Marine Zone
Table of Contents
Recreation Report
May 15, 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
The ocean Chinook salmon season (all salmon except coho) opened March 15 from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. and will be open through May 15. The daily bag limit is two salmon, except closed to retention of coho. Minimum size limits are 24" for Chinook and 20" for steelhead.
Total Chinook salmon landings through May 5 are 110. The salmon per angler for the period of April 29 – May 5 was zero salmon per angler. Preliminary estimated salmon angler trips, catches and released salmon for the season for the individual ports from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt. are:
- Depoe Bay: 100 salmon angler trips with 40 Chinook for an average catch rate of 0.40 salmon/angler. Anglers also released 23 Chinook.
- Florence: 102 salmon angler trips with 12 Chinook for an average catch rate of 0.12 salmon/angler. Anglers also released 24 Chinook.
- Charleston: 105 salmon angler trips with 58 Chinook for an average catch rate of 0.55 salmon/angler. Anglers also released 45 Chinook.
All other ports not listed either did not have any Chinook or were not sampled.
The ocean Chinook salmon season (all salmon except coho) from Humbug Mt. to the OR/CA border will open May 16 and be open through August 31. Open for all salmon except coho, except for during the selective coho fishery. The daily bag limit is two salmon. Minimum size limits are 24" for Chinook and 20" for steelhead.
See the season details here (dates, places and other regulations). To check the quota status, visit the Ocean Salmon Management Program catch index page. Recommended salmon seasons are not official until final approval by the National Marine Fisheries Service (expected by May 16).
Pacific halibut
Pacific halibut seasons are now open 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.
Port by port reports:
- Garibaldi: Effort was quite low, and no fish were observed.
- Depoe Bay: Effort was low for halibut, but anglers had success with one fish per person.
- Newport: Effort was quite high for Pacific halibut last week with an average of one fish landed per angler.
- Charleston: Fishing was a little slow last week with one fish landed for every two anglers targeting halibut.
- Brookings: The great weather later in the week brought modest effort for Pacific halibut; however, only a few fish were observed dockside.
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 is currently closed but will reopen 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:
- Garibaldi: A few boats were able to get out and target bottomfish last week with decent success. On average, anglers landed three fish that mostly consisted of black, canary, deacon and yellowtail rockfishes. Lingcod catches were fair with one fish landed per angler.
- Depoe Bay: With the great weather later in the week, anglers were able to land about three rockfish per person consisting of a mix of black, deacon and canary rockfishes. Lingcod catches were a little slower with less than one fish per angler.
- Newport: A few good days allowed anglers to get out and target bottomfish. Fair catches were landed with three rockfish per angler, primarily black rockfish. Lingcod has been slowing down with about one fish landed for every two anglers.
- Charleston: There were good catches with about four fish per anglers. The bags were mixed with black, canary and yellowtail rockfishes. Lingcod was slow with less than one fish for every two anglers.
Brookings: The great weather last week brought the boats out. Catch, however, was only fair with less than three fish per angler. Mostly black and canary rockfishes were landed. Like the rest of the coast, lingcod was slow with less than one fish landed per angler.
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