2023 Pacific Halibut seasons

[rogerdodger]

Unlike the shortage of ocean salmon this year, the Pacific Halibut quota for most of the Oregon Coast (Cape Falcon to Humbug Mt.) is up again (287K to 293K pounds).

On April 21, when they set the 2023 seasons, looks like lots of good news coming with regard to '7 day a week open', allowing more combined 'bottom fishing - pacific halibut' trips and potentially/hopefully a mid-season 2 halibut daily limit upgrade!

Slides presented on Feb.4:
https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/halibut/docs/management/23_presentation_ spring_all_depth.pdf

Staff recommended halibut seasons:
https://www.dfw.state.or.us/MRP/finfish/halibut/seasonmaps/2023_halibut_map.pdf

 

[slabjig]

The really good news is continuing the 7 day a week spring all depth for the central coast. This has made a huge difference in the madness at the South Beach boat ramp in Newport. I'm pretty sure the summer all depth is 3 days a week so that charters going for halibut can have full bookings, but it would be nice if that season was also 7 days a week. There's lots of other things going on during the summer, although the salmon seasons sound a little grim this year.

 

[rogerdodger]

important to me that nearshore is open 7 days a week from May1 to Oct31, as I need to hit really good conditions to chase them from a kayak, but critical is that they approve the recommendation to allow normal marine bag (2 lingcod + 5 rockfish) in addition to a pacific halibut. the last piece of the puzzle for me is to zero in on some locations OFF of Newport or CoosBay, within say 3 miles of shore, where I can drop my crab pots, get my lings/rocks first and then drift for a halibut bonus.