Dockside Charters
Dockside Charters
4.5
Fishing Charters & Tours • Dolphin & Whale Watching
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7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Monday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Tuesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Wednesday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Thursday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Friday
7:00 AM - 6:00 PM
Saturday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Sunday
7:00 AM - 5:00 PM
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About
Oregon's best whale watching and charter fishing service. Whale watching and sight seeing cruises! Clean Comfortable Well maintained boats for the best fishing & whale watching adventures We also offer Dungeness Crab options with all ROCKFISH AND LING COD TRIPS.
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Detailed Reviews: Reviews order informed by descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as cleanliness, atmosphere, general tips and location information.
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4.5
302 reviews
Excellent
232
Very good
36
Average
11
Poor
8
Terrible
15
Mred
Depoe Bay, OR17 contributions
Sep 2022 • Friends
What a wonderful experience! We went on the Bottom fishing 5hr trip with crabbing. Everything was provided except the fish. The Captain J.T. and his deck hand, Pete, was most informative and helpful. Pete was spot on to help everyone especially when landing a fish. The crabbing was the most fun, watching everyone, including myself pulling up the crab cage. And what size crabs! We all got 7 huge crabs apiece. The boat ride off shore was a bit challenging trying to keep a balance. Seas wasn’t rough only the swells were causing the boat to rock. Wear something warm as the seas and air temp is in the 50’s.
We caught a Ling, Rock fish and Black Bass plus got our crabs. Upon return to the dock they have a fish cleaning service for a small charge as well as crab steaming. This is one trip We will go again. Well worth it - don’t miss it!
We caught a Ling, Rock fish and Black Bass plus got our crabs. Upon return to the dock they have a fish cleaning service for a small charge as well as crab steaming. This is one trip We will go again. Well worth it - don’t miss it!
Written September 1, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Dustymouse
Salem, OR82 contributions
Aug 2020
We booked our fishing trip the day before on a mid week afternoon bottom fishing trip. Oregon was under Covid 19 restrictions but the trip was still enjoyable. The weather had started to cool off so the Ling Cod were not biting. A change in the weather mean the wind was picking up and the water was starting to get choppy. As the trip progressed it was harder for the boat to stay where the fish were so less time was spent with hooks near the bottom. My nephew and I still put 8 nice sea bass in our basket.We paid for one crab pot. The crabbing yielded and average of 6 and a half crabs making the crabbing the best deal of the day. The best value was being on the ocean for the first time in ten years and spending time with my nephew.
Written August 26, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
S’carbo
3 contributions
May 2020 • Family
I’ve been out on the Samson many times with Lars and Shad. I’ve also been with Loren and Dorinda on the Hot Pursuit The folks at Dockside Charters are extended family. When Lars passed away I couldn’t look at any of the fishing pictures on my wall without shedding tears. I made many fond memories on his boat and I hope he’s still fishing along heavens coastline.
If you’ve never been fishing or whale watching with these wonderful people, you’re missing out! I’ve caught many whoppers over the years. I’ve also returned with a few bass. That’s why the call it “fishing”! You never know what your going reel in or if the bite is on... until you get there. When I read a review from a sourpuss who goes out once or twice and the writes a rotten review because they didn't get the amount of fish they want or could have bought fish cheaper... I'd like to rearange their perspective.
I've had many amazing experiences fishing the Oregon coast on these boats! That said, getting fish in the boat isn’t guaranteed on any vessel. What is guaranteed is having a seasoned captain take you out to sea and place you on top of some excellent fishing holes where you’ll get lucky more often than not.
These are the best charter boats on the west coast. You’d have to travel north to Canada or Alaska to get anywhere near the quality of these guides. I’ve fished more than most and have chartered the best. I’m proud to have Dock Side charters in my backyard.
I’ve had many families go out with us on whale watching and fishing expeditions. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. I’ve noticed that little kids tend to catch the whoppers and the staff is always attentive to the young and old new comers. If you don’t know how to filet your fish, no worries, they’ve got great help that will do all of that for a modest fee. Your can even have your fish vacuum sealed!
On a side note, this business is 100% LGBTQ+ friendly. Rude behavior isn’t tolerated by the staff. My very diverse family have always felt at home with Dockside!
If you’ve never been fishing or whale watching with these wonderful people, you’re missing out! I’ve caught many whoppers over the years. I’ve also returned with a few bass. That’s why the call it “fishing”! You never know what your going reel in or if the bite is on... until you get there. When I read a review from a sourpuss who goes out once or twice and the writes a rotten review because they didn't get the amount of fish they want or could have bought fish cheaper... I'd like to rearange their perspective.
