Rock Creek (Lincoln Co.)
The rule for this water, with the receipt.
Exceptions to the Northwest Zone rules, as the regulations word them
Northwest Zone · River · OR
The rules for this water, verbatimOfficial text
Straight from OR's official regulations. Rules in force today lead; out-of-season rows are dimmed. Nothing is paraphrased. Not legal advice: verify the posted rules at the water.
- Jan 1-Mar 31 (out of season today)Open for hatchery steelhead Jan 1 - Mar 31 and Dec 1-31.
Northwest Zone rules (base layer)
The Northwest Zone is all waters north of the Umpqua River to the Columbia River that drain directly to the Pacific Ocean, not including the Umpqua River drainage, and tributaries of the Columbia River entering downstream of the City of St. Helens. Portions of Columbia River tributaries upstream of the railroad bridge (near the mouth), the Skipanon River upstream of the Harbor Street Bridge, and Youngs Bay upstream from the Highway 101 Bridge are included in the Northwest Zone and those portions of the tributaries other than Youngs Bay below the railroad bridge (near the mouth) are included in the Columbia River Zone . Regulations for marine fish, marine shellfish and marine invertebrates are listed under the Marine Zone .
- Angling for all species in streams above tidewater is restricted to artificial flies and lures May 22 - Aug 31. See exceptions for use of bait in Siletz, Little Nestucca, Nestucca, Trask, Wilson, John Day, Lewis and Clark, Youngs and Klaskanine rivers, Big and Gnat creeks, and Three Rivers.
- A valid Columbia River Basin Endorsement must be in possession when fishing for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream and in all the rivers and their tributaries that flow into the Columbia River.
- Use of bait allowed in bays and tidewaters year round.
- Anglers may not continue to angle for jack salmon or trout after retaining a limit of adult salmon or steelhead.
- See marine zone for additional regulations that apply to coastal bays.
- Multi-species restrictions: It is unlawful for any person to fish for, or take and retain, any species of salmon, Pacific halibut, or marine fish while possessing on board any fish not allowed to be taken in the area at that time.
| Species | Bag limit | Size and specifications | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Species | Bag Limit | Size Limit and Other Specifications | Season |
| Trout | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): 2 per day, 3 daily limits in possession. | Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater, May 22 - Aug 31. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. 8 inch minimum length. Only 1 trout over 20 inches in length may be taken per day. Rainbow trout over 16 inches are considered steelhead in streams. Salmon under 15 inches are considered trout, except coho salmon, which are always considered salmon regardless of size. No limit on size or number of brook or brown trout in streams unless noted under Exceptions . | Lakes: Open all year Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open May 22 - Oct 31, unless noted under Exceptions . |
| Salmon and Steelhead | In the aggregate: 2 adult salmon or steelhead per day, 20 per year. 5 jack salmon per day, 2 daily jack limits in possession. Wild salmon bag limits are determined annually. For current information, visit the MyODFW website . | Hatchery steelhead, hatchery coho salmon, pink salmon, and sockeye salmon, may be harvested as part of the adult and jack salmon daily bag limit in waters that are open to angling for Chinook salmon or steelhead. Closed to angling for chum salmon (including jacks) unless noted under Exceptions . Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater May 22 - Aug 31. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. See Exceptions in NW Zone to determine where harvest of any Chinook salmon is allowed. Harvest of wild steelhead and wild coho salmon is prohibited in the NW Zone except as allowed under Exceptions for wild steelhead in Big Elk Creek, Salmon River, and wild coho in Siltcoos Lake and Tahkenitch Lake. There is no annual limit on hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead as long as the appropriate number of Hatchery Harvest Tags have been purchased to record the catch. | Closed unless noted under Exceptions . Note: Regulation changes may occur throughout the year and are posted on the MyODFW website . Check for updates before you fish. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Closed to the retention of white and green sturgeon. All sturgeon must be immediately released unharmed into the water. Sturgeon over 54 inches in fork length cannot be removed totally or in part from the water. Only one single-point barbless hook may be used for sturgeon. Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater May 22 - Aug 31. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. Note: Tidewater portions of Columbia River tributaries are managed per Columbia River regulations. Columbia River sturgeon fisheries downstream of Bonneville Dam are restricted to catch-and-release angling only. | Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons. |
| Bass | Lakes: 5 per day, 3 daily limits in possession unless noted under Exceptions . Streams: No limit. | No more than 3 over 15 inches in length in lakes. No minimum length in streams. Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater, May 22 - Aug 31. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. | Lakes: Open all year. Streams: (including tidewaters and bays): Open during trout, salmon or steelhead seasons, except tidewater areas of Columbia River tributaries downstream from the city of St. Helens are open all year. |
2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations - Northwest Zone · Captured in the state's own words; checked against the source July 2, 2026.
How this answer was assembled
- StatewideStatewide river rules are the base layer: default season, gear, bait, and limits.
- This waterSpecial rules written for this exact water replace the statewide defaults where they speak.
- Emergency orderEmergency orders in effect today override everything else. They sync quietly when the phone has coverage and never lock you out of the app.
Where this stretch begins and ends
The drawn shape is the named water, matched from the official list against OpenStreetMap and accepted only because the name resolved to a single feature in this water's zone.
Different sections of this water can have different rules. The exact section boundaries are not marked on the map yet; each rule above describes in plain words where it starts and ends, and that written description is the authoritative boundary. Map boundaries come water by water, never as a guess.
Season at a glanceDerived
Sampled mid-month from the dated rows; short windows can slip between samples. The rows above are authoritative.
At the water nowContext
Streamflow: 89.2 cfs at siletz river at siletz, or (2026-07-30 01:30)
Forecast: National Weather Service. Flow: nearest active USGS gauge in this water's area, which may sit on a different reach. Conditions are context, not rules.
You also need (Oregon)
- Angling license. Everyone 12 and older needs an Oregon angling license.
- Combined Angling Tag. Required at every age to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, or halibut. One per year, covering up to 20 salmon or steelhead combined; hatchery fish can go on a separate Hatchery Harvest Tag.
- Columbia River Basin Endorsement. Required at every age when angling for salmon, steelhead, or sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia from Buoy 10 upstream and in all rivers and tributaries flowing into the Columbia.
- Two-Rod Validation. Allows two rods on standing waters (lakes, ponds, reservoirs; five lines when ice fishing). Not valid in rivers, bays, estuaries, or the ocean.
Checked against 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations - license information on July 2, 2026.
Receipts
Local services near Rock Creek (Lincoln Co.)
Tackle shops, guides, and boat launches that serve this water will appear here - a separate lane below the rules, so a local business can reach you without ever getting between you and the regulation.
Run a shop or guide service on Rock Creek (Lincoln Co.)? Get listed.