Pacific halibut sport regulations

Updated November 1, 2024

2024 Recreational Pacific Halibut

The 2024 recreational Pacific halibut season has concluded.
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)

This subarea is closed for 2024.

Central Oregon Coast Subarea (Humbug Mountain to Cape Falcon)

This subarea is closed for 2024.

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

This subarea is closed for 2024.

Statewide regulations

It is mandatory to have a descending device onboard the vessel when fishing for Pacific halibut, and to use a device when releasing any rockfish species when fishing outside of 30 fathoms.
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. Annual limit: 6. No length limit.
Daily bag limit Columbia River Subarea: 1 Pacific halibut. Annual limit 6. No length Limit.
Pacific halibut possession limit: 1 daily limit at sea, 3 daily limits on land.
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 longleader gear fishery OR the traditional general marine bottomfish fishery (lingcod and black rockfish) may be combined with halibut.
Sablefish and Pacific cod can be combined with all-depth halibut and the longleader gear or traditional bottomfish fishery. When retained, sablefish and Pacific cod will count towards any bottomfish and/or longleader bag limit.
When combining Pacific halibut with offshore longleader, once the general marine species bag limit is exceeded with only longleader rockfish (the rockfish species listed above), all anglers on the vessel must stop fishing for halibut and switch all halibut fishing gear to longleader gear.
Anglers are advised to consult the 2024 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for General (statewide), Zone, and Special Regulations prior to fishing.