closure and the Duncan Rock and Duntze Rock depth restrictions are current rules. Confirm them before you fish.; Pacific halibut from inshore flats to offshore banks is named by WDFW and is part of this fishery.
Used for
Neah Bay small-boat salmon and bottomfish
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
Neah Bay is the primary access point. Distinct from la-push-quillayute-river and from Dungeness freshwater.
Primary hazards
This reach is not inner-Strait or Puget Sound. Outside banks require weather judgment even without a named bar.
Fishery considerations
This is the Cape Flattery / western-entrance fishing unit.
The harbor is more protected than Ilwaco or Westport, but outside past Tatoosh still depends on Cape Flattery weather.
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.
