ODFW News Updates

2025 Recreational Bottomfish Season Set

On Friday, December 13, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission finalized the 2025 recreational bottomfish season and regulations. Changes from 2024 are in italics.

Bag Limits

General Marine Species:
4-fish bag limit January 1 through June 30
5-fish bag limit July 1 through December 31
Canary rockfish: 1-fish sub-bag limit
Cabezon: 1-fish sub-bag limit
Opens July 1, 2024
16-inch minimum size limit
Lingcod: 2-fish bag limit
22-inch minimum size limit
Flatfish: 25-fish bag limit
Sablefish: 10-fish bag limit
Longleader gear fishery: 10-fish bag limit
Canary rockfish: 1-fish sub-bag limit
For a 10-fish bag limit to apply, longleader 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).

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

Mar. 19, 2025

Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming

Sign up for turkey hunting workshops

New and beginning adult hunters can learn everything they need to know about pursuing wild turkeys. Several workshops have been scheduled for NW, Central and SW Oregon, as well as youth clinics in Central Point and White River.

Learn more and register.

Trout stocking is underway

Several more waterbodies have been stocked in the NW, SW, Willamette and Central zones, and other zones will see stocking later this month. Check the trout stocking schedule and trout stocking maps for a location near you.

Best bets for weekend fishing

With high water, steelhead fishing this weekend might be tough. But early spring trout fishing for holdover or stocked fish could be excellent.

The ice has been melting on several SE Zone reservoirs – like Beulah, Chickahominy, Malheur and Pole Creek – and fishing the open water for holdover trout should be very good.
Anglers are starting to turn their attention to spring Chinook on the Columbia, Willamette and Lower Rogue rivers.
Kokanee fishing continues to be excellent on Lake Billy Chinook with fish averaging 13 inches. Tips for catching more kokanee
Fishing for redband trout continues to improve in Agency and Upper Klamath lakes.
Herring have spawned in Yaquina Bay and there could be yet another spawning event on its way.

These examples are for demonstration purposes only. Refer to the zone reports for more details and possibilities.

Find big game statistics

Find all the numbers you'll need – big game populations, harvest and point summary reports – to plan your tag application strategy.

View the report

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.