Visiting Coos Bay 3-30 to 4-4

I’m from CA and visit Coos Bay a couple of times a year. My wife grew up in Coos Bay. I’ll be in town from 3-30 to 4-4 and am planning to take the family out for a couple of fishing and crabbing trips if the weather permits. I would really like to fish at Sunset Bay. If the weather is less cooperative, I was thinking to try to launch in the bay from the North Spit near the north jetty. Looks like you could just paddle out a very short distance and try for crabs and rockfish. What is the sand road like out there? Any other suggestions welcome.

I would love to meet up with NWKAers and am open to fish anywhere.

John

I've only been out that far on the North spit once, and maybe there's another route, but after you pass the chip pile (opposite the North Bend Airport) the road is all sand and the sand is deep and mighty soft.  From talking with others, I've been told most folks launch near the chip pile.

Other folks with more experience in that spot may know a different vehicle route or a better launch point and can be of more help.

The rivers are at or above flood stage right now and that's affecting the color and the salinity of the Bay.  You'll be there during a spring tide period so keep an eye on the tides - they can get ripping through there.

Ling ling, Herro?  and rogerdodger have provided reports on this fishery, maybe drop them a note for advice.

I launch on the east side of the bay, near Fossil Point (little parking area just past the DairyQueen and Bacon Ln) and pedal right across to the sunken jetties to crab/fish, good area but the tidal current around the #7 Green nav. aid can be very strong especially during the ebb this time of year (outgoing tide + current = yuck).  The tides that weekend are strong, I would be careful except around high or low slack (due to the water flow this time of year, high slack will be shorter than usual).  Wind out of the S or SE is worst for that area (waves build across the bay on their way to you), least concern is wind from W or NW.

I am chomping at the bit to get out of Sunset Bay soon on my i11s but the conditions just haven't been right, MagicSeaWeed (as of now) has strong winds that weekend you are visiting.  We are due for a really nice day, maybe that first week of April will toss us one.  Conditions should come into focus middle of this coming week.

cheers, roger

Just launch in Charleston. Much faster and easier than driving out the spit. Unless you enjoy off roading and have a good 4x4. Most of the road is just soft sand. You can launch at the ramp or at Point Adams(end of Alaska Packer road). Try to fish around high tide. The sunken jetty by the north jetty is good fishing sometimes. Its obvious on google earth. There are some other sunken jettys and rockpiles also. You can also find fish up river around the railroad trestles. Best at slack tide.

Thanks for all the good info.

I'm definitely planning to only be on the water at slack tide, hour before and after high or low. I've been out there in a PB when the tide was ripping and I wouldn't want to do that in a kayak.

It looks like the weather might calm down next week so hopefully there will be a good day to go out at Sunset Bay. I'll post updates as my plans develop.

Thanks for all the good info.

I'm definitely planning to only be on the water at slack tide, hour before and after high or low. I've been out there in a PB when the tide was ripping and I wouldn't want to do that in a kayak.

It looks like the weather might calm down next week so hopefully there will be a good day to go out at Sunset Bay. I'll post updates as my plans develop.

excellent, I was hoping you might be familiar with the area...the weather sure is cooperating,

I am seeing Sat, Sun and Mon as very good Sunset Bay days as of now, swell prediction looks solid, the wind prediction should firm up in another day or 2.  cheers, roger

I'm planning to head out of Sunset Bay tomorrow at 7am, assuming I can get my boys out of bed. We'll be on two orange wilderness system and one blue tandem kayak.

I'm planning to head out of Sunset Bay tomorrow at 7am, assuming I can get my boys out of bed. We'll be on two orange wilderness system and one blue tandem kayak.

I like the wind forecast better Sunday, launching at first light on my i11s.  cheers, roger

I agree, but unfortunately Easter is a non starter for the family. Good luck out there.

the wind wasn't an issue early Sunday but the short period swell and mixed chop kicked my ass, I did manage 4 nice blacks (2#, 2.25#, 2.5#, and a tank) then I barfed and headed in about 9am.  the big one is my personal best at 21" and 4#5ounces.  squid (from the ones I caught) was the trick this morning,   

Very respectable if not huge. Sounds like you earned it, nice job!

Out there with your inflatable, you were stylin'.  Until you blew your cookies, anyway.  It must have been as bumpy up there as it was down here.

Did "Go COUGS" make it feel worse or make no difference?

Nice stringer!  Good work, roger! 

Very respectable if not huge. Sounds like you earned it, nice job!

I totally agree.  I have only fished this Sunset Bay-Simpson Reef area at depths 30' to 70'.  The first time was early 2016 from my Oasis and before that, I had never bottom fished ever from any type of boat.  cheers, roger

Out there with your inflatable, you were stylin'.  Until you blew your cookies, anyway.  It must have been as bumpy up there as it was down here.

Did "Go COUGS" make it feel worse or make no difference?

I did think about that since on Feb.8, I had the Oasis out in the same area in similar swell except with longer spacing and slightly lower height.  Adding this to my other trips in both boats (about 5 in each boat) over the last 2 years, I conclude they are equal:  how I feel after an amount of time under similar conditions just doesn't depend on the boats.  cheers, roger