Marine Zone

6 Alerts

Razor clamming is now open from the Columbia River to Tillamook Head south of Seaside.

Retention of Wild Chinook prohibited on Umpqua

Effective Feb 1 through June 30, 2020, retention of hatchery Chinook salmon is allowed on the mainstem Umpqua River. Retention of wild Chinook salmon is prohibited.

Upper Columbia opens to sturgeon retention

Effective Jan. 1, the Bonneville, The Dalles and John Day pools are open to sturgeon retention, until quotas are reached.

Steelhead Fishing Closure on the Columbia River

Effective through March 31, 2020, all steelhead fishing is closed from McNary Dam to the OR/WA border.

Bag limit reduces on the Snake River

Effective through April 30, 2020, the daily bag limit is one hatchery steelhead.

John Day, Umatilla, Walla Walla bag limits reduced

Steelhead, fall Chinook and coho bag limits reduced to one per day through April 30, 2020.

Fishing

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.

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Regulation highlights

Ocean Salmon

Seasons and bag limits are announced in April/May.

Ocean Salmon Sport Regulations

Pacific Halibut

2020 Halibut seasons

Lingcod

Two fish per day, 22-inch minimum size.

Rockfish / Cabezon / Greenling / Etc.

See the sport groundfish seasons page for information.

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. 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.