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Rogue River
The rule for this water, with the receipt.
Exceptions to the Southwest Zone rules, as the regulations word them
Southwest Zone · River · OR
Has its own special rules
How to read this page:Official text quoted regulationParsed fields from the ruleDerived calculated from rulesContext conditions, not a ruleAdvice our suggestion
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.
The reach you are on
Whole water
- The following apply to open sections from mouth to Cole Rivers hatchery dam: *
- 5 hatchery rainbow trout per day.
- Wild rainbow trout and cutthroat trout must be released.
- Open all year for hatchery steelhead.
- Open all year for hatchery coho salmon.
- Gear Restriction: Any attached weight may be no more the 6 ft above the lower most hook, in addition to statewide Hook and Weight regulations .
Out of season today
- Jan 1-Mar 31 (out of season today)Open for hatchery rainbow trout Jan 1 - Mar 31 and May 22 - Dec 31.
- Feb 1-Apr 30 (out of season today)Wild steelhead over 24 inches may be harvested Feb 1 - Apr 30; 1 per day and 3 per season.
Other reaches in this official entry
* Mouth to Hog Cr boat ramp
- Jun 1-Dec 31Open for Chinook salmon Jun 1 - Dec 31.
- Closed from ODFW markers 400 ft below Rainie Falls to Rainie Falls (RM 66).
Out of season today
- Jan 1-Apr 30 (out of season today)Wild steelhead over 24 inches may be harvested Jan 1 - Apr 30 and Dec 1-31; 1 per day and 3 per season.
- Jan 1-May 31 (out of season today)Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 - May 31.
- Sep 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Use of bait allowed except restricted to artificial flies and lures Sep 1 - Oct 31 from Foster Cr to Whisky Cr.
* Hog Cr boat ramp to Fishers Ferry boat ramp
- Jun 1-Sep 30Open for Chinook salmon Jun 1 - Sep 30.
- Use of bait allowed.
- Closed from Gold Hill boat ramp (RM 121) up to Gold Hill municipal water intake.
Out of season today
- Jan 1-May 31 (out of season today)Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 - May 31.
- Oct 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Closed for Chinook salmon Oct 1 - Dec 31.
* Fishers Ferry boat ramp to Dodge Bridge
- Jul 1-Aug 31Open for Chinook salmon Jul 1 - Aug 31.
Out of season today
- Jan 1-Jun 30 (out of season today)Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 - Jun 30.
- Sep 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Use of bait allowed except restricted to artificial flies Sep 1 - Oct 31, no added weights or attachments except a bubble or similar floating device attached to the line.
- Sep 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Closed for Chinook salmon Sep 1 - Dec 31.
- Nov 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Artificial flies and lures only Nov 1 - Dec 31.
* Dodge Bridge to Shady Cove Park boat ramp
- Jan 1-Jul 31Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 - Jul 31.
Out of season today
- Sep 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Use of bait allowed except restricted to artificial flies Sep 1 - Oct 31, no added weights or attachments except a bubble or similar floating device attached to the line.
- Aug 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Closed for Chinook salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31.
- Nov 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Artificial flies and lures only Nov 1 - Dec 31.
* Shady Cove Park boat ramp to Hwy 62 bridge at McGregor Park
- Jan 1-Jul 31Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 - Jul 31.
Out of season today
- Aug 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Closed for Chinook salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31.
- Sep 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Use of bait allowed except restricted to artificial flies Sep 1 - Oct 31, no added weights or attachments except a bubble or similar floating device attached to the line.
* Hwy 62 bridge at McGregor Park to ODFW markers 1,200 ft below fish ladder entrance markers (RM 157) at Cole Rivers Hatchery
- Jan 1-Jul 31Open for hatchery Chinook salmon Jan 1 - Jul 31.
- Apr 1-Jul 31Closed from 8pm to one half hour before sunrise Apr 1 - Jul 31.
- Closed to all angling in the Cole Rivers Hatchery outflow channel to confluence with the main river channel.
Out of season today
- Aug 1-Dec 31 (out of season today)Closed for Chinook salmon Aug 1 - Dec 31.
