More All-Depth Pacific Halibut Days Open in the Columbia River Subarea

Pacific halibut anglers just got more room to work off the Oregon and Washington line.

The Columbia River subarea — Leadbetter Point, Washington, down to Cape Falcon, Oregon — is opening all-depth Pacific halibut fishing seven days a week from August 8 through September 30, or until the quota is reached. The daily bag limit is one Pacific halibut.

ODFW says that subarea still had about 39% of its allocation remaining as of July 26. Farther south, the Central Oregon Coast subarea from Cape Falcon to Humbug Mountain remains open seven days a week through October 31 or until quota, with a two-fish daily halibut limit. The Southern Oregon subarea from Humbug Mountain to the Oregon/California border is also still open seven days a week through October 31 or quota, with a two-fish daily limit and about 90% of its allocation remaining.

That is how regulated harvest is supposed to work: track the quota, open opportunity when the fishery can handle it, and shut it down when the number is met. If you are headed out, check the current ODFW halibut updates before you burn fuel. Seasons can change fast when effort jumps.

Good fishing and good management can exist in the same sentence. This is one of those times.