
Marine Zone
Oregon’s beaches, bays and ocean waters have more kinds of fishing than anywhere in the state. From chasing surfperch in the… well, surf, to hooking cabezon from a rocky jetty, to going deep after rockfish and halibut, to the line-screaming runs of an albacore tuna, this zone offers a species and fishing technique for every angler.

Visit e-regulations
Regulation highlights
Ocean Salmon
Seasons and bag limits are announced in April/May.
Ocean Salmon Sport Regulations
Pacific Halibut
Seasons begin opening on May 1. See the recreational Pacific Halibut webpage for additional information on season dates by subarea.
Reminder: The daily bag limit on Pacific halibut is 1 fish per angler per day.
Anglers must have a combined angling tag and immediately fill out the tag upon landing a Pacific halibut.
Rockfish / Cabezon / Greenling / Etc.
2022 Regulations
See the sport groundfish seasons page for additional information.
- Open to all depths through June 30, 2022. 40 fathom depth restriction July 1 through August 31, 2022. Open to all depths September 1 through December 31, 2022
- The daily bag limit is 5 fish
- with a 1 fish sub-bag limit for China and copper rockfish combined
- Cabezon opens July 1 with a 1 fish sub-bag limit
- Yelloweye rockfish are prohibited
- New for 2022: Quillback rockfish are prohibited.

Lingcod
Two fish per day, 22-inch minimum size.
Surfperch
15 fish aggregate of all species per day.
Tuna
25 fish per day.
Fishing in the Marine Zone
Pacific Halibut
Halibut can get big – upwards of 100 pounds and almost 70-inches long – making them one of the most popular marine fish. Hauling in these sometimes huge, very flat fish can be back-breaking work, but the reward is a delicious fish large enough to feed more than a few family members and friends. Halibut seasons are announced in February, and fishing generally occurs from May through August, but can last into October. These are quota fisheries that can close early, so it’s important to double-check the open dates before fishing. If you're up for a halibut fishing adventure, but you don't have a boat or halibut gear, there are charter boats in most Oregon ports that can take you out for a day of fishing.
Ocean Salmon
Before they enter fresh water to spawn, ocean coho and Chinook stage in coastal waters near the mouths of bays and rivers. Ocean salmon seasons are announced in May, and fishing is usually best in July and August as migrating coho and feeder Chinook salmon are readily available. Many of the ocean salmon seasons are based on quotas and may close early, so it’s important to double-check the status of the fishery before fishing. Charter fleets in several Oregon ports offer salmon fishing trips.
Surfperch
Surfperch are the perfect ocean fish for anglers who like to keep their feet firmly on the ground. These disc-shaped fish can reach up to 15 inches and come in a variety of colors. Fish for redtail and silver surfperch in the surf off sandy beaches. Striped and pile perch congregate near rocks, jetties, docks and pilings in the bays. There is a liberal bag limit for surfperch (up to 15 fish per day including all species). But since we don’t know a lot about surfperch populations, we recommend you keep only enough for a good meal (they are excellent eating) and release the rest.
Rockfish
Ranging in color from black to orange or red, more than two dozen species of rockfish are found along the Oregon coast. Many rockfish species are full-size at about 16 inches (41 cm). Some species, such as black rockfish, hang out in schools while others are solitary. Individuals of some species can live more than 100 years. Rockfish can be caught from jetties, but most are taken by boat in deeper ocean waters. Charter fleets in several Oregon ports offer day-long rockfish fishing trips.

Check out the Latest Recreation Report
Current conditions and opportunities to fish, hunt and see wildlife. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state.