To give hunters more time to report their hunts in the new electronic licensing system, the deadline to report 2018 hunts has been extended to April 15, 2019.
The 1 steelhead bag limit on several NE creeks and rivers, set to expire on Dec. 31, has been extended through April 30, 2019.
Marine Zone
Regulation updates as of Jan. 30, 2019
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.
2019 Sport Groundfish
Bottomfish Fishery
- Open at all depths January through April. Restricted to inside the 40-fathom regulatory line May through September. Open at all depths October through December.
- General marine fish daily bag limit is 5 fish per angler per day.
- Cabezon has a 1-fish sub-bag limit and opens July 1.
- Lingcod daily bag limit is 2 fish, separate from the general marine fish bag limit. Minimum size of 22 inches. Restricted to inside the 40-fathom regulatory line May through September; otherwise, open at all depths.
- Reminder: skates and rays are part of the general marine fish group, and the general marine fish regulations (bag limit, depth restrictions, etc.) apply.
- Yelloweye rockfish is prohibited at all times and in all waters.
- Descending devices are mandatory.
Flatfish Fishery
- Flatfish daily bag limit is 25 fish for species of sanddab, sole, flounder, etc. - does not include Pacific halibut, skates or rays.
- Open at all depths year round.
- Descending devices are mandatory.
- Reminder: skates and rays are part of the general marine fish group, and the general marine fish regulations (bag limit, depth restrictions, etc.) apply.
Offshore Longleader Fishery
- The offshore longleader fishery is open year round only outside of the 40-fathom regulatory line.
- Longleader gear must be used.
- The daily rockfish bag limit is 10 fish.
- The only species allowed in the 10-fish bag limit are: yellowtail, widow, canary, redstripe, greenstriped, silvergray, chilipepper, blue, deacon, and bocaccio rockfish.
- No other groundfish species (bottomfish) are allowed on the same trip.
- Lingcod cannot be retained.
- Offshore longleader trips cannot be combined with traditional bottomfish, flatfish, or halibut trips.
- Offshore longleader trips can be combined with other non-bottomfish trip types (e.g., tuna or salmon trips), as long as the multi-species rule (which prohibits fishing for, or taking and retaining any species of salmon, Pacific halibut or marine fish while possessing on board any species not allowed to be taken in the area at that time) is followed, along with any and all specific gear rules.
- For additional information, see Offshore Longleader Fishery Frequently Asked Questions
- Descending devices are mandatory.
2019 Ocean Salmon
- Information for 2019 recreational ocean salmon season will be available in April. Details available at www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/.
2019 Pacific Halibut
- Seasons and regulations sheet (map) as recommended by staff for approval by the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission at its meeting on April 19.
- See the sport halibut page for additional information.
Saltwater News Bulletins
You can subscribe to receive e-mails and text message alerts for marine topics you are interested in. It’s easy to unsubscribe at any time. Your phone and e-mail information will remain confidential. Six different lists of interest to ocean enthusiasts are available: Bottomfish (recreational), Halibut (recreational), Ocean Salmon (recreational), Ocean Salmon (commercial troll), Commercial Nearshore Groundfish, and Marine Reserves.
BOTTOM FISHING
Yelloweye rockfish or not? Practice recognizing what you can keep and what you can't with a new online quiz. Get started
Bottomfish trips out of Newport last week were limited by unfavorable weather conditions, however, anglers reported rockfish catches had improved slightly and that lingcod fishing was still good.
The bottomfish fishery is open at all depths with a General Marine Species bag limit of 5 fish, and a separate lingcod limit of 2 fish. No cabezon may be retained until July 1. The longleader gear fishery outside of the 40-fathom regulatory line is open all year. Catches often consist of a nice grade of yellowtail, widow and canary rockfishes.
For additional regulation information, see the sport groundfish seasons webpage.
Vessels fishing for or retaining bottomfish (including flatfish) species or Pacific halibut in the ocean are required (1) to have onboard a functioning rockfish descending device, and (2) use it to descend any rockfish released when fishing outside of the 30-fathom regulatory line. For more information and videos, please see the rockfish recompression webpage.
In addition to the descending device rule, ODFW continues to encourage anglers to use a descending device when releasing ANY rockfish with signs of barotrauma. Signs of barotrauma, such as bulging eyes and a gut protruding from the mouth, are reversible when fish are returned to depth with a descending device. Use a descending device to safely return fish to a depth of 60 feet or more. Even fish that are severely bloated can survive after being released at depth.
Waypoints (for fathom lines and other restricted areas)
Longleader gear
2019 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations
Catch estimates
PACIFIC HALIBUT
The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will finalize the 2019 sport halibut seasons at their April 19 meeting. Staff recommended season dates are below:
Columbia River Subarea (Leadbetter Point, WA to Cape Falcon, OR)
- All-Depth Fishery: open Thurs, May 2 and Sun, May 5; Thurs, May 9 and Sun; May 12; Fri (not a typo), May 24 and Sun, May 26. If any quota remains after those dates, can be open every Thurs and Sun until the quota is taken. Quota = 14,627 pounds.
- Nearshore Fishery: Opens May 6, every Mon through Wed, until the quota is taken or Sept. 30. Quota = 500 pounds.
Central Oregon Coast Subarea (Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.)
- Spring All-Depth Fishery: Fixed dates: May 9-11; May 16-18; May 23-25; May 30-Jun 1; and Jun 6-8. Back-up dates, if quota remains, are: Jun 20-22; Jul 4-6; and Jul 18-20. Quota = 171,103 pounds
- Summer All-Depth Fishery: Opens Fri, Aug 2 and Sat, Aug 3, then every other Fri and Sat until the quota is taken or Oct 31, whichever is earlier. Quota = 67,898 pounds
- Nearshore fishery: Opens June 1, seven days per week until the quota is taken or Oct 31, whichever is earlier. Quota = 32,591 pounds
Southern Oregon Subarea (Humbug Mt. to the OR/CA Border)
- Opens May 1, seven days per week until the quota is taken or Oct 31, whichever is earlier. Quota = 11,322 pounds.
Additional information about the sport halibut seasons can be found on the ODFW halibut webpage,
OCEAN SALMON
Information about 2019 season will be available in April.
Details for the Ocean Salmon season and full catch updates are available at: www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/salmon/
SHORE AND ESTUARY FISHING
Public piers provide opportunities to catch surfperch and baitfish and to drop crab pots (but check first for crab health safety closures).
Anglers reported herring in lower Yaquina Bay during the week of Feb. 4.
Surfperch are available year-round, with the best fishing occurring when swells are small. Learn about surfperch fishing.
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 hazard.