- Sep 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Use of bait allowed except restricted to artificial flies Sep 1 - Oct 31, no added weights or attachments except a bubble or similar floating device attached to the line.
* ODFW markers 1,200 ft below fish ladder entrance markers (RM 157) to Cole Rivers Hatchery Dam
- Apr 1-Jul 31Closed to all angling from Apr 1 - Jul 31.
- Closed for Chinook salmon all year.
- No angling from a floating device.
- Closed from ODFW markers below fish ladder entrance to hatchery dam.
Out of season today
- Sep 1-Oct 31 (out of season today)Use of bait allowed except restricted to artificial flies Sep 1 - Oct 31, no added weights or attachments except a bubble or similar floating device attached to the line.
Cole Rivers Hatchery Dam to Lost Cr Dam
- Catch-and-release all year.
- Fly fishing only, barbless hooks required.
Mainstem and tributaries above Lost Cr Dam
- Open all year for trout, 5 per day (brook and brown trout not included in bag limit).
- Only 1 trout over 20 inches per day, no steelhead present all rainbow trout are considered trout.
- Use of bait allowed.
Southwest Zone rules (base layer)
The Southwest Zone is all waters draining directly to the Pacific Ocean from the Umpqua River south to the Oregon-California border, and including, the Umpqua River drainage; and those portions of Klamath River drainage in Jackson County. Regulations for marine fish, marine shellfish and marine invertebrates are listed under the Marine Zone .
- Rogue River tributaries below Lost Creek Dam, Applegate River tributaries below Applegate Dam, all Illinois River tributaries, including the East Fork and West Fork Illinois River are closed to all angling, except as noted under Exceptions .
- Angling in streams above tidewater for all species during May 22 - Aug 31 is restricted to artificial flies and lures. See exceptions for use of bait in Coquille, Rogue, Applegate and Umpqua river basins.
- Use of bait allowed in bays and tidewaters year round.
- Anglers may not continue to angle for jack salmon or trout after retaining limit of adult salmon or steelhead.
- See Health Advisory .
- 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 catch 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 . In the Coos, Coquille, Tenmile, and their tributaries, open for steelhead angling, one additional hatchery steelhead may be retained per day for a total aggregate of 3 adult fish harvested daily from Jan 1 - Apr 30 and Dec 1-31 only. | 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. Only hatchery steelhead may be kept, except as noted under Exceptions for the mainstem East Fork Coquille River, Illinois, Chetco, Elk, Pistol, Rogue, Sixes and Winchuck rivers and Hunter and Euchre creeks. See new Rogue-South Coast steelhead angling regulations below. Wild coho salmon seasons are determined annually before September; please visit the MyODFW website for current season information. Wild Coho Aggregate Bag Limit applies to NW and SW Zones. See description on Northwest Zone for detailed information. Angling restricted to artificial flies and lures in streams above tidewater, May 22 - Aug 31. See Exceptions where use of bait is allowed. 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 . |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Closed to the retention of white sturgeon 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. | 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 1 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. |
2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations - Southwest 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
Loading map…
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
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opensome stretchesclosedunknown
Next change: partially changes Aug. 1, 2026.
Sampled mid-month from the dated rows; short windows can slip between samples. The rows above are authoritative.
At the water nowContext
Overnight
51°F
Partly Cloudy
Wind 5 mph · 0% precip
Wednesday
83°F
Sunny
Wind 5 to 10 mph · 1% precip
Wednesday Night
49°F
Mostly Clear
Wind 3 to 9 mph · 0% precip
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.
What are you fishing for here?Advice
Pick from the species named in Rogue River's rules. Setups are checked against the gear rules in force today, and your picks are remembered on this device only. These are rule-aware suggestions, not a claim about what is biting; advice, not law, and the rules above govern.
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
Oregon general regulations
StatewideChecked against this official source on July 2, 2026.
Southwest Zone rules (base layer)
StatewideChecked against this official source on July 2, 2026.
Special rules - Rogue River
This waterChecked against this official source on July 2, 2026.
These rules matched the official source when we last checked (July 3, 2026). If a future check ever disagrees, this page gets flagged automatically. How we check our data
Local services near Rogue River
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 Rogue River? Get listed.