SOA Charters - Winchester Bay
Winchester Bay, Oregon - the mouth of the mighty Umpuqua River and the Pacific Ocean, a place where there is a bounty of wonderful fish practically waiting to give a good angler a great fight. SOA Charters will take you to the hottest local fishing spots in search of that great fight.
The vessel used is a 28’ 250 Alaskan, manufactured by Hewescraft and designed for offshore fishing. This beauty is brand new, meaning she was built in 2020. She’s powered by twin Yamaha engines, each producing an impressive 150 HP. The boat can hold 6 anglers comfortably fishing at the same time. A live bait well is available on board, to give you an added advantage when going after the fish.
Join Captain Travis Marsh, an expert in fishing ocean waters, as you go after the stunning Salmon that’s available in the area. The Pink Fin Perch is also on the catch list. Crabs are teeming in the area and SOA Charters takes full advantage of that fact, bringing you right to the best spots for crabbing. You can expect to use light and heavy tackle, as well as do some trolling, bottom fishing, or even handline. All required equipment is provided by the charter.
Children are more than welcome to come on board and get hooked on fishing, though there is a minimum age policy of 5. The captain provides vests in all sizes. The crew will clean and fillet your catch free of charge and the Crab can be cooked and cleaned at the local fishery for an extra fee. Clients are advised to bring adequate clothing, sunscreen, and polarized sunglasses.
Trips can only be booked if there are a minimum of 3 people in the group. License & Tags are required to fish and can be purchased online or at one of the local retailers.
Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (34)
+31Angler rating
Anglers claimed
Good experience
83%
Appropriate for children
90%
Friendly captain
100%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Recommend this charter
88%
Caught fish
75%
Aug 2, 2025
Salmon
Tom is a great guide
Tom took our family of four out for salmon fishing near the mouth of the Umpqua. We're all new to charter fishing. He was happy to answer our dumb questions and we learned a lot from him. He really accommodated our interests and he looked after everyone to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. I wouldn't hesitate to fish with him again.
Tom took our family of four out for salmon fishing near the mouth of the Umpqua. We're all new to charter fishing. He was happy...
Jun 9, 2025
Rockfish + Crabbing
June fishing trip
Great experience! Even though we had rough water, the captain & crew did an awesome job. Came home with the limit of crab and more fish than we needed.
Great experience! Even though we had rough water, the captain & crew did an awesome job. Came home with the limit of crab and...
Sep 1, 2024
Salmon
Great day on the ocean
The day for our anticipated salmon trip was here. Met at the dock early only to have to boat. Messaged captain half hour later and he said he was overbooked and unable to take us until afternoon. A big disappointment since it was our last day on the coast and we were up at 5am. 12:30 came around and captain Travis pulled in. We waited another half hour for him to go buy more bait. Finally on board at 1:30 with no introduction by captain, no safety briefing, no explanation of what to expect, etc. He was very knowledgeable but very intense. His job was to get us where the fish were biting, and he did. We’re listening to Coast Guard radio about high surf at the mouth of the river and we became a bit concerned, yet we continued. A simple explanation from the captain would have been nice. Overall, our captain did his job about getting into the fish. Maybe because the other fishermen were returning customers and he was a little thrown that we were added last minute, the captain forgot about a safety briefing which we believe to be important and he seemed ill-prepared. There were also rusty tools and hooks strewn about. An hour of the six-hour trip started slow, but we ripped thru the incoming swells and found the fish. Felt bad for one customer who lost his fish and the captain seemed to belittle him for not following his shouted instructions. All guests got what the came for. Sadly, their charter was $100 less because they booked direct. Well know next time.
The day for our anticipated salmon trip was here. Met at the dock early only to have to boat. Messaged captain half hour later...
Captain replied
Aug 30, 2024
Rockfish + Crabbing
1st time on the ocean
This is the first time out on a boat in the ocean. We got crab , many rockfish & 1 cod. I would do it again anytime !
This is the first time out on a boat in the ocean. We got crab , many rockfish & 1 cod. I would do it again anytime !
Jun 13, 2024
7 Hour Trip – Smallmouth Bass
Amazing day on the Umqua getting some small mouth!
