IFish Fishing Forum banner

Legal Fishing time

22K views 16 replies 15 participants last post by  championlab1 
#1 ·
Too lazy to search or look it up...

True or False - It is legal to fish from one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset. (Freshwater)
 
#3 ·
True.

I've been known to rig up a "special" bobber that has a lighted tip when bobber fishing for springers to take advantage of that small timeslot just before you can see your bobber. Get the hole all to myself and yes, several snickers and jeers from those waiting to be able to see their bobbers. Those stop though on the few occasions I end up being the first person to hook into one. :D
I've noticed on a couple occasions when I show up the next time there is somebody who saw me do it and is trying the same thing. :whistle:

Always fun trying something different! Especially when it works! :cool:


A.A.
 
#7 ·
It depends on where you are fishing.

In WA state:

- saltwater is open 24/7 subject to seasonal and regional closures for certain species

- lakes are open 24/7 in general

- rivers are also generally open 24/7 unless there is a "night closure" rule in effect, meaning that fishing is legal one hour before official sunrise to 1 hour after official sunset

There is always a myth among some fishermen that "I heard it was illegal to fish for salmon at night". It's usually these same people who say that "it's illegal to use fish for bait" or "it is illegal to use lures that sink"
 
#8 ·
I also read somewhere in the regs this past week (can't remember which river now) that certain streams and rivers in Central Oregon are only 1/2 hour before and 1/2 hour after. So check the special regulations as to where you're fishing.

Bulk
 
#9 ·
Here in California most salt and fresh water is open 24/7 unless there is a special closure. For example inside the golden gate bridge to the carquinez bridge is closed 1 hour after sunset and opens one hour before sun rise. Go east of the carquinez bridge (the vast majority of our delta region) and your cool 24/7. I'd check the regs for the area your fishing, no matter the state, I bet they all have something similar.

Bob
 
#10 ·
Only for salmon/steelhead/trout/sturgeon, as far as I know. You can fish catfish, bass, panfish, and 'other' species at night so long as the body of water itself has no time restrictions - like Hagg Lake for example - it's closed from sunset to sunrise during it's open season. Anyone in the park/on the lake after those hours is probably going to have a run in with a sheriff's deputy.
 
#12 ·
Spinners do great in the dawn or dusk, whether they are glowing or not.
Thanks for the topic OP! Lets get it changed in Oregon, at least moved to 2 hrs?
Fighting a jumping Steelhead in the dark is scary fun. I once had a Clack Nooker grab a spinner without me feeling the hit, it immediately jumped and landed on its side, making a large sounding Kaploooosh!
We thought someone had fallen in, until my rod tip hit the water hard.
I use a free version of website my-cast for updated radar and daily sunrise and sunset times.
It varies slightly throughout the state.
 
#13 ·
Well, I thought that it was an hour before sunrise and an hour after sunset.
But when I was a Herman creek this year saw a sign that said "1/2 an hour before sunrise and 1/2 an hour after sunset."

:shrug:
 
#14 ·
Check your regs carefully
I don't buy an oregon license anymore (washington only) but
if I am not mistaken in the back of the oregon synopsis it lists all types of fish and when you can fish for them unless there is a special reg for the water you fish, so check both places
A few years ago they changed things so night fishing was not allowed for any species including crappie, bass, bluegill, carp, etc in lakes and rivers
It had to do with budget cuts in the state and the ability to enforce regs at night
Washington allows fishing at night unless the area you are fishing says night closure
You can fish at night on the Columbia with a washington license
But here's where it gets weird:
I have talked to WDFW, ODFW, OREGON STATE POLICE, MULTNOMAH COUNTY SHERIFF'S DEPT AND F&W PEOPLE ON THE RIVER
Depending on who I talked to I got a wide variety of answers some times different answers from two people in the same department
From, you can fish the whole river at night to you have to fish the washington side but only if you launch from washington
Just to be safe I fish the most restrictive regs I heard since there is nothing covering this in the synopsis
Hope this helps
 
#15 ·
I'd definately be for getting rid of all the silly regs prohibiting night fishing. If they're using enforcement costs as the reason, it's shakey at best. Most mid western states allow fishing for anything, any time of day or night. I believe Idaho, Colorado, and Wyoming are also this way. If any states are going to lack "enforcement ability" at night - it'll be those states with only 1 or 2 people per square mile population wise.

Poachers are going to be poachers no matter what time they fish, and frequently they DO fish at night anyway. How many game wardens are out at night busting them? How is making it legal to fish at night going to be a problem?
 
#16 ·
This is taken directly from the Oregon regs book...

"Angle for or take salmon, shad, steelhead, sturgeon, trout or whitefish except in
daylight hours (one hour before sunrise until one hour after sunset).

Attempt to snag, spear, gaff, net, trap, club, shoot or ensnare any game fish.
A net may be used to land legally hooked fish.
Take game fish hooked other than in the mouth.
Remove eggs from any salmon, steelhead or sturgeon without retaining the
carcass while in the field.
Possess in the field game fish dressed or mutilated so that size, species or fin clip
cannot be determined until the angler has reached their automobile or principle
means of land transportation and has completed their daily angling.
Angle for sturgeon with lures in waters closed to salmon or steelhead angling.
Gaff or penetrate sturgeon in any way while landing or releasing it.
Remove oversize sturgeon totally or in part from the water.
Take or possess suckers (mullet) in Klamath County.
Continue to angle for jack salmon after retaining a limit of adult salmon or
steelhead."

Warm water species are not included in the list of fish you can't fish for at night. Only shad/salmon/steelhead/trout/sturgeon and whitefish.
 
#17 ·
A better question would be why? As a resident of oregon paying my 50$ for all the bells and whistle of a fishing license, practically speaking what sense does it make to limit fishing to daylight hours...the average individual spending 50$ to fish will follow the regulation reguarding catch limits etc, and honestly, when was the last time you were even checked for a fishing license, more importantly, those whom would not abide by the fishing regulations, more likely than not, are not purchasing a license to begin with, and will fish during evening hours anyway...so I ask, whom is this law for? The avid fisherman, trying to get a few hours extra in at the end of a hard day of work... personnally I have a 6 month old labrador whom loves the freedom of being of leash, and fishing at night gives us the quiet time for me to relax, and my pup to run... Im all for restictions that would endanger a boaters, or fish species restrictions, and habitat closures etc....but please give us fisherman a break about when we can fish....heck my drivers license is good for 8 yrs at about the same costs, and they don't tell me when to drive.....lol...
 
This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.
Top