Oregon fishing · 2026 field guide

All the fishing regulation starting points, stripped down for humans.

A source-page-backed guide to licenses, tags, statewide rules, zones, marine rules, fish ID, advisories, and catch history from ODFW materials.

Start checklist Browse zones
Regulation year2026
Guide pages indexed6-95
Angling zones9
Catch rows{{ formatNumber(rowCount) }}
Printed regulations are not the final word. This guide summarizes the regulation booklet for research. Always check ODFW updates before fishing because emergency and in-season rules can supersede the printed booklet. Check ODFW updates
Fast path

Before you fish, answer these in order

1

Pick the water first

Find the angling zone and any named waterbody exception before relying on a statewide rule.

PDF p. 24, 26-87
2

Confirm licenses and endorsements

Most anglers 12 or older need an angling license. Shellfish, Columbia Basin, ocean, two-rod, tags, and harvest validations depend on what and where you fish.

PDF p. 6-8
3

Check species rules

Bag limits, size limits, hatchery/wild status, hook rules, and daylight-only rules vary by species and zone.

PDF p. 12-20, 26-87
4

Record tag fish immediately

Adult salmon, steelhead, legal-size sturgeon, and Pacific halibut must be recorded on the proper paper or electronic tag right away.

PDF p. 6, 89
5

Look for health advisories

Consumption advisories can apply statewide or to specific rivers, reservoirs, and shellfish areas.

PDF p. 22-23
Documents and money

Licenses, tags, endorsements, and common fees

Open PDF

Angling license

Required for most people age 12 or older to angle for, take, or assist another person taking fish for personal use.

PDF p. 6

Shellfish license

Required for most people age 12 or older harvesting shellfish for personal use.

PDF p. 6, 80-82

Combined Angling Tag

Required for all anglers, regardless of age, when angling for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or Pacific halibut.

PDF p. 6, 89

Hatchery Harvest Tag

May be used to record hatchery salmon and hatchery steelhead instead of recording those fish on the Combined Angling Tag.

PDF p. 6

Columbia River Basin Endorsement

Required when fishing for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon in the Columbia River Basin, including listed tributaries.

PDF p. 7-8

Ocean Endorsement

Required beginning Jan. 1, 2026 for ocean fishing from beaches, jetties, or boats, unless only fishing for and retaining salmon or steelhead. It is not required for shellfish.

PDF p. 7-8, 80

Two-Rod Validation

Allows use of two rods only where two-rod use is legal. Youth under 12 may use two rods where legal without the validation.

PDF p. 7, 17

No license exceptions

No fishing or shellfish license is needed during Free Fishing Days, when taking crayfish or bullfrogs, or for certain resident landowner situations except salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, and halibut.

PDF p. 6, 16, 20

Common fee lookup

Annual angling license $50.00 $138.00
Annual shellfish license $13.00 $37.00
Adult Combined Angling Tag $69.00 $89.00
Hatchery Salmon / Steelhead Harvest Tag $43.00 $43.00
Youth license, ages 12-17 $10.00 $10.00
Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag $5.00 $5.00
One Day Angling and Shellfish Combo $29.00 $29.00
Two Day Angling $48.00 $48.00
Three Day Angling $68.00 $68.00
Seven Day Angling N/A $117.00
Columbia River Basin Endorsement with license $9.75 $9.75
Ocean Endorsement, annual $9.00 $9.00
Ocean Endorsement, daily $4.00 $4.00
Resident Nonresident PDF p. 7
Statewide rule deck

The rules most likely to change what you can keep or use

Bag and possession limits

PDF p. 12
  • Possession limits generally equal 3 daily bag limits unless a listed exception applies.
  • Pacific halibut possession is limited to 1 daily bag limit on a vessel or 3 daily bag limits on land.
  • Marine finfish, shellfish, and other marine invertebrates listed in the marine section generally have a 2 daily bag possession limit.
  • Columbia River anglers are limited to 1 daily bag limit and 1 annual bag limit for fish from the Columbia River, even if licensed in Oregon and Washington.

Annual limits

PDF p. 12
  • White sturgeon annual limit: 2.
  • Pacific halibut annual limit: 6.
  • Salmon and steelhead annual limit: 20 in any combination when recorded on a Combined Angling Tag.
  • Hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead recorded on a Hatchery Harvest Tag do not count toward the annual salmon/steelhead limit.

General unlawful actions

PDF p. 17-18
  • Do not use more than one rod or line unless a validation, age exception, or offshore pelagic exception applies.
  • Do not leave rods or lines unattended.
  • Do not use drones, radio-controlled boats, or other unmanned vehicles to angle or aid angling.
  • Do not snag game fish or keep game fish hooked anywhere other than inside the mouth.
  • Do not continue fishing for the same type of fish after retaining a bag or possession limit, except where an explicit exception applies.
  • Do not buy or sell fish or shellfish taken for personal use except where the booklet lists a narrow exception.

