by Steelhead University
Chief Instructor Rob Endsley

Tillamook Bay has for years been one of the most consistent producers of king salmon on the entire west coast. It's tributaries, the Miami River, Kilchis River, Wilson River, Trask River, and Tillamook River (listed north to south) receive a yearly spawning escapement that averages around 30,000 king salmon. Stuff that many Chinook Salmon in an area the size of Tillamook Bay and you've got yourself a serious king salmon fishing destination.

Not only is the bay famous for it's numbers of King Salmon, it also resounds as one of the best spots on the west coast to tussle with a trophy class king salmon over 50 pounds. From mid-September to as late as Christmas hordes of anglers descend upon the bay and it's tributaries looking for a crack at a tackle-busting king. Like most Chinook salmon fisheries, however, 10% of the fisherman catch 90% of the fish, and Tillamook Bay salmon fishing is no different. Guide Tim Marshall of Fishing Oregon Guide Service has lived on Tillamook Bay and made a living guiding customers into king salmon fishing on Tillamook Bay for nearly 20 years.  

Like most successful Tillamook Bay guides Tim takes a technical approach when hitting the bay in search of king salmon. He watches the tides and the movement of salmon with a keen eye and stays with the fish as much as possible. It's no surprise that early in the season most of the salmon fishing will occur lower in the bay, with fish moving in and out with each tide and their feeding patterns still tuned primarily into herring. As the King Salmon acclimate to the bay and begin to move upstream, however, hardware like spinners and Kwik-fish begin to dominate the scene and will see most of the action in the upper reaches of the bay.

Garibaldi Marina is located in the boat basin right next to the launch and is a great source for fishing information and general local knowledge. They have rental boats, tackle, maps, bait, and rent and sell crab pots and rings. Garibaldi Marina (800-383-3828/503-322-3312)

Jet boats and shallow draft skiffs get the job done here, as larger boats with outdrives aren't going to go far due to the shallow water. The "Bay City Hole" is shallow enough to start flat-lining the Kwikfish instead of running them off of a dropper. The "Bay City Hole" can also be a good producer during the winter months for sturgeon. Sand shrimp and mud shrimp work well for these prehistoric creatures.

Bank fisherman can also score in here by parking along the Bay Ocean Rd and float fishing eggs along the wing dikes. The deep water outside the wing dikes is a major trolling lane, however, and etiquette and courtesy definitely go a long ways here.

Spinner fishing really begins to shine in the upper reaches of the bay. While some fish will paste a spinner and leave no doubt as to what's going on, a good percentage of the fish that hit a spinner will be slack line bites. Instead of keeping the rods in the holders anglers fishing spinners need to be hanging onto their rods and ready to strike at all times. Keep a 45 degree angle on the rod and have the tip slightly canted toward the water so that a hook set can be delivered immediately should a slack line bite occur.

A slack line bite is just that, the line will go limp and the tip will come up, as the fish pick up the spinner going the same direction as the boat. The second the line goes slack the hook needs to be set immediately before the fish has a chance to release the spinner. Most first-time spinner fisherman will go home empty not even knowing that they were getting bit.

Tillamook Bay Chinook Salmon Fishing 2005

 Tips from Tillamook Guide Tim Marshall:
 -If fishing is slow while trolling with herring try mixing up the rigging style (whole, cut plug, nose clip, etc.) to see if the fish want a different action to the bait.
 -Run a double bead chain setup at all times when trolling herring in the bay to keep from fowling up
 -Use a syringe tube or ball point pen tube to protect bead chains from fowling. Bead chain protectors can also be purchased at local sporting goods stores.
 -Keep the rod in the holder when fishing for herring and wait for the rod to bury and stay there before grabbing the rod.
 -When spinner fishing hold the rod and set the hook immediately if a slack line bite occurs
 -Keep hands clean or wear gloves when handling tackle and bait
 -When weeds are prevalent on the bay try to fish the edges where clean water can be found
 -Be observant and watch for nets flying
 -Keeps hooks razor sharp and check leaders after landing fish
 -Use extreme caution when fishing around the entrance to Tillamook Bay (The Jaws) or outside in the ocean. Ocean swells and extreme tidal movements can make this area very dangerous for even the most experienced boater.
 -Wash spinners and plugs in Joy soap after each fish is landed
 -Work hard and be persistent.

 A special note about handling lures and baits. Humans have an amino acid in our skin called Serine that repels fish, especially scent-sensitive fish like salmon. Successful Tillamook guides like Tim either wear latex gloves to keep from leaving this scent on their baits or they wash their hands religiously. If gloves aren't your thing, a product called Smell Repel made by Smelly Jelly thoroughly washes most oils out of your hands. Tim will wash his hands thoroughly and will usually follow that up by applying bait oils directly to his hands. Another trick is to wash your hands thoroughly with Joy soap and then apply a liberal amount of Pepsident to your hands to eliminate any scent. Whether you wear gloves or wash your hands, be aware of the scent trail your emitting behind your baits.

Crabbing-In addition to great fishing there are also some great spots to catch dungeness crab in the bay. The area on either side of the main channel between Painted Rock and Barview in 15 to 30 feet of water is excellent crabbing, as is the shore along Kincheloe Point. Remember that the deeper water in the main channel is usually full of boats trolling, so plan on placing pots well out of the trolling lanes. On big tides it's best to set pots on either side of the tide change and don't plan on leaving them out thru the tide, as they're likely to get pulled under with the current.

Crab pots can be rented or purchased at Garibaldi Marina (800-383-3828/503-322-3312). Tillamook Bay Boathouse (503-322-3600), located within the Garibaldi basin, has a fuel dock and they carry fresh crab, salmon, and bottomfish, as well as oysters and clams when in season. If that isn't enough, you can even bring your own crab in and they'll cook them for you right in the boathouse for a nominal fee.

Tim Marshall is a full time guide with over 20 years of experience on Oregon's Tillamook Bay.  He can be reached at (503) 842-5171 or by logging onto his website at: www.fish-oregon.com.

For the full version of this article go to: Steelhead University website

Fishing Oregon Guide Service with Tim Marshall specializes in fishing Oregon's beautiful North Coast Rivers and Bays.

• Tillamook Bay Fall King / Chinook Salmon -
  Sept. - Dec.
• Trask River Fall King /Chinook Salmon -
  Sept. - Dec.
• Wilson River Fall King /Chinook Salmon -
  Sept - Dec
• Tillamook Bay Spring Chinook Salmon - April - June
• Trask River Spring Chinook Salmon - April - June
• Wilson River Spring Chinook Salmon - April - June
• Winter Steelhead on the Trask and Wilson Rivers -
  Dec.- April

The summer months find Tim fishing in Southern Southeast Alaska at the Fireweed Lodge. Being based out of Prince of Wales Island provides opportunities for fantastic Salmon and Halibut fishing in a pristine setting. The Fireweed Lodge is a full service resort offering great fishing, hospitality and food. Contact Tim for more information about Alaska scheduling and rates.