Sport bottomfish seasons

What can I keep?

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

• halibut and bottomfish combinations 

• 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 bag limit is 10 fish beginning September 5, 2023. A reduction from the 15 fish bag limit that was in place from March 1 – September 4.
    • 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

  Waypoints for fathom lines and other restricted areas
  Oregon Sport Fishing e-Regulations
  Catch estimates
  Management of Oregon's sport groundfish 
  Identification of Common Groundfish Species

  Related articles

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

  2021 Sport Bottomfish Newsletter