Sport bottomfish seasons

Oregon's marine waters are home to many different species of bottomfish (groundfish), including lingcod, sablefish, cabezon, all species of rockfishes, greenlings, and many species of flatfishes, sharks and skates. Pacific halibut is not a bottomfish species; it is managed with its own allocation and regulations.

2023 Recreational Bottomfish Season/Regulations

Subscribe to get email or text groundfish updates, including season changes and meeting notices

The daily general marine fish bag limit is 5 fish per angler per day.
There is no sub-bag limit for China and copper rockfish in 2023. They are part of the general marine bag limit
Open at all-depths year-round, no seasonal depth restriction.
Yelloweye and quillback rockfish are prohibited at all times and in all waters.
Cabezon opens July 1, 2023 with a daily sub-bag limit of one fish per angler. Minimum length of 16 inches.
Lingcod daily bag limit is 2 fish, separate from the general marine fish bag limit. Minimum length of 22 inches.
Skates and rays are not part of the flatfish group; they are part of the general marine fish group.
- The general marine fish regulations (bag limit, depth restrictions, etc.) apply.
Descending devices are mandatory; and must be used to release any rockfish outside of 30 fathoms.
Flatfish fishery
- Flatfish daily bag limit is 25 fish for species of sanddab, sole, flounder, etc. Does not include Pacific halibut.
- Open at all depths year round.
- May be taken with legal bottomfish gear (up to 3 hooks) and/or herring jigs. A "Herring jig" is defined as: a line or leader with any number of single-point hooks no larger than 3/8-inch hook gap.
- Descending devices are mandatory; and must be used to release any rockfish outside of 30 fathoms.
- Skates and rays are not part of the flatfish group; they are part of the general marine fish group. The general marine fish regulations (bag limit, depth restrictions, etc.) apply.
Offshore longleader gear fishery

offshore longleader gear
- The offshore longleader fishery is open year round only outside of the 40-fathom regulatory line.
- The Stonewall Bank Yelloweye Rockfish Conservation Area (approximately 15 miles from Newport) is CLOSED to the longleader gear fishery, as well as the regular bottomfish fishery.
- Longleader gear must be used.
- The daily rockfish bag limit is 10 fish through Feb 28, 2023. Beginning March 1, 2023 the bag limit increases to 15 fish.
  - The only species allowed in the daily longleader gear bag limit are: yellowtail, widow, canary, redstripe, greenstriped, silvergray, chilipepper, blue, deacon, and bocaccio rockfishes.
  - Longleader species ID sheet (pdf)
- No other bottomfish (groundfish) are allowed on the same trip, except for sablefish, Pacific cod, and flatfish species.
- Lingcod cannot be retained.
- Offshore longleader gear fishery trips cannot be combined with traditional bottomfish trips.
- Offshore longleader gear fishery trips can be combined with other non-bottomfish trip types (e.g., tuna or salmon), as long as the multi-species rule is followed, as well as any and all specific gear rules.
  - Anglers are reminded that once salmon are on board, anglers are restricted to no more than 2 single point barbless hooks at all times when angling for salmon in the ocean or when angling for other species if a salmon has already been retained.
  - The multi-species rule 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.
  - Note: if an angler retains more than the general marine fish bag limit of rockfish while participating in the longleader gear fishery, no other fishing (i.e., salmon) may occur inside (shoreward) of the 40-fathom regulatory line on that same trip.
- Descending devices are mandatory; and must be used to release any rockfish outside of 30 fathoms.
Quizzes

Yelloweye rockfish or not?
Recreational bottomfish species ID

Other resources

What can I keep
halibut and bottomfish combinations

Waypoints for fathom lines and other restricted areas
Oregon Sport Fishing e-Regulations
Catch estimates
Management of Oregon's sport groundfish
Saltwater Bulletins. Be among the first to receive sport groundfish updates, including season changes and meeting notices. Subscribe here

Related articles

Rockfish recompression
Marine fishing in Oregon
Rockfish identification tips
Make your own descending device

2021 Sport Bottomfish Newsletter