Lance Fisher Fishing | Newport, Oregon

1510 SE Bay Blvd. Suite 3
Newport, Oregon 97365
541.262.6227

Lance Fisher Fishing is a fishing guide and fishing charter service in Newport, Oregon. Newport is one of the great fishing towns on the Oregon Coast for a variety of reasons. Newport sits at the mouth of the Yaquina River, right where it meets the Pacific Ocean. It’s a quick trip from the dock, under the Yaquina Bay Bridge, out to the ocean to target the many species of sport fish found on the central Oregon Coast. Take in the views and wildlife as you enjoy some of the best halibut fishing in the Pacific Northwest, along with lingcod, rockfish, bottom fish, salmon, albacore tuna, and crabbing opportunities throughout the year. Newport is actually known as the “Dungeness Crab Capital of the World”! As a fishing guide and fishing charter operator, I’m excited to share this gem of a town with my customers.

Update: 2023 Newport Halibut Bag Limit Increases

There’s still a ways to go before the Spring quota of 173,385 lbs of halibut for the area is met, and the bag limit will be increased to 2 halibut per person effective June 12th. The 2023 Central Coast Halibut fishery will be open 7 days a week from May 1st through June 30th, with some possible additional dates in July. Our ocean trips out of Newport may include halibut, rock fish, and crab. Get ready to reel in some fish!

Newport Ocean Fishing

Newport Halibut Fishing

Halibut fishing takes center stage in Newport during the late spring and early summer. Depending on the day and conditions, we’ll cruise out to the Rock Pile or Chicken Ranch to target some good sized fish, like 3-4′ in length! On the way back in, we may be able to add some lingcod or rockfish to the fish box. These combo trips give the greatest fishing opportunities and are the favorite trip of our customers. Who doesn’t like the possibility of bringing home a smorgasbord?

Newport Salmon Fishing

Spring, Summer, and Fall salmon fishing opportunities exist out of Newport. Whether it’s Chinook, Coho, or both species we’re targeting, we run salmon fishing trips for over 6 months each year. We’re always happy to take you out for a salmon only trip, but many times we’re able to add bottom fishing to the trip and/or drop the crab pots to add to your haul.

Newport Bottom Fishing

We fish for lingcod and rockfish in the nearshore fishery just a short trip out of Newport. With usual limits of 5 rockfish and 2 lingcod per person, you’ll have plenty of fresh fish to take home with you after your day on the water.

Newport Albacore Tuna Fishing

Albacore tuna fishing takes place during some of the nicest months of the year. The season typically runs from late July through September, based on conditions. Our tuna trips take place on Legion’s Mercy, with a maximum of 4 anglers on board. We want to make sure there is plenty of room for everyone while the bite gets hot… and room for all of the fish you’re hoping to bring home.

Visiting Newport

Newport Hotels and Places to Stay

There are lots of places to stay in the area. Preference certainly depends on your comfort requirements and budget. The Embarcadero Resort  is prepared to take wonderful care of you while you stay in Newport, and includes a crabbing dock if you want to try your luck from land. 

Newport Restaurants and Places to Eat

As far as small coastal towns, Newport has some great food choices. Whether you’re looking for fine dining, gluten-free, or a hole-in-the-wall joint, Newport has options. Fresh seafood fills many of the local restaurant menus, but there’s great pizza and burgers as well.

Newport Places to Visit

While the fishing is super cool, you could find yourself with time to visit some of the tourist attractions in the area. The famous Newport Aquarium, where Keiko lived, the Yaquina Head Lighthouse, which has been in several movies, golf courses, and of course, miles of beach to walk. You could spend a solid day just checking out everything in town. Here’s some suggestions of places to visit while you’re in Newport.

Frequently Asked Fishing Questions About Newport

What is the difference between a “big boat fishing charter” and a fishing guide?

At Lance Fisher Fishing we run small private fishing charters. We have a two different types of boats that we run, which are licensed and built to fish a max of 4 to 6 people at a time. Our classic sled trips can accommodate up to 6 anglers on board 26-28′ boats, while our 34′ Venture, Legion’s Mercy is set up for a maximum of 5 anglers (4 for tuna). For larger groups, we simply use multiple boats.

Big boat fishing charters could have as many as 40 people on a fishing trip. That’s a lot of people! The cost per person is typically less than our guided fishing trips, but you know the saying…”you get what you pay for.” To us, a guided fishing trip is personal. We get to know our customers and are hands-on the entire trip. We’re here to help you have the best possible experience you can have and we can do that by running smaller boats. A huge part of fishing is being on fish. We may travel 20-40 miles during a trip, just getting to and from the fishing grounds. We’re cruising at speeds up to 40 miles per hour while the big charters max out at 10-15 miles per hour. That means we get where we’re going sooner and have more time to fish than the charter boats! When we’re actively fishing, we’re moving with the fish. Our guide boats can make tight turns and maneuver in ways that big charter boats can’t, or won’t, which gives our customers more opportunities to catch fish. We strive to make your day on the water special and memorable.

What should you wear when fishing in Newport?

Newport, along with the majority of the Oregon Coast, has its own unique weather. It can be 75 degrees, beautiful and calm in Portland while it’s 53 degrees, breezy, and damp in Newport. Or it can be the other way around with nice weather in Newport and dreary weather in Portland. You just never know, so it’s best to be prepared, especially when we’re cruising out to the ocean. Sometimes we take on spray as we’re traveling, so feel free to bring a towel on board if you like.

It’s a REALLY good idea to have rain gear on board. I usually fish in shorts and a T-shirt and always have a sweatshirt for the morning. I simply put my rain gear over my shorts and T-shirt when I need it and can quickly slip it off again if the weather decides to get nice. There is plenty of storage room in my boat, so bring a bag with your layers for the day.

We will be flying home. How can we get our fish home?

We get this question a lot. Enough to make a page to give you all sorts of information about how to get your fish home with the airlines.

Fishing Licenses- What license and tags do I need? Where do I get them?

Everyone who fishes must have an Oregon fishing license and tag. These can be obtained with either an annual license or with a day license. Children’s and youth licenses are either free or very affordable, but they still must have a license, along with their paid tags. Be sure to have your license purchased before your trip so that you’re ready to tag your catch. When you book a trip with us, we’ll include the link and details for licenses in your trip confirmation.

There are local stores that sell fishing licenses. This is a great option if you’re fishing with kids. If you’d prefer to purchase online, you can visit the ODFW site and print your license and tag at the time of purchase. You can also e-tag by downloading the myODFW app. E-tagging makes tagging your fish simple and quick when we’re out on the boat.

What makes a good fishing guide?

A good fishing guide is of course an excellent fisherman, but at Lance Fisher Fishing, there’s a lot more to being a good guide besides just being a good fisherman. A good fishing guide is also kind, professional with their words and demeanor, and patient in all circumstances. While a good fishing guide is always looking to bring the most fish to the boat, a good guide will never blame a client for losing a fish. Fish sometimes fall off the hooks. It happens. That’s part of fishing. Before you ever arrive at the boats, we have everything prepared and ready, with our high-end equipment in excellent working order. Being a good guide is hard work and we pride ourselves on being able to put all of this together for our customers.

For more information on any of our fishing trips, don’t hesitate to contact us. We’re here to help and our goal is to make your fishing trip to Newport as seamless and enjoyable as possible.

Are you interested other fishing possibilities? Visit our locations in Astoria, Oregon and Portland, Oregon. You can also see our fishing trips throughout Oregon and Washington.