Gear and bait

PDF p. 18
  • Anti-snagging rules restrict gear to an artificial fly, lure, or bait with one single-point hook where those restrictions apply.
  • Bobber rules require a bobber setup with a leader no longer than 36 inches where those rules apply.
  • Live fish may not be used as bait.
  • Goldfish may not be used as bait or possessed for angling.
  • Lamprey, live crayfish, live leeches, live frogs, and live nongame fish may not be used as bait.

Hooks and harvest methods

PDF p. 19
  • Pacific halibut gear is limited to no more than two hooks.
  • Sturgeon gear is limited to one single-point barbless hook.
  • Ocean salmon gear is limited to no more than two single-point barbless hooks.
  • Most salmon, shad, steelhead, sturgeon, trout, and whitefish angling is daylight-only unless a specific waterbody exception says otherwise.
  • Spearfishing is allowed for bass and walleye only in waterbodies with no size limit or bag limit for those species.

Freshwater nongame and shellfish

PDF p. 20
  • Bullfrogs are open all year with no angling license required and no bag limit.
  • Crayfish are open all year in streams and lakes, including streams listed as closed, with a 100 per day limit.
  • Freshwater mussels and clams may not be harvested or possessed.
  • Lamprey harvest is prohibited except Pacific lamprey at Willamette Falls under required ODFW permits.
Tagging

What has to be recorded immediately

4 printed species codes

Tag fish

Adult salmon Steelhead Legal-size sturgeon Pacific halibut
  1. Record the species code.
  2. Record hatchery or wild status for salmon and steelhead.
  3. Record length for sturgeon and halibut.
  4. Record the tag location code.
  5. Record month and day immediately after harvest.
PDF p. 89-91

Species codes

1Chinook
2Coho
3Other salmon: pink, chum, or sockeye
6Steelhead

Popular location codes

1Astoria Coastal port
3Garibaldi Coastal port
9Newport Coastal port
12Winchester Bay Coastal port
17Brookings Coastal port
21Alsea R. & Bay Coastal river
33Coos R. & Bay Coastal river
69Nestucca R. & Bay Coastal river
81Siletz R. & Bay Coastal river
102Umpqua R. & Bay Coastal river
131Deschutes R. below Sherars Falls Columbia tributary
185Willamette R. & Slough below Oregon City Falls Columbia tributary
211Buoy 10 to Tongue Point Columbia mainstem
214I-5 Bridge to Bonneville Dam Columbia mainstem
218McNary Dam to Stateline Columbia mainstem
Zone atlas

Where the booklet sends you next

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Marine and shellfish

Ocean, beach, bay, bottomfish, clam, and crab reminders

Bottomfish and groundfish Bag limits and seasons are set after the printed booklet and can change in-season. Yelloweye and quillback rockfish retention is prohibited. Lingcod have a 22 inch minimum and cabezon have a 16 inch minimum. PDF p. 81
Descending device Vessels fishing for or possessing groundfish or Pacific halibut in the ocean must have a functional descending device onboard and use it on rockfish released seaward of the 30-fathom line. PDF p. 80
Surfperch Surfperch have a 15 fish aggregate daily limit and are generally open all year unless a marine management designation says otherwise. PDF p. 81
Razor clams First 15 dug count toward the limit with no sorting or releasing. North of Tillamook Head, razor clams are closed July 15-Sept. 30. PDF p. 82
Bay clams Butter, littleneck, gaper, and cockle clams have a 20 aggregate daily limit, with only 12 gapers allowed. PDF p. 82
Dungeness crab Daily limit is 12 male crab with a 5-3/4 inch minimum size. Pots, rings, or lines are limited to 3 total per person. PDF p. 82
Marine managed areas Marine reserves, protected areas, research areas, conservation areas, gardens, and shellfish preserves each carry site-specific take restrictions. PDF p. 83-87
Fish ID

Identification checks worth knowing

Chinook vs. Coho

The booklet emphasizes gumline and tail-fin ray differences as the most useful salmon ID clues.

PDF p. 95
Hatchery vs. wild

Unless a rule says otherwise, hatchery salmon, steelhead, and trout are usually marked by a missing adipose fin.

PDF p. 95
Bull trout caution

Bull trout harvest is severely restricted, and the booklet notes anglers can confuse bull trout with brook trout.

PDF p. 14, 92-93
Groundfish ID

The booklet includes quick ID notes for frequently encountered groundfish and prohibited yelloweye rockfish.

PDF p. 94
Consumption

Advisories that should stop you from guessing

Statewide mercury advisory

Bass from all Oregon waterbodies are covered by a statewide mercury advisory with different meal guidance for vulnerable and general populations.

PDF p. 22
Lower Columbia River

Sturgeon from the lower Columbia River from the mouth to Bonneville Dam are covered by PCB and mercury consumption guidance.

PDF p. 22
Bonneville Dam at Bradford Island

All resident fish, including sturgeon, are listed as do-not-eat in the Bradford Island advisory area.

PDF p. 22
Shellfish advisories

Shellfish harvest can close immediately under public health advisories. ODFW points anglers to Oregon Department of Agriculture phone updates.

PDF p. 23, 80, 82
Catch research

2019-2025 expanded catch estimates

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Latest year rankings

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