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Features: Greenish or bluish above with dark wavy worm-like marks along the back; shading to silvery below, usually with dusky spots on the lower side. Mackerel grow to be 25-inches long. Habitat: Pacific mackerel are usually found close to shore, but are not typically associated with any bottom structure. Technique: Mackerel are not usually targeted by Oregon’s anglers, but are often caught incidentally by salmon anglers. Small shiny spoon or baited hooks are good methods to use to catch mackerel.
Features: Quillback rockfish are slate-brown and mottled with yellow and orange towards the head, while the rear half of their body is gray to dark brown or black. They have dark brown or black "freckles" on their head and gill cover. They have deeply incised membranes on their very long, spinous dorsal fins. Quillback rockfish can grow to be 24-inches long. Habitat: They prefer rocky bottoms from the intertidal zone out to 800 feet. Technique: Quillback rockfish are currently prohibited. Anglers are required to immediately descend back to depth any quillback rockfish encountered outside of the 30-fathom regulatory line and…
Features: Its deep red sides are mottled with gray. They grow to be 30-inches long. Yelloweye, canary and vermillion rockfish can look similar. See this rockfish identification article for distinguishing features for each species. Habitat: The vermilion rockfish is found near the bottom of the ocean over rocky substrate. Technique: They readily take both bait and lures. Rubber tailed lead head jigs, metal jigs, shrimp flies, and baited hooks will all take vermilion rockfish. Header photo by Ratha Grimes, Flickr
Features: Eulachon smelt ( Thaleichthys pacificus) grow to be 6-9 inches long and live 3-5 years. They have elongated bodies with relatively large mouths. They are blueish on top and silvery on their sides and bellies. Habitat: The Pacific smelt spends most of its life in the ocean, migrating up rivers, including the Columbia and its tributaries, to spawn. The eggs attach to gravelly, woody, or sandy substrate of the river bottoms, but upon hatching the juvenile smelt get swept downstream back to the ocean. Technique: Dip netting for smelt when they run in the Sandy River is a great…
PENDLETON, Ore. ‐ The Fish and Wildlife Commission adopted a limited fall Chinook fishing and retention season on the mainstem Umpqua, Smith, and North Fork Smith rivers after receiving many public comments and hearing testimony from a Douglas County Commissioner, business owners and local anglers concerned about a proposed closure…
HINES, Ore. – ODFW biologists confirmed that a natural mixing event, or "turnover," likely caused the death of stocked rainbow trout recently observed at Burns Gravel Pond on Hwy 78. The pond is located two miles east of Burns, Ore., on Hwy 78 on property owned by ODFW. The pond's…
NEWPORT, Ore. – Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife staff are hosting in person meetings Oct. 6, 7, and 8 to discuss the 2026 recreational bottomfish and Pacific halibut seasons with anglers. The Oct. 8 meeting in Newport also offers a virtual option. Meeting information: Oct. 6, Brookings: 5:30-7:30 p.m…
The Angler Education Program introduces sport fishing to beginners with an emphasis on youth and families. Programs are designed to provide a basic understanding of aquatic ecosystems and help people develop the skills, knowledge and responsibilities associated with angling. More information about ODFW Angler Education Program
Year Round
Statewide
NEWPORT, Ore. – The General Marine Species bag limit returns to a four-fish bag limit beginning Monday, Aug. 18. The one-fish sub-bag limit for cabezon and the one-fish sub-bag limit for canary rockfish remain in place, and retention of quillback rockfish and yelloweye rockfish is prohibited. Great weather in mid-July…