What a great experience with Captain Travis on the river going after smallmouth. He is extremely knowledgeable, great with his gear and an all around good guy to spend 7 hours on a boat with! Do not hesitate to book an outing with SOA Charters, you will not be disappointed!
What a great experience with Captain Travis on the river going after smallmouth. He is extremely knowledgeable, great with his...
Trip availability and prices
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Customer reviews
Rating summary
Photos & videos by reviewers (34)
+31Angler rating
Anglers claimed
Good experience
83%
Appropriate for children
90%
Friendly captain
100%
Satisfied with the boat
100%
Recommend this charter
88%
Caught fish
75%
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Tom is a great guide
Salmon on August 2, 2025
Tom took our family of four out for salmon fishing near the mouth of the Umpqua. We're all new to charter fishing. He was happy to answer our dumb questions and we learned a lot from him. He really accommodated our interests and he looked after everyone to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. I wouldn't hesitate to fish with him again.
Tom took our family of four out for salmon fishing near the mouth of the Umpqua. We're all new to charter fishing. He was happy to answer our dumb questions and we learned a lot from him. He really accommodated our interests and he looked after everyone to make sure we were enjoying ourselves. I wouldn't hesitate to fish with him again.
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
June fishing trip
Rockfish + Crabbing on June 9, 2025
Great experience! Even though we had rough water, the captain & crew did an awesome job. Came home with the limit of crab and more fish than we needed.
Great experience! Even though we had rough water, the captain & crew did an awesome job. Came home with the limit of crab and more fish than we needed.
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Great day on the ocean
Salmon on September 1, 2024
The day for our anticipated salmon trip was here. Met at the dock early only to have to boat. Messaged captain half hour later and he said he was overbooked and unable to take us until afternoon. A big disappointment since it was our last day on the coast and we were up at 5am. 12:30 came around and captain Travis pulled in. We waited another half hour for him to go buy more bait. Finally on board at 1:30 with no introduction by captain, no safety briefing, no explanation of what to expect, etc. He was very knowledgeable but very intense. His job was to get us where the fish were biting, and he did. We’re listening to Coast Guard radio about high surf at the mouth of the river and we became a bit concerned, yet we continued. A simple explanation from the captain would have been nice. Overall, our captain did his job about getting into the fish. Maybe because the other fishermen were returning customers and he was a little thrown that we were added last minute, the captain forgot about a safety briefing which we believe to be important and he seemed ill-prepared. There were also rusty tools and hooks strewn about. An hour of the six-hour trip started slow, but we ripped thru the incoming swells and found the fish. Felt bad for one customer who lost his fish and the captain seemed to belittle him for not following his shouted instructions. All guests got what the came for. Sadly, their charter was $100 less because they booked direct. Well know next time.
The day for our anticipated salmon trip was here. Met at the dock early only to have to boat. Messaged captain half hour later and he said he was overbooked and unable to take us until afternoon. A big disappointment since it was our last day on the coast and we were up at 5am. 12:30 came around and captain Travis pulled in. We waited another half hour for him to go buy more bait. Finally on board at 1:30 with no introduction by captain, no safety briefing, no explanation of what to expect,...
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
1st time on the ocean
Rockfish + Crabbing on August 30, 2024
This is the first time out on a boat in the ocean. We got crab , many rockfish & 1 cod. I would do it again anytime !
This is the first time out on a boat in the ocean. We got crab , many rockfish & 1 cod. I would do it again anytime !
Experience:
Boat
Crew
Overall
Amazing day on the Umqua getting some small mouth!
7 Hour Trip – Smallmouth Bass on June 13, 2024
What a great experience with Captain Travis on the river going after smallmouth. He is extremely knowledgeable, great with his gear and an all around good guy to spend 7 hours on a boat with! Do not hesitate to book an outing with SOA Charters, you will not be disappointed!
What a great experience with Captain Travis on the river going after smallmouth. He is extremely knowledgeable, great with his gear and an all around good guy to spend 7 hours on a boat with! Do not hesitate to book an outing with SOA Charters, you will not be disappointed!
FAQs about SOA Charters - Winchester Bay
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What is the boat like?
