ODFW release – On Friday, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission finalized the 2024 recreational bottomfish season and regulations. The only change from 2023 is a 12-fish bag limit in the longleader fishery. Bag Limits: General Marine Species: 5-fish 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; Longleader gear fishery: 12-fish bag limit (New bag limit in 2024). For a 12-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). Any vessel fishing for or possessing bottomfish, Pacific halibut, or flatfish in the ocean must have a functional descending device onboard, regardless of depth. Any rockfish released outside (seaward) of the 30-fathom regulatory line must be released at depth with the aid of a descending device. Additional information on the recreational bottomfish fishery can be found on the ODFW sport bottomfish webpage and the What Can I Keep? informational page.
