July 30, 2015. Fishing in the Pacific Ocean

CAMPGROUND: Another night at Sunset Bay State Park

LOCATION: SW Oregon near Coos Bay

WEATHER: Perfect! Highs about 70

What a fun day!  We took a charter fishing boat tour out of Charleston.  There were 6 fishermen and 2 "riders', like me.  I decided to not fish to save some money, and also because we don't have refrigerator storage in case I caught a lot.  I enjoyed the ride, and watching others catch fish.  The other rider, however, a 20-something, told me that this was her first time outside of Arkansas, and first time in a boat.  She was miserable.  She threw up 4 times, and pitifully moaned and groaned the entire trip.  It was pretty choppy, with big Pacific rollers.  We followed the coastline where we had hiked.  This is one of the historic Oregon shore lighthouses.

We went out quite a ways.  The captain moved around, in a constant search for fish. We were out for about 6 hours.

We had lots of clothes on to keep warm.  We ate a picnic lunch in the cabin on our way out. 

Everyone caught 4-5 fish, rock fish of various colors, and lingcod. George caught 4 black rock fish, also called black bass.  Each weighed about 2 pounds.

Our campground has a nice fish-cleaning station.  George cleaned ours.  He left the skin on the ones we grilled directly on the campfire to sear in the juices.  He filleted and skinned one fish for a recipe I want to try.

Next to us at the fish-cleaning station were a family cleaning huge clams they had dug today.

DINNER:  Grilled rockfish with a little butter, lemon and soy sauce for seasoning.  Lettuce salad.  Fire-baked potato.  

We cooked the other fish for future meals.  Good thing I cleaned out the refrigerator!  We have lots iof fish to eat!  All free!  (Haha!!)