Top Notch Ocean Charters runs ocean fishing trips off the Washington coast departing daily from La Push Marina, led by Captain Jim Richeson, who also operates Quillayute River Guide Service for steelhead and salmon river trips through the fall and winter. La Push offers the same quality fishing found at better-known ports like Neah Bay, Westport, and Ilwaco, without the crowds, giving anglers a quieter, less-fished stretch of the Washington coast to explore.
Trips run aboard a custom 31-foot Uniflite boat built by Ed Beck of Beck Boats, featuring a walk-around house for added fishing space, an enclosed bathroom, seating for six inside the cabin, Scotty downriggers, and full safety equipment including an eight-man life raft, EPIRB, and satellite phone. Though the boat can comfortably fish up to eight anglers, Top Notch Ocean Charters keeps trips capped at six to ensure a more enjoyable day on the water, with a second boat available for larger groups.
The season runs mid-March through mid-October, covering halibut, salmon, lingcod, rockfish, and albacore tuna depending on the time of year. Halibut grounds sit within about an hour and a half of the marina, with fish ranging from 15 to over 100 pounds. Salmon season typically opens in mid-June, fishing the productive waters off La Push and nearby Umatilla Reef, a summer feeding ground for salmon migrating from as far as California and Alaska. Lingcod and rockfish trips run from March through October, with an offshore trophy lingcod option reaching deeper holes about 25 miles out where fish average 20 pounds, with some over 40. Sightseeing and whale watching trips are also available throughout the season for guests who want to spot seals, sea lions, porpoises, and whales without fishing.
2026 rates run $235 per angler for salmon, $240 for lingcod and sea bass, $425 for halibut, $325 for a combo salmon and bottomfishing trip, and $400 for albacore tuna trips out of Westport. Special pricing includes a $200 per person lingcod/rockfish combo when filling the boat with six people on March or April weekdays, and a discounted $250 per person salmon/bottomfishing combo for trips between June 17 and July 1st. Salmon, halibut, and lingcod are filleted and bagged at no charge, with a small optional fee for sea bass and tuna cleaning.
For anglers looking to fish halibut, salmon, lingcod, rockfish, or tuna off a quieter stretch of the Washington coast, Top Notch Ocean Charters offers a well-equipped, small-group fishing experience out of La Push.
