Find catch estimates

2026 Pacific halibut regulations map

2026 Recreational Pacific Halibut

• Halibut and bottomfish combinations – What you can keep on the same trip
• To find catch estimates, visit the quota tracking webpage.

For more info on tagging salmon and halibut, visit Tips for tagging fish and game

Columbia River Subarea (Cape Falcon, OR to Leadbetter Point, WA)

All-Depth Season

• Every Thursday, Friday, and Sunday April 30 through June 28 or until the quota is caught
• Daily bag limit: 1 Pacific halibut
• Backup dates if quota remains:
  • June 8, 9, 15, 16, 22, and 23 (Mondays and Tuesdays)
  • Up to seven days per week in August and September (days of the week to be determined later)

Central Oregon Coast Subarea (Humbug Mountain to Cape Falcon)

Spring All-Depth Season

• May 1 through July 31, seven days per week, or until the quota is caught
• Daily bag limit: 2 Pacific halibut

Summer All-Depth Season

• August 1 through October 31, seven days per week, or until the quota is caught
• Daily bag limit: 2 Pacific halibut

Nearshore Season (if either all-depth season closes early; shore to the 40-fathom regulatory line)

• May 1 through October 31, seven days per week, or until the quota is caught
• Daily bag limit: 2 Pacific halibut

Southern Oregon Subarea (OR/CA Border to Humbug Mountain)

• May 1 through October 31, seven days per week, or until the quota is caught
• Daily bag limit: 2 Pacific halibut

Statewide regulations

• It is mandatory to have a functional descending device onboard the vessel when fishing for Pacific halibut, and to use the device when releasing any rockfish species when fishing outside (seaward) of the 30-fathom regulatory line.
• May be taken by angling with a single line, no more than 2 hooks, and by spear.
• Daily bag limit Central Oregon Coast and Southern Oregon subareas: 2 Pacific halibut. No length limit.
• Daily bag limit Columbia River subarea: 1 Pacific halibut. No length Limit.
• Pacific halibut possession limit: 1 daily bag limit at sea, 3 daily bag limits on land.
• Pacific halibut annual limit: 6.
• Fathom lines and conservation areas are defined by waypoints.
• The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (about 15 miles west of Newport) is closed to Pacific halibut fishing. Anglers on vessels possessing Pacific halibut are prohibited from fishing in the Stonewall Bank YRCA, even when targeting legal species.
• Pacific halibut seasons are managed and enforced based on port of landing. Halibut may only be landed into ports located within areas currently open to halibut retention, regardless of area of catch.
• When angling for Pacific halibut, salmon, bottomfish, tuna, and most other offshore pelagic species may be in possession or landed when Pacific halibut are onboard the vessel as regulations allow.
• It is unlawful to fish for or take and retain any species while possessing onboard any species not allowed to be taken in that area at that time.
• During all-depth halibut days, either the offshore long-leader gear fishery OR the traditional general marine bottomfish fishery (lingcod and black rockfish) may be combined with halibut. The long-leader gear fishery and traditional bottomfish fishery cannot be combined on the same trip.
• Sablefish and Pacific cod can be combined with all-depth halibut and the long-leader gear fishery or traditional bottomfish fishery. When retained, Pacific cod will count towards the bottomfish or long-leader gear bag limit.
• When combining Pacific halibut with an offshore long-leader gear trip, once the general marine species bag limit is exceeded with only long-leader approved species onboard, all anglers on the vessel must stop fishing for halibut and switch all halibut fishing gear to long-leader gear.
• Anglers are advised to consult the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for General (statewide), Zone, and Special Regulations prior to fishing.

Other resources:

• Waypoints for fathom lines and other restricted areas
• Catch estimates (sport halibut)
• Cold spots for yelloweye rockfish -- recommended soft-bottom areas for halibut with low yelloweye rockfish bycatch out of Newport and Depoe Bay.
• Management of Oregon's sport halibut
• 2024 sport halibut newsletter
• Oregon Sport Fishing e-Regulations