Idaho Fish Report

The Oregon central coast subarea (Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain) summer all-depth halibut fishery will be open every Thursday through Saturday beginning August 4. The Columbia River subarea will be open three more days in August (19, 25, 28) along with three more days in September (3, 4, and 23).

Opening up every weekend for the summer all-depth fishery, instead of skipping weekends, allows anglers more opportunity to harvest halibut. High winds and rough seas this spring have caused bar restrictions and/or bar closures up and down the central Oregon coast, severely limiting the number of anglers able (or willing) to participate in the fishery. With much of the spring all-depth quota remaining as we head into the summer all-depth season, we are looking to provide anglers more opportunity to harvest halibut.

The Columbia River subarea (Cape Falcon OR to Leadbetter Pt. WA) will also be adding six more days of all-depth halibut fishing for folks interested in participating in the subarea managed with WDFW.

Reminder: The Bottomfish fishery seasonal depth restriction, inside or shoreward of the 40 fathom regulatory line, will be in effect during the months of July and August.

During days open for all-depth halibut fishing in the months of July and August, EITHER a combination of sablefish, Pacific cod & other flatfish species OR longleader rockfish may be retained when halibut are onboard the vessel. Longleader gear fishing may be combined with a halibut trip, but only outside of 40 fathoms, and once rockfish are on board, no further halibut fishing is allowed.

The nearshore halibut fishery will remain available for anglers on days that the all-depth halibut fishery is closed.

Use of a descending device to release rockfish is required when fishing deeper than 30 fathoms, and recommended at any depth for fish that are not able to submerge on their own.

For additional information please see our Sport Halibut web page and the halibut map.