I've had many amazing experiences fishing the Oregon coast on these boats! That said, getting fish in the boat isn’t guaranteed on any vessel. What is guaranteed is having a seasoned captain take you out to sea and place you on top of some excellent fishing holes where you’ll get lucky more often than not.
These are the best charter boats on the west coast. You’d have to travel north to Canada or Alaska to get anywhere near the quality of these guides. I’ve fished more than most and have chartered the best. I’m proud to have Dock Side charters in my backyard.
I’ve had many families go out with us on whale watching and fishing expeditions. The staff are very friendly and knowledgeable. I’ve noticed that little kids tend to catch the whoppers and the staff is always attentive to the young and old new comers. If you don’t know how to filet your fish, no worries, they’ve got great help that will do all of that for a modest fee. Your can even have your fish vacuum sealed!
On a side note, this business is 100% LGBTQ+ friendly. Rude behavior isn’t tolerated by the staff. My very diverse family have always felt at home with Dockside!
Written April 29, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
jacMontana
Glendive, MT6 contributions
Jul 2021
When booking a trip through Dockside, you can choose which boat you would like. I hope more people list their boats in the reviews to help others decide which to choose.
Our boat was Outer Limits. The captain was condescending from the start and the deckhand was pretty unhelpful (with the exception of pulling in fish) and seemed pretty uninterested in being there. I highly would NOT recommend that boat to anyone. We had teenagers with us in our six-member party and they didn't help us make sure our group could stay together. We had members from our group spread out all over the boat. With that said, they offered no extra help fishing, just an attitude of annoyance when our inexperienced fishermen lost a fish. We have done fishing charters before, even in Depoe Bay, and the experience can be improved greatly by a staff who makes an effort. The staff on Outer Limits actually made our experience LESS enjoyable.
As for Dockside itself, the process of booking was smooth, getting licenses on the premises was very easy and the location was good, as the walk to the boat and fish cleaning afterward was pretty convenient.
Our boat was Outer Limits. The captain was condescending from the start and the deckhand was pretty unhelpful (with the exception of pulling in fish) and seemed pretty uninterested in being there. I highly would NOT recommend that boat to anyone. We had teenagers with us in our six-member party and they didn't help us make sure our group could stay together. We had members from our group spread out all over the boat. With that said, they offered no extra help fishing, just an attitude of annoyance when our inexperienced fishermen lost a fish. We have done fishing charters before, even in Depoe Bay, and the experience can be improved greatly by a staff who makes an effort. The staff on Outer Limits actually made our experience LESS enjoyable.
As for Dockside itself, the process of booking was smooth, getting licenses on the premises was very easy and the location was good, as the walk to the boat and fish cleaning afterward was pretty convenient.
Written July 28, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
chermeister22
Fort Lauderdale, FL74 contributions
May 2022 • Solo
Would’ve given them 5 stars except their deckhands had horrible attitudes.
Otherwise, our captain was amazing. We were on the Surfrider boat. Caught tons of rockfish and ling. Even saw a whale while deep sea fishing. Check in was a breeze and the ladies remembered us by our first name.
Didn’t particularly like that we had to pay for the fish to be filet and vacuum packed (cash only).
We had added crabbing to the trip and the total crab was split between everyone that paid.
You didn’t have a choice at the end about them cooking it or not….it was $16 for two of us…4 crab each.
They boiled them on-site.
Overall great experience but costly. Different deckhands would’ve made the experience even better (they did work their butts off).
Otherwise, our captain was amazing. We were on the Surfrider boat. Caught tons of rockfish and ling. Even saw a whale while deep sea fishing. Check in was a breeze and the ladies remembered us by our first name.
Didn’t particularly like that we had to pay for the fish to be filet and vacuum packed (cash only).
We had added crabbing to the trip and the total crab was split between everyone that paid.
You didn’t have a choice at the end about them cooking it or not….it was $16 for two of us…4 crab each.
They boiled them on-site.
Overall great experience but costly. Different deckhands would’ve made the experience even better (they did work their butts off).
Written May 27, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ash Lee
Kalispell, MT6 contributions
Aug 2021 • Family
We booked an Whale Watching trip and had a fantastic time. Our boat was the Tacklebuster and the captian JT was a super nice guy. I believe the deckhand was Kyler/Tyler, I cant be certain as we kept to the front of the boat and only spoke briefly in loading and unloadibg. JT got us out and we followed a few whales at a distance down the coast. He was very imformative and explained where we were, what to look for and the history of the resident whales. We had a blast and enjoyed every minute of it. We’ll be back again, to book a fishing adventure and will be sure to request the Tacklebuster.
