Reports From the Water

Aug 17, 2026

Great Salmon Day

By Capt. Racanelli

We headed out of Hammond, Oregon with one gentleman and three gals for a day of salmon fishing, and there was plenty of action to keep everyone busy. We were able to put two nice Chinook (kings) and three great coho in the boat. We hooked into plenty of other fish throughout the day as well, but with several being wild, they were safely released to keep swimming. It was an all-around great trip with lots of action, plenty of laughs, and some beautiful salmon headed home with our guests. Another great day on the water with Hook N Ladder Fishing!

Aug 16, 2026

Mixed Bag Day

By Capt Racanelli

We headed out with four guests looking to put some tuna in the boat, and the ocean delivered! We were able to bring in around 10 tuna before switching gears and going after some halibut. After putting halibut in the boat, we worked our way back in and added some lingcod to the catch. We finished the day chasing salmon and were able to bring home a couple of nice coho as well. Tuna, halibut, lingcod, and coho all in one trip made for another awesome day on the water with a great group!

Aug 6, 2026

Father with his 2 Sons

By Derek Smith

A Great Day on the Water We had an awesome day on the water with a father and his two young sons for a family salmon trip! We started the morning out in the ocean and quickly found some action. We hooked into plenty of fish, had a lot of laughs, and were able to put a couple of beautiful coho in the boat. As the day went on, the weather decided to change things up and the ocean started getting a little choppy. Rather than let the rougher water take the fun out of the day, we headed back toward the mouth of the Columbia River where things were much smoother. It turned out to be a great move. Everyone was feeling better, the boys were having fun again, and we got right back to fishing. We hooked into a couple of Chinook and, after some excitement, finally put a nice king in the boat! It was a great trip all around with an awesome dad and his two boys. Nothing beats watching a family make memories together on the water, and we truly hope they had as much fun fishing with us as we had having them aboard. Coho, kings, a little rough water, plenty of laughs, and some great family memories — that’s a successful day at Hook N Ladder Fishing.

Aug 1, 2026

Big Blue Fin Jumping

By Capt. Racanelli

Minus Tide Mixed-Bag Day Another minus tide meant a later start, but we were greeted with a beautiful ocean once we got out. On the way offshore we actually saw bluefin jumping, so we spent some time trolling for them but couldn’t get one to bite. We picked up a few albacore throughout the day before heading back in and absolutely crushing the lingcod. We finished the day coho fishing, and the bite was completely lights out. Definitely one of those days where bouncing around and switching things up paid off.

Jul 30, 2026

Started slow but ended with a BANG!

By Capt. Racanelli

The Day started off a little slower than we wanted. The minus tide forced us to get a late start heading offshore for tuna, and the bite was pretty slow, but we were still able to grind out 10 tuna. After that, we headed back in and switched gears to lingcod, and that bite was on fire. We quickly got our 6 lingcod, with every fish weighing around 10–14 pounds. We finished off the day chasing kings and ended it on a high note with a huge 25-pound Chinook. Slow start, but we definitely made up for it by the end of the day.

Jul 28, 2026

Another good day but had to work for it.

By Capt. Racanelli

Headed offshore looking for tuna, but the ocean was a lot rougher than expected. We went right back to the same area where we had caught 43 tuna just a few days earlier, but this time the bite was completely different and we only managed to pick up a few. We decided to head back in and switch over to salmon, where we finished the day strong with some nice coho.

Jul 24, 2026

Washington Tuna Classic

By Derek Smith

🎣 Washington Tuna Classic 2026 🎣 We headed over on July 23rd excited to be part of this year’s Washington Tuna Classic — and managed to start the trip off right by putting a nice King salmon in the boat to bring home for dinner that evening! Friday gave us an absolutely beautiful day on the water. We ran about 35 miles offshore, found the tuna, and got to work. By the end of the day, we had put 45 albacore tuna on the boat! 🔥🐟 Our plan was to make it back in time for the Friday meeting and be ready to go for the main event Saturday. Unfortunately, a family emergency kept us from making the meeting, and Saturday’s rough weather ultimately kept us off the water for the tournament. Even though the weekend didn’t go exactly as planned, we’re incredibly grateful that Hook N Ladder Fishing was able to be there and support an event that does so much good. A huge part of making opportunities like this possible for us is the sponsorship and support we receive from Kubota. Their partnership with Hook N Ladder allows us to show up, get involved, and support events like the Washington Tuna Classic that turn a love of fishing into something much bigger. The Tuna Classic isn’t just about catching fish or winning a tournament. It helps raise money and food for some incredible causes and people in need, and that’s something we are proud to put our name and entry fees behind. For us, being part of the fishing community has always been about more than what comes over the rail. It’s about supporting good people, good causes, and finding ways to give back. Thank you to Kubota for believing in and supporting what we’re building at Hook N Ladder Fishing. Partnerships like this help us do more than just fish — they help us be part of something that makes a difference. We got a taste of the Washington Tuna Classic this year, and next year we’ll be back, ready to be an even bigger part of it. And putting 45 tuna on deck Friday certainly didn’t hurt! 🤙🎣 🚒🌊 Hook N Ladder Fishing Firehouse to the Open Ocean #HookNLadderFishing #Kubota #WashingtonTunaClassic #AlbacoreTuna #TunaFishing #PNWFishing #Ilwaco #OffshoreFishing #CharterFishing #GivingBack

Apr 12, 2026

First Trip of the Season

By Capt. Canon Racanelli & Derek Smith

Kicked the season off right. Lingcod were the target and limits came quick both days out — a 25-lb lingcod came up alongside two more on a single jig, plus a good pile of yellowtail rockfish. Calm seas and clean water made for about as good a start as we could've asked for. It didn't matter if we were running jigs or dead bait — everything was eating.

Mar 27, 2026

We're Live

By Capt. Canon Racanelli

Hook N Ladder Fishing is officially open for bookings. Built on service, hard work, and a passion for the outdoors, we're excited to bring guided fishing experiences along the Washington & Oregon Coast to families, first-timers, and anyone looking for a real day on the water.