Marine Zone

MARINE FISHING

July 30, 2026

Announcements

Want to contribute to marine conservation, but don't know where to start? Take part in a scavenger hunt for science! Join the Oregon Marine Reserves Partnership on July 22nd at 6pm for a webinar to learn how to participate in the upcoming BioBlitz taking place throughout the month of August across Oregon's marine reserves and marine protected areas. No scientific experience is required, just curiosity and a willingness to explore. Learn more and register here. 

As of Jan. 1, 2026, an Ocean Endorsement is needed for most recreational anglers fishing in the ocean. Check the Ocean Endorsement page for more information.

Saltwater News Bulletins

Be among the first to know about in-season changes! You can subscribe to receive emails and text message alerts for marine topics that interest you. It's easy to unsubscribe at any time. Your contact information will remain confidential. Three different lists of interests to ocean enthusiasts are available: bottomfish, halibut and ocean salmon.

Albacore

It's that time of year, when we are seeing albacore tuna off the Oregon coast! Anglers generally want to focus their effort in areas where the chlorophyll level is approximately 0.25mg. and sea surface temperatures are 58^oF or higher. Chlorophyll and sea surface temperature data is available from the Oregon Coastal Ocean Observing System (OrCOOS).

Port by port reports:

For the week beginning July 20, recreational albacore anglers reported finding fish 30 to 50 miles out and were successful in multiple ports. Effort was highest in Charleston and they saw the largest total volume of albacore landed.

Astoria: 1.3 albacore per angler

Garibaldi: 10 albacore per angler

Newport: 6.3 albacore per angler

Winchester Bay: 5 albacore per angler

Charleston: 4.7 albacore per angler

Bandon: 10.5 albacore per angler

Gold Beach: 5 albacore per angler

Brookings: 2.4 albacore per angler

Learn more about Tuna Fishing in Oregon. 

Bottomfish

A few reminders

• Visit the sport bottomfish seasons page to see what's new for 2026.
• Retention of quillback rockfish and yelloweye rockfish remains prohibited.
• Cabezon is prohibited from January 1 through June 30.

Port by port reports:

Garibaldi: Anglers landed 2.5 rockfish on average, mostly black, canary, deacon, and yellowtail rockfish with a few cabezon. Lingcod landings were slow at 0.33 fish per angler.

Depoe Bay: Mostly black, canary, China, and deacon rockfishes were landed with about 2.75 rockfish per angler. Lingcod catches were slow.

Newport: Anglers landed 2.6 rockfish on average, mostly black, canary, yellowtail, and deacon rockfishes. Lingcod was slow.

Charleston: Anglers landed around 3 rockfish, consisting of mainly black, canary, deacon, and yellowtail rockfishes. Lingcod was slow.

Brookings: Anglers caught just under 2 rockfish on average, mainly black and blue rockfishes. Lingcod was slow at 0.33 fish on average.

The offshore long-leader fishery gives anglers an opportunity to catch more fish and to distribute effort away from nearshore species. Learn more about gear and the fishery. 

Bottomfish fishing resources:

• What can I keep and how many? Keep up with in-season regulation changes.
• Know what you've caught with some helpful rockfish identification tips (including online quizzes and video).
• Waypoints for fathom lines and other restricted areas.

Ocean salmon

Reminder: Ocean salmon anglers are reminded that they are limited to one rod, and no more than two single point, single shank, barbless hooks (no treble hooks) and that retention of jack salmon is not allowed in the ocean.

The ocean mark-selective (fin-clipped) coho fishery opened in the area from Leadbetter Point, Washington to Cape Falcon, Oregon on June 20. In this area, the bag limit is 2 salmon per day, but no more than 1 Chinook, and all retained coho must be adipose fin clipped. In this area minimum size limits are 22" for Chinook, 16" for coho, and 20" for steelhead.

The ocean recreational mark-selective (fin-clipped) coho fishery opened on June 6 from Cape Falcon to the Oregon/California border. The bag limit is 2 salmon per day, all retained coho salmon must be adipose fin clipped. There is no fin-clip requirement for Chinook salmon. Minimum size limits are 24" for Chinook, 16" for coho, and 20" for steelhead.

Port by port weekly average catch for the week beginning July 20:

Ocean salmon fishing has been hot on the mid and northern Oregon coast! The highest catch rate for the week was in Astoria at 1.5 salmon per angler and several ports reported over 1 salmon per angler.

Astoria: 1.6 salmon per angler

Garibaldi: 0.94 salmon per angler

Pacific City: 1.33 salmon per angler

Depoe Bay: 1.44 salmon per angler

Newport: 0.95 salmon per angler

Florence: 0.89 salmon per angler

Winchester Bay: 1.03 salmon per angler

Charleston: 0.36 salmon per angler

Bandon: 0.36 salmon per angler

Gold Beach: 0.13 salmon per angler

Brookings: 0.44 salmon per angler

Ocean salmon fishing resources:

• Keep track of where salmon quotas are at north of Cape Falcon and south of Cape Falcon
• See the ocean salmon regulations in either a time and area graphic view or as a map

Pacific halibut

See Pacific halibut season dates or visit the sport halibut page for more information.

Port by port reports:

Garibaldi: Only a few halibut were observed dockside.

Depoe Bay: Effort was low, but anglers landed limits of halibut.

Newport: Anglers averaged about 1.4 fish per person.

Charleston: Anglers landed 0.2 fish on average.

Brookings: Landings were 0.1 per angler.

Shore and estuary fishing

Daily bag limits, seasons and licensing requirements for shore-based anglers are the same as for boat-based anglers.

There are plenty of rocky or sandy fishing sites up and down the coast where shore anglers can drop a line for saltwater fish. Read about how and where

Lingcod and many other bottomfish species are available year-round to shore anglers fishing in rocky areas. A common setup for lingcod is a jig head with a rubber swim bait – it's simple but effective. Also pack a measuring device for lingcod: the minimum legal size is 22 inches.

Surfperch are available in the surf year-round along sandy beaches and rocky shores, with the best fishing (and safest fishing) occurring when swells are small. Find several surfperch and other learn to fish workshops listed in the Angler Education Program Schedule.

Want more opportunities that don't include a boat? Check out the crabbing and clamming recreation report for updates on crabs, clams, mussels and more!

When fishing from shore or inside estuaries and bays, it is important to check the tide. Many fish that swim into estuaries and bays, including salmon, surfperch, and Pacific herring, tend to come in with the tide. Catch of these species is more likely to occur closer to slack tide. Additionally, the accessibility of some areas can be completely dependent on the tide. Do not allow the incoming tide to become a safety issue.