King Salmon Are Caught Near Newport Harbor

King salmon, generally targeted by fishermen in northern waters, have shown up in fairly impressive numbers recently just outside Newport Harbor.

Fishermen have been catching the game fish on an incidental basis in recent days. The 11 aboard Newport Landing’s Reveille each caught his two-fish limit in just a few hours Wednesday, which may indicate a lasting bite similar to one in the same area two years ago.

“It’s not unusual that they are down there in the spring, because the water is usually at its coldest at this time,” said Dave Parker, a biologist with the Department of Fish and Game. “It was unusual two years ago because of the magnitude. They were catching them down there for a month, maybe longer.”

Skipper Jim Watts said he came across the fish Tuesday--his passengers hooking three and catching one--after spending most of the day fishing for rockfish.

He decided to try specifically for salmon on Wednesday.

“We went out looking around, about a quarter-mile off (Newport) Harbor, and we saw some birds, then some salmon flashing through some bait,” Watts said.

In a few hours his passengers had boated their legal shares of salmon weighing between 10 and 18 pounds.