Posted by Webmaster on Oct 9, 2010 in
Crabbing in Oregon 
Thor Anderson tosses his crab ring back into the water at the Charleston Marina late Wednesday morning. World Photo by Lou Sennick
It’s high time for crabbing, and things only look to improve.
October, November and December are generally good months for bay crabbing, and Charleston is already seeing great numbers of Dungeness crab being caught, both commercially from boats and from the docks.
“Crabbing is really good this year – better than last,” said Lucy Kindel at Davey Jones Locker. “Usually they run a little hard this time of year.”
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Tags: Charleston, crab, Crabbing in Oregon, dungeness
Posted by Webmaster on Aug 23, 2010 in
Fishing 
Five tuna caught by one of the teams in the Oregon Tuna Classic are ready to be weighed Saturday afternoon on the dock at The Mill Casino-Hotel. The teams fished off the coast from the Charleston Marina.
The Oregon Tuna Classic reeled in thousands of pounds of tuna last weekend, producing happy fishermen along with happy food banks.
Thirty-seven teams caught 4,045 pounds of tuna last Saturday during the third leg of the tournament in Charleston, and food banks along the South Coast can also expect an additional 2,100 pounds of fish that were donated.
With great crowds and decent weather to greet the fishermen, Charleston Port Manager Jim Pex thought the tournament went well.
“Outstanding, actually. It was a pretty booming event,” he said. “There were people all up and down the boat basin.
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Tags: Charleston, fishing, offshore fishing, Oregon Tuna Classic, tournament, tuna
Posted by Webmaster on Dec 2, 2009 in
Crabbing in Oregon CHARLESTON — Three fisherman are fine after their crabbing boat sank in the bay Tuesday, but the owner of the sunken Manatee will have to get it off the bay floor.
A U.S. Coast Guard rescue crew fished the three men out of the water near Coos Bay’s South Jetty after the Manatee capsized and sank. Two went to Bay Area Hospital to be evaluated for hypothermia.
Petty Office Melissa Byrd of Coast Guard Air Station North Bend said at about 3 p.m., a crewman aboard the Manatee radioed the Coast Guard Station for help. He said the boat was taking on water. The 38-foot wood-hulled boat is registered to W.L. “Bill” Merritt of Charleston, according to records from the Oregon International Port of Coos Bay. Coast Guard records show it was built in 1941.
Rescuers, who arrived in a 47-foot Coast Guard motor life boat, retrieved the three crewmen from the sinking Manatee and took them to the Coast Guard dock in Charleston.
The vessel eventually sank near the Coos Bay river bar entrance.
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Tags: boat sinking, Charleston, Crabbing in Oregon, manatee
Posted by Webmaster on Jun 23, 2009 in
Clamming in Oregon With a minus tide, clammers dig in for dinner
Gaper Clam Example
CHARLESTON – Jeff Hawk wanted a shot at the big clams that have been hiding all year.
So by 6:30 this morning, the Talent man and his son Jesse, 12, were scouring the mudflats of the South Slough in Charleston, digging for clams and trying to take advantage of 2009′s lowest tide yet.
“If you figure it’s been a year since someone’s seen this dirt, this is probably a good place to look,” Hawk said. “They’ve been sitting here, maturing all year.”
The pair had a bucket full of gaper clams already, but they were there for the experience more than the seafood feast.
“I like it when you get dirty,” Jesse said.
They picked a good time – for digging clams and for getting dirty. This week’s streak of minus tides exposes rarely seen parts of the bay and makes for prime clamming.
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Tags: Charleston, Clamming in Oregon, low tide
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 5, 2009 in
General Betty Kay Charters – Join us for fun and adventure on our our fishing trips! Captain Bill and Captain Kathi are ready to give you a memorable, fun fishing trip. They will go all out to find and get you fish! Captain Bill and Captain Kathi will give you helpful tips and assist you. Your safety and fun is our focus.
7788 Albacore, Charleston, OR 97420 (541) 888-9021 www.bettykaycharters.com
Chinook Charters
93762 Raymond Ln., North Bend, OR 97459 (541) 662-0964
Prowler Charters – It’s time to enjoy some of the best deep sea charter fishing on the Oregon Coast. Departing from Bandon By The Sea and traveling across the Bandon bar we make our way to the fishing ground, just minutes from the dock!.
325 First St. SE, Bandon, OR 97423 (541) 347-9126 www.prowlercharters.com
Salmon Harbor Charters
495 Beach Boulevard,Winchester Bay, OR (541) 271-2010 www.salmonharborcharters.com
Strike Zone Charters – Owned and operated by husband & wife team Scott & Casey Howard. The Howard family has operated Deep Sea Salmon Fishing Charters in Winchester Bay since 1962. Strike Zone Charters was formally known as Gee Gee Charters.
465 Beach Blvd, Winchester Bay, Oregon 97420 (541) 271-9706 www.strikezonecharters.com
Tags: Bandon, bottom fishing, Charleston, charter fishing, Coos Bay, halibut, Reedsport, tuna, Winchester Bay
Posted by Webmaster on Apr 2, 2009 in
Clamming in Oregon 
Clam digger Paul Heikkila and his chocolate lab, Tango, hit the mudflats early Friday morning for a few of the fresh, tasty treats. Minus tides next week should make for good clamming in Oregon’s Bay Area. World Photo by Madeline Steege
Column by Joe Hansen, Outdoors Editor
As the sun snuck over the horizon in the foggy Charleston mudflats Friday morning I slaughtered my first clam.
I say “slaughtered,” because it wasn’t pretty.
I’ve seen experts dig clams, plucking them out of their holes in neat little shell packages, without cutting the neck or shattering the shell. It looked kind of easy.
“Here’s the neck,” said Paul Heikkila, my clam digging guide for the morning, pulling a severed, finger-sized piece of meat out of a pile of mud I’d displaced with my shovel.
My next few shovel strokes yielded a crunching sound as I smashed the clam to smithereens. Clearly the blows had been lethal, so it was my obligation to find the darn thing, somewhere in the muck, and take it home and eat it.
“Stick your hand in there, so your fingers get numb,” Paul said, pointing to the 5-gallon-bucket-sized hole I’d dug next to the South Slough. “You’ve got to find him now, if you’re here all day, snorkeling.”
I got on my hands and knees, rooting around in the hole ,ntil eventually,I found it, my first clam; a shattered mess of shell, meat and mud.
Click here for the rest of the story
Tags: Charleston, Clamming in Oregon
Posted by Webmaster on Feb 18, 2009 in
Crabbing in Oregon Charleston’s annual Crab Feed brought in droves of about 1,200 people who happily gave their sweethearts crab for Valentine’s — or for the Sesquicentennial, depending on who you talk to.
But after the meal, many local businesses benefited from the fundraising event, as the diners checked out what the fishing town had to offer. Mel Campbell, a Wild Woman of Charleston who also operates the information center, said shops such as Charleytown Marketplace and Chuck’s Seafood saw double the business as they would see on a regular weekend.
For photos of this event, CLICK HERE.
Tags: Charleston, Crab Feed
