Angler License Help

Angler licensing help:

If you or someone in your group are unfamiliar with Oregon’s fishing licenses be sure to read and share this!

It’s important for everyone to be prepared before we leave the dock with the appropriate licensing.

It is the anglers‘s responsibility to make sure this is complete. If you are unsure about cell phones, apps and the technology involved, by all means “hit the easy button “ and buy a paper one-day license at a license vendor before the day of your trip. It will include your combined angling tag. Also get the Columbia river endorsement. Then your set.

Licenses, Tags, and Endorsements.

The choice is up to you! Anglers have the option of purchasing an electronic license, tags, endorsements, and validations by using their smartphone with the myodfw app to display or can choose the traditional paper option and will be able to print at home, at a license vendor, or ODFW office. Anglers will choose which method they will use at the time of purchase. To purchase licenses and tags visit myodfw.com for more information. I have edited the information below provided by the state for simplicity to make it more applicable to new anglers in my fisheries.

All persons 12 years or older must:

• Have in possession a valid Oregon Angling License to angle for or take, or help another angle for or take, any fish for personal use.
• Any documents in possession, either electronic or paper, must be accessible immediately upon request by department staff or law enforcement.
• It is unlawful to have in possession an unsigned tag and/or reproduction/photocopied or resized tag(s).
• Resized: In relation to permits and tags, resized means to change the dimensions of a permit or tag, either electronically or physically, from the original size as printed on 8.5” x 11” (letter) paper; trimming to the border of the document itself after printing to original size is allowed.
• All anglers (regardless of age) need a valid Combined Angling Tag in possession to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut.
• It’s important to note here that children younger than 12 need a free combined angling tag to retain salmon, steelhead or sturgeon.
• Harvested adult wild salmon or steelhead must be recorded on the Combined Angling Tag.
• Angler who takes the fish must record the fish on their tag irrespective of who hooked the fish.
• The combined angling tag must be in possession and presented when requested by law enforcement.
• Combined angling tags are included with daily/multiday licenses. *This is your best option if you plan to fish only one day this year. Be sure to buy the Columbia river basin endorsement too
• Anglers are not required to record the harvest of jack salmon.
• All anglers, regardless of age, must have in possession a valid Columbia River Basin Endorsement when angling for salmon, steelhead and sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream, and in all rivers and their tributaries that flow into the Columbia River.
• When angling within three miles of shore from Cape Falcon, OR to Leadbetter Point, WA, or in the waters of the Columbia River where it forms the Oregon-Washington boundary both Washington and Oregon resident fishing licenses are valid. Any anglers other than Washington residents must have a valid Oregon angling or shellfish license when landing fish or taking shellfish by boat in Oregon.
• All licenses, tags, and permits are available online, and through license agents, and ODFW offices that sell licenses.
• Licenses and tags may be purchased for you by a family member or friend.

Full version….

If you choose the electronic license the following tips are for you:

9 tips for tagging fish and game using e-tagging or paper tags | Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife

Be sure you have downloaded the app, logged in, synced and leave the app open while we fish. You don’t need cell coverage but you do need the app open and logged in before we lose cell coverage, this is very important for ocean trips.