Tradewinds Charters

Since 1938, Tradewinds Charters has been launching adventures from Depoe Bay's famously compact harbor — boasting a 98% whale sighting success rate and some of the finest bottom fishing, salmon, halibut, and tuna trips on the Oregon Coast.

Tradewinds Charters has operated from the North End of the Depoe Bay Bridge on Highway 101 since 1938, making it one of the oldest continuously operating charter companies on the Oregon Coast. The company runs a fleet of six Coast Guard-certified vessels out of a private dock conveniently located just below the office, offering year-round fishing trips and whale watching cruises. Known as the "Whale Watching Capital of the Oregon Coast," Depoe Bay provides access to resident and migratory Gray Whales virtually year-round, and Tradewinds reports a 98% sighting success rate on its cruises. Fishing trips range from the popular 5-hour Bottom Fishing excursion targeting Lingcod, Sea Bass, Cabezon, Canaries, China Rock, and Sea Trout, to longer specialty trips for Coho and Chinook Salmon, Pacific Halibut, and offshore Albacore Tuna. A 5-hour Bottom Fishing and Crabbing combo lets guests sample Oregon's famous Dungeness crab, and a new 3-hour Crabbing and Scenic Whale Watching trip has recently been added to the lineup. Additional services at the dock include fish filleting, crab cooking, and vacuum packing. Tradewinds also offers private charters for weddings at sea and memorial ash scatterings, along with discounts for military, veterans, seniors, children, and frontline police and fire workers. The company is co-owned by Tadd Mick, Noelie Achen, and Chris Schaffner, and proudly partners with the Oregon Kelp Alliance (ORKA) and Free Fishing Poles for Kids – Oregon Coast in support of conservation and community giving. Tradewinds was named Oregon's Small Business of the Year and has been recognized as Lincoln County's Best Attraction for 2024, 2025, and 2026.