Pacific halibut sport regulations

2021 Recreational Pacific Halibut Seasons

The ODFW Staff recommended 2021 recreational Pacific halibut season dates and regulations are below.  The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will finalize the 2021 recreational halibut seasons at their April 23 meeting.

Seasons and regulations sheet   (a summary of the seasons described below)

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

All-Depth Season:  Open on:  Thurs, May 6; Sun, May 9; Thurs, May 13; Sun, May 16; Thurs, May 20; Sun, May 23; Thurs, May 27.  If quota remains after those dates, open every Thurs and Sun beginning June 3 through the earlier of the quota or Sept 30.  Quota = 18,162 lbs.

Nearshore Season:  Open Mon-Wed inside the 40-fathom line off of Oregon beginning Mon, May 10 through the earlier of the quota or Sept. 30.  Quota = 500 lbs.

Central Oregon Coast Subarea (Humbug Mountain to Cape Falcon)

Spring All-Depth Season:  Fixed open dates are:  May 13-15; May 20-22; Jun 3-5; Jun 10-12; Jun 17-19; and Jul 1-3.  Back-up dates, if quota available, are:  Jul 15-17 and Jul 29-31.  Quota = 172,244 lbs.

Summer All-Depth Season:  Opens Aug 5-7, then every other Thurs, Fri, & Sat through the earlier of Oct 31 or the quota is caught.  Quota = 68,351 lbs.

Nearshore Season:  Opens May 1, 7 days per week, inside the 40-fathom line, through the earlier of  October 31 or the quota is caught.  Quota = 32,808 lbs.

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

Open May 1, seven days per week, through the earlier of Oct 31 or the quota is caught.  Quota = 8,000 lbs.

New in 2021 (for all Oregon Subareas)

• During May, Sept, and Oct, when the sport bottomfish fishery is open to all-depth, bottomfish (including lingcod) may be retained on all-depth halibut trips.
• During Jun, Jul, and Aug (months when the sport bottomfish fishery is restricted to inside of 40-fathoms) only sablefish, Pacific cod & other flatfish species (no other bottomfish species) can be combined with all-depth halibut.  OR longleader gear fishing may be combined with an all-depth halibut trip, in which case longleader gear fishing must take place outside of 40 fathoms, and once rockfish are on onboard a vessel, no further halibut fishing is allowed.  Longleader gear fishing cannot be combined with sablefish, Pacific cod, or other flatfish species on the same trip.  More information can be found by CLICKING HERE

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Other resources:

• Waypoints for fathom lines and other restricted areas
• Catch estimates (sport halibut)
• 2021 Oregon Sport Fishing e-Regulations
• 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