Fisherman for a Day

July 10, 2014 (Updated August 18, 2015)
Dockside Charters

Portland Chef Gabriel Rucker’s commitment to fresh, local cuisine runs deep. “Oregon chefs are really passionate about the local, sustainable and farm-to-table,” he says. Rucker employs his own passion to the menus of his restaurants in Portland — LePigeon and Little Bird.

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In his ongoing quest to experience the freshest Oregon bounty, Rucker spends a day with Dockside Charters out of Depoe Bay just south of Lincoln City. After motoring out of the protected cove, under the historic Depoe Bay Bridge and out into the ocean, the charter guides give Rucker a few tips about casting for lingcod. On this part of the Coast the tasty fish can weigh up to 50 pounds.

Out at sea, Rucker has beginner’s luck, pulling in lingcod and rockfish and getting sprayed by the spout of a 35-ton humpback whale lingering just off the port side of the boat.

A sunny day of summertime fishing like this one is just the tip of the iceberg. Oregon’s Coast, rivers and lakes offer some kind of fishing every season of the year, which is great news for outdoor lovers and foodies alike.

Explore more: Get to know the Oregon Coast. Book a guided fishing charter and a room at the Salishan Coastal Lodge or the Surfrider Resort. For more fishing inspiration, check out Catch of the Day: Southern Coast Fishing.

About The
Author

Eileen Garvin
Eileen Garvin lives and writes in Hood River. When she’s not hunched over her keyboard or digging in the garden, you can find her mountain biking, kiteboarding, hiking, skiing or camping somewhere in Oregon.