ODFW News Updates

2026 Recreational Bottomfish Season

ODFW reminds anglers about the following 2026 recreational bottomfish season and regulations beginning Thursday, January 1, 2026. Changes from 2025 are in italics and underlined. 

Bag Limits

  • General Marine Species:
  • 4-fish bag limit
  • Canary rockfish: 2-fish sub-bag limit
  • Cabezon: 1-fish sub-bag limit
  • 16-inch minimum size limit
  • Opens July 1
  • Lingcod: 3-fish bag limit
  • 22-inch minimum size limit
  • Flatfish: 25-fish bag limit
  • Sablefish: 10-fish bag limit
  • Offshore long-leader fishery: 10-fish bag limit
  • Canary rockfish: 2-fish sub-bag limit
  • For a 10-fish bag limit to apply, long-leader gear must be used outside (seaward) of the 40-fathom regulatory line
  • 10 midwater rockfish species only
  • Retention of yelloweye and quillback rockfishes remain prohibited.

The bottomfish fishery will again be open at all-depths year-round (no seasonal depth restriction).

Reminder: Beginning in 2026, an Ocean Endorsement is required for most anglers fishing in the ocean from beaches, jetties, and boats except when taking shellfish or when fishing for and retaining salmon or steelhead unless other marine finfish are retained. For more information on requirements and fees, please visit myodfw.com/articles/ocean-endorsement.

Additional information on the recreational bottomfish fishery can be found on the ODFW sport bottomfish webpage.


Lake Fishing

Oregon has some of the most beautiful lakes.  From small mountain cascade lakes filled with ice cold water and  mountain cutthroat trout.  Large natural lakes Like the Klamath with giant Landlocked Steelhead, Lake Trout, Bass and Catfish. Lakes in
every  corner of the state filled  with Bass, Perch, sunfish, catfish  and every species of trout. The lower cascade lakes offer Rainbow, Brown and Kokanee ( a landlocked salmon variety).   Some larger reservoirs offer lake trout and bass.  Many of the lowland and eastern Oregon lakes and reservoirs offer bass, sunfish, crappie, catfish and some even have Walleye.

Rivers and Streams

From the mighty Columbia River to our gorgeous mountain streams.  Oregon offers a wide variety of fishing pleasure.  Trolling or drifting the Columbia for Salmon, Striped Bass or the fighting Sturgeon.  Drift or shore fishing the beautiful Rogue, Umpqua, Mckenzie, Deschues and Snake for Salmon and Steelhead is both exciting and relaxing.  Whether fly fishing or bait fishing our mountaiin streams filled with cutthroat, brook or rainbow trout you will find it not only rewarding but peaceful.  Spring and Summer Steelhead fill the coastal rivers and streams, as well as Salmon.  Coast Sea run cutthoats are a pleasure to catch and eat.

Deep Sea Fishing

From the Chetco/Brookings Harbor to the Mighty Columbia Oregon offers 363 miles of Pacific Ocean Coastline.  The more famous and possibly safer ports are Brookings Harbor on the Chetco near the California Border; Port of Bandon, Coos Bay/Charleston, Winchester Bay on the Umpqua River all south coast; Newport/Yaquina Bay, Depot Bay ( Worlds smallest Port) and Tillamook/Garibaldi central Coast; and finally Columbia River with Warrenton and Astoria.  Oregon coast offers great Rock and bottom fishing,  World classs Salmon fishing.  Lingcod, Halibut and Tuna.  Many ports for you to put your own craft out or join the many Commercial charter fishing vessels.

Sports in the great outdoors
– strengthen your body
and your mind