Written August 13, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
ceutce
Salt Lake City, UT102 contributions
Jul 2022
The confirmation on the email said to call 48 hours prior to the tour to check weather conditions and to confirm the tour. I did just that and the woman who answered the phone could not have been more rude as if she forgot part of her job is to deal with the public. The tour today was fair. The captian of the boat relied on everyone on the tour to spot the whales. You can see the whales in Depoe Bay from the shore or the bridge just as well as you could see them on the boat we were on. It was fine but the actual knowledge of the crew was poor. Save your money and view the whales from shore. No need to pay to see something you don't have to pay to see.
Written July 28, 2022
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Tyler Z
Mountain Home, ID1 contribution
Oct 2021 • Friends
Great company to work with! We had a blast and will go here again. The captain and he crew were knowledgeable and helpful. They were able to get us on the fish and worked hard the whole time getting fish on and off. Thanks for the experience and we will be back for salmon!! :0)
Written November 3, 2021
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
68Mustang
1 contribution
Oct 2020
This will be my first review ever.
I dont like the internet much as I am pretty old fashioned.
Soooo....I went on this trip and had an experience that will last the rest of my life. The captain of the boat was in his twenties but very experienced and very mature. He was fun to go out with and had allot of great advise when I asked for it.
The fishing was awesome, though 800 feet deep and catching two fish at once was painful. A good kind of pain.
The people of the company afterwards felt like a warm family. The lady that cut up the fish was very talented and the lady vacuum packing the fish was very smart and thorough. Best 260 I ever spent!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I dont like the internet much as I am pretty old fashioned.
Soooo....I went on this trip and had an experience that will last the rest of my life. The captain of the boat was in his twenties but very experienced and very mature. He was fun to go out with and had allot of great advise when I asked for it.
The fishing was awesome, though 800 feet deep and catching two fish at once was painful. A good kind of pain.
The people of the company afterwards felt like a warm family. The lady that cut up the fish was very talented and the lady vacuum packing the fish was very smart and thorough. Best 260 I ever spent!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Written October 9, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Jo J
46 contributions
Jul 2020
The Zephyr is the only way to watch whales - it is amazing to be near whales that are much larger than your vessel! Because of COVID they have limited the amount of people to 4 on a tour. We took the 1 1/2 trip and saw several whales - 4 at one time! The Skipper had interesting facts to share and kept us safe. In addition to whales we saw seals, waterfowl and large jelly fish. It was amazing - I take all my visitors to Dockside as they treat us great. Prices are $20 for a hour or $25 for an hour and a half.
Written July 18, 2020
This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews.
Ambassador252169
Tacoma, WA
What is the cost of fishing on ur boat?
Jeff G
Lincoln City, OR58 contributions
it was $75.00 per person for bottom fishing. More if crabbing combo.
Planning a week over July 4 will there be whale watching tours
Brian S
22 contributions
To my knowledge, whale watching is a year round event at Depoe Bay. I am sure you could book a tour by calling Dockside Charters.
TracieB
1 contribution
We will be there April 21st 2018. Does anyone know what time the whale watching tours are and what the whale watching is like that time of year?
Kathleen1924
Richland 22 contributions
I would go to their web sites they post updates. We also call the week we are planning on going out. They are very helpful !
info on prices for charters june 22 or 23rd 208 461 5217 thanks dennis and eve born
Rachel L
Boise, ID88 contributions
When my hubby and I went on our trip 2 weeks ago, I Googled "Dockside Charters, Depoe Bay, Oregon." And found the pricing and reservation number on the website. You can click around and find what you're looking for there. It's $20 per person. Very fair priced! And you can find a $2.00 off coupon, per adult, on the site as well. Definitely call them to reserve and check for weather updates. Cheers!
KOKnight
Holyoke, CO242 contributions
We are from Colorado and are planning on a charter with you guys in August. We were wondering if we can have our fish packed and shipped back to Colorado for us or what do you recommend?
Navigate118552
12 contributions
Yes they clean vacuum seal and freeze fish. For a fee but so worth it!
ronald97
Redmond, OR10 contributions
Do you allow smoking on your fishing charters? We are non-smokers and don't appreciate getting smoke blown into our faces and getting sea sick.
ronald97
Redmond, OR10 contributions
Do you allow smoking on your fishing charters? We are non-smokers and don't appreciate getting smoke blown into our faces and getting sea sick.