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The Columbia River will open to two more days of spring Chinook fishing.
The Oregon coast from the Columbia River to Cape Blanco is now open to razor clamming. 4./12/19
Beginning April 16, 2019, all sturgeon fishing, including catch-and-release will be prohibited.
Broodstock needs have been met, and surplus fish are available to anglers.
Fishing
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
Lingcod
Two fish per day, 22-inch minimum size.
Rockfish
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.
Species in Marine Zone
Fresh water
Salt water
The Chinook salmon is the largest of the Pacific salmon species and can reach upwards of 50 pound, though 10 to 25 pounds is more...
Salt water
Black rockfish are the most commonly caught rockfish in the recreational fishery on the Oregon coast.
Salt water
Unlike many other species of flatfish, the California halibut has pretty significant teeth to help catch prey.
Salt water
This beautiful fish rarely grows to be over 2 pounds. The meat in rock greenling is always blue or blue green in color, but when...
Salt water
Spiny dogfish are one of two species of shark that have a venomous spine in front of both their dorsal fins.
Salt water
These fish were supposedly named “chilipepper” because when there are several strung on a line they look like drying chilipeppers.
Fresh water
Salt water
The coho salmon rears for part of its life in the Pacific Ocean and spawns in freshwater streams.
Salt water
Like many flatfish species, the sanddab will try to stun its prey by flopping over top of it before coming back around to gulp it...
Salt water
Deacon rockfish are a schooling species found off the bottom over reefs and pinnacles.
Salt water
In Oregon we have nine species of soles and other flounders, including the popular petrale and sand soles .
Fresh water
Salt water
This smallest of the Pacific salmon species is only occasionally encountered by Oregon anglers.
Salt water
The females of this species produce 11,000 to 295,000 larvae each season.
Salt water
This species goes by several common names, including rock salmon, silverbelly, greenie, longjaw, and grouper.
Salt water
The quillback rockfish has extra long, strong, and sharp dorsal fin spines.
Salt water
The vermilion rockfish is named for its dark vermilion red coloration.
Salt water
Yelloweye rockfish are very large and can grow to 3-feet long. Yelloweye rockfish are on a longterm rebuilding schedule and will continue to be prohibited...
Salt water
Albacore migrate across the Pacific Ocean and may cover 50 miles or more per day. The meat is excellent whether barbecued, canned or smoked.
Salt water
Anchovies often swim with their mouths open to filter plankton and other food out of the ocean water.
Salt water
These big-headed fish hunt crustaceans and smaller fish near reefs and in intertidal zones.
Salt water
Pacific halibut almost always have their eyes on the right side of their bodies.
Salt water
Pacific mackerel are a member of the tuna family and often appear seasonally in large schools.
Salt water
There are a number of different surfperch species along the Oregon coast . All species are found in shallow waters along beaches, rocky areas, or...
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Current conditions and opportunities to fish, hunt and see wildlife. Updated weekly by fish and wildlife biologists throughout the state.