Columbia River halibut and bottomfish seasons and regulations

All-depth fishery - 2024 Weekly Catch Estimates

Nearshore fishery

2024 halibut season dates

The 2024 season dates for Washington recreational halibut fisheries have been adopted by the Pacific Fishery Management Council.  At its January meeting, the International Pacific Halibut Commission set the 2024 halibut quota for Area 2A fisheries (Washington, Oregon, California). Season dates have been implemented in federal rule.  All openings are subject to quota availability.

All-depth Fishery

Proposed season dates for Columbia River Marine Area 1:

              May 2, 5, 7, 9, 12, 14, 16, 19, 21, 23, 26, 30

              June 2, 4, 6, 9, 11, 13, 16, 18, 20, 23, 25, 27, 30

If quota remains after June 30, open up to seven days per week in August and September.

Nearshore Fishery 

• Open to fishing on a Monday-through-Wednesday schedule beginning the first Monday after the all-depth fishery opens until the nearshore allocation is taken or September 30, whichever comes first. Coordinates for the nearshore fishery are available at: wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/halibut/columbia-river.

Check for additional information as the season progresses in the emergency rules website.

In all marine areas open to halibut fishing, there is a one-fish daily catch limit and no minimum size restriction.  There is a six fish annual bag limit.  Anglers must record their catch on a WDFW catch record card.

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2024 Bottomfish regulations 

On days open to the all-depth halibut fishery, sablefish, Pacific cod, flatfish species, yellowtail rockfish, widow rockfish, canary rockfish, redstriped rockfish, greenstriped rockfish, silvergray rockfish, chilipepper, bocaccio, and blue/deacon rockfish may be retained. Lingcod may be retained north of the Washington-Oregon border. Retention of yelloweye rockfish is prohibited. 

Following the opening of the all-depth fishery, halibut retention with bottomfish on board is allowed in the nearshore area each Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday, until the nearshore quota is taken. The nearshore area off WA is shoreward of 46°38.17' N. lat., 124°15.88' W. long., to the WA/OR border at 46°16.00' N. lat., 124°15.88' W. long. (then connecting to the 40-fathom depth contour in Oregon).

Bottomfish restrictions

Retention of yelloweye rockfish is prohibited at all times.

Recreational fishing for, retention, or possession of lingcod is prohibited seaward of a line extending from 46°38.17'N. lat., 124°20.00'W. long. to 46°33.00’ N. Lat., 124°21.00’ W. long. Except, lingcod may be taken, retained and possessed in this area from June 1 through June 15 and September 1 through September 30.

NOTE: Bottomfish caught in the Pacific Ocean and landed into a Washington port are subject to Washington personal use fishing regulations including possession limits (WAC 220-305-010).  That is, recreational anglers are prohibited from landing recreational bottomfish in excess of the possession limits in place for the port of landing.

Bottomfish seasons and limits

Bottomfish

Recreational fishing for bottomfish will be open from the second Saturday in March through the third Saturday in October, which is March 9 through October 19, 2024. Daily limit is a total of nine bottomfish regardless of species, subject to individual limits shown below. In addition to the nine bottomfish daily limit, five additional flatfish species (excluding Pacific halibut) can be retained. 

In Marine Area 1 fishing for, retention, or possession of lingcod is prohibited seaward of a line drawn from 46°38.167' N. Lat., 124°21.00' W. Lon. (Leadbetter Point) to 46°33.00' N. Lat., 124°21.00' W. Lon. when lingcod is open. Except, lingcod may be taken, retained, and possessed in this area from June 1 through June 15 and September 1 through September 30.

Lingcod

• Marine Area 1 (Columbia River): Open March 9 – October 19, 2024. See lingcod restricted areas above.
• The daily bag limit is two per angler.
• No minimum size.

Rockfish

• Open March 9 – October 19, 2024.  No minimum size. Daily limit 7.  Retention of yelloweye rockfish is prohibited.  In May, June, and July the possession limit for copper rockfish, quillback rockfish, and vermilion rockfish is 0. See lingcod restricted areas above. 

Cabezon

• Open March 9 – October 19, 2024. No minimum size. Daily limit 1.

Sixgill, Sevengill, and Thresher sharks

• Closed to fishing for, retaining, or possessing.  Sixgill shark may not be removed from the water.  

Surfperch

• Open year-round. No minimum size. Daily limit 12, except Shiner perch daily limit 15; not included in the bottomfish daily limit.