Months come from each species' own season curve around Depoe Bay. A strong month is strong for that fish, not a ranking against the others. Time of day, when it is shown, is today's forecast and moves with the tide.
Each row is shaded against that species' own best month here, so a dark cell means a good month for that fish rather than a comparison between them.
| Species | January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook Salmon | ||||||||||||
| Lingcod | ||||||||||||
| Black Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Halibut | ||||||||||||
| Coho Salmon | ||||||||||||
| Cabezon | ||||||||||||
| Blue Rockfish | ||||||||||||
| Copper Rockfish |
Chinook Salmon: January none, February none, March poor, April good, May excellent, June peak, July peak, August peak, September peak, October poor, November none, December none. Lingcod: January good, February excellent, March excellent, April good, May fair, June fair, July fair, August fair, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Black Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March good, April excellent, May excellent, June good, July good, August good, September fair, October fair, November fair, December fair. Halibut: January none, February poor, March good, April peak, May peak, June peak, July peak, August excellent, September fair, October poor, November none, December none. Coho Salmon: January none, February none, March none, April none, May poor, June peak, July peak, August peak, September peak, October poor, November none, December none. Cabezon: January fair, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June fair, July good, August excellent, September good, October good, November fair, December fair. Blue Rockfish: January poor, February fair, March fair, April good, May good, June excellent, July excellent, August excellent, September good, October fair, November fair, December poor. Copper Rockfish: January fair, February fair, March fair, April fair, May good, June good, July good, August good, September good, October fair, November fair, December fair.
These are today's forecast windows, taken at the spot leading each species. They are not a standing schedule.
Peaks in June, July, August and September.
Depoe Bay Chinook are primarily an ocean troll fishery peaking in late summer (August through early September) as maturing fish stage off the central Oregon coast before entering nearby rivers. A modest spring buildup reflects early ocean feeders, while winter weeks show near-absence as fish have entered rivers to spawn or moved offshore.
Excellent in February and March.
Lingcod are resident groundfish on Depoe Bay's nearshore reefs year-round, so abundance never drops to zero. The pronounced late-winter/spring peak (Feb–Apr) reflects the spawning aggregation when males guard nests on the reefs in shallower, accessible water, boosting local density before fish disperse and become slightly less concentrated through summer and fall.
Excellent in April and May.
Black rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef dwellers off Depoe Bay's nearshore rocky habitat and are present year-round. A modest spring-to-summer peak (April–July) reflects warmer, calmer water pushing fish up in the water column and inshore where they aggregate to feed, while winter storms and cooler temps scatter fish deeper and reduce apparent density but never zero out the biological stock.
Peaks in April, May, June and July.
Pacific halibut off Depoe Bay concentrate on nearshore and offshore banks as they move inshore to feed in spring, peaking roughly April through June when water temperatures rise and baitfish are abundant. Abundance gradually tapers through summer and fall as larger fish move to deeper offshore wintering grounds, leaving a lower but non-zero presence in winter.
Peaks in June, July, August and September.
Coho are ocean-migratory off Depoe Bay, absent in winter/early spring and arriving as immature fish build through summer; abundance peaks late August through mid-September (weeks 33-36) as mature schools stage nearshore before their fall river runs, then drops sharply into October as fish enter freshwater and leave the coastal zone.
Excellent in August.
Cabezon are resident nearshore reef/rocky-bottom fish present year-round off Depoe Bay, so abundance never drops to zero. The strongest peak falls in late summer through early fall (August–September) when adults aggregate on shallow reefs to guard nests after the winter–spring spawn, with a secondary spring bump; late winter shows the lowest presence as fish spread out and hold deeper post-spawn.
Excellent in June, July and August.
Blue rockfish are resident, non-migratory reef fish present year-round in Depoe Bay's nearshore rocky habitat, so abundance stays relatively flat. The summer peak (late July–August) reflects warmer, stratified water and calm conditions concentrating fish in accessible nearshore reefs, while winter storms and cooler upwelling-influenced water push aggregations deeper and more dispersed, modestly lowering local abundance.
Good in May, June, July, August and September.
Copper rockfish are non-migratory nearshore reef residents at Depoe Bay, present year-round with only mild seasonal variation. Slight summer-to-early-fall peak (Aug–Oct) reflects warmer, calmer water concentrating fish on shallow reefs and post-spawn recovery, while winter storms disperse them slightly deeper but they never leave the local rock structure.
It depends on the species. Chinook Salmon peaks in June, July, August and September. Lingcod is excellent in February and March. Black Rockfish is excellent in April and May. Halibut peaks in April, May, June and July. Coho Salmon peaks in June, July, August and September. Cabezon is excellent in August.
On October 31, 2026, the forecast windows are Chinook Salmon 3 PM to 7 PM, Lingcod 8 AM to 7 PM, Black Rockfish 8 AM to 7 PM, Halibut 8 AM to 7 PM, Cabezon 8 AM to 7 PM, Blue Rockfish 8 AM to 7 PM and Copper Rockfish 8 AM to 7 PM. These are today's model windows, not a standing schedule.