Marine Zone
Table of Contents
Recreation Report
Oct. 2, 2024
If there’s not a photo, it didn’t happen
Submit your fishing photo to ODFW and we might use it here or elsewhere on MyODFW.com.
Announcements
E-tagging tips for anglers
It's important for anglers to tag their salmon, halibut and steelhead immediately, which means you'll need to know how to navigate the MyODFW app outside of cell phone range. Here are some tips for e-tagging in the field.
For the latest regulations, including in-season changes
See the Regulation updates section above.
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 interest to ocean enthusiasts are available: bottomfish, halibut and ocean salmon.
Ocean salmon
See the season details here (dates, places and other regulations).
To check the quota status, visit the Ocean Salmon Management Program catch index page.
A guide to ocean salmon identification is available here.
Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon, OR
Ocean salmon fishing is now closed for the season from Leadbetter Point, Washington to Cape Falcon, Oregon. Possession of a salmon onboard a vessel is prohibited within this area Sept. 5 onward.
Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain
Ocean salmon fishing remains open shoreward of the 40-fathom regulatory line in the area from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain for Chinook salmon through Oct. 31. The daily bag limit is two salmon but closed to all coho.
For the week of Sept. 23-29, weather greatly reduced ocean effort and anglers focused their efforts inland. The average catch rate for the entire area was 0.35 salmon per angler. The highest rate was seen in Garibaldi with 0.44 salmon per angler.
Humbug Mountain to the OR/CA border
Ocean salmon fishing is now closed for the year in the area from Humbug Mountain to the Oregon/California border.
Pacific halibut
Pacific halibut seasons continue along the Oregon coast. See the season details here (dates, places and other regulations). To view quota status, visit the Pacific halibut estimates page. Additional information on Pacific halibut fishing can be found on the sport halibut page.
The Columbia River subarea season is now closed.
The Central Oregon Coast and Southern Oregon subareas remain open at all depths, seven days per week, with a two-fish bag limit per angler. The last day to harvest Pacific halibut this year is Thursday, October 31.
Effort for halibut has been winding down, as anglers turn their attention to inland salmon fishing.
Port by port reports:
Ocean conditions last week made most days unfavorable for halibut fishing across most of the coast.
- Garibaldi: No effort or fish were observed last week.
- Depoe Bay: No effort or fish were observed last week.
- Newport: Effort was low and catch rates were just over 0.5 fish per angler.
- Charleston: No effort or fish were observed in port.
- Brookings: Effort was low, and no catch was observed.
Thinking about combining your halibut trip with other species? Check out what you can combine with halibut, for a useful guide.
Bottomfish
A few reminders:
- Cabezon opened on July 1, 2024 with a daily sub-bag limit of one fish and a minimum length of 16 inches.
- Retention of quillback rockfish and yelloweye rockfish remains prohibited.
- Click ‘Regulation Updates' above to see what's new for 2024 or visit the sport bottomfish seasons page.
Port by port reports:
Ocean conditions last week made most days unfavorable for bottomfish fishing across most of the coast.
- Garibaldi: Catches were good with about 4 fish per angler, mostly consisting of black rockfish. Lingcod landings improved from about 0.33 fish per angler to over 1 fish per angler.
- Depoe Bay: Catches were close to 3 fish per angler, with a good mix of black, deacon, China, and yellowtail rockfishes. Lingcod catch rates were about 0.25 per angler.
- Newport: Anglers brought in an average of about 4 fish, with mostly black, deacon, and yellowtail rockfishes. Lingcod remained slow.
- Charleston: Limits were landed last week, but effort was very low. Lingcod landings were about 0.5 fish per angler.
- Brookings: Anglers landed about 3 fish per angler, with a mix of black, blue, and deacon rockfishes. Lingcod landings were very slow.
The offshore longleader fishery gives anglers an opportunity to catch more fish and to distribute effort away from nearshore species.
NEW for 2024: The daily bag limit for the longleader fishery is 12-fish per angler. Learn more about the 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.
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. Learn about ocean surfperch fishing.
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.
Regulation Updates
Looking for the latest crabbing and clamming updates?
Regulation updates as of February 15, 2024
These are in-season regulation changes adopted on a temporary or emergency basis or adopted after the regulation book was printed. Please see e-regulations for permanent regulations.
Ocean salmon
Information can be found on the Oregon ocean salmon sport regulations page
Pacific halibut
Information can be found on the PACIFIC HALIBUT PAGE
2024 Pacific halibut regulations map (pdf)
Sport bottomfish
Information can be found on the SPORT BOTTOMFISH SEASONS PAGE
What Can I Keep and How Many Sport Bottomfish Regulations
Reminders
- Yelloweye and quillback rockfish are prohibited at all times and in all waters.
- Every vessel fishing for or possessing bottomfish, Pacific halibut, or flatfish in the ocean must have a functional descending device on board, regardless of depth. The device must be used to release any rockfish outside of 30 fathoms.
For more information contact your local ODFW office:
- Marine Resources Program Main Office (541) 867-4741
- Additional Marine Resources Program Contacts