Coos Bay Fishing
A coastal bay in Coos County, about 20,566 acres of tidal habitat.
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Where an Oregon day on Coos Bay begins
In Coos County, Coos Bay spreads across roughly 8,323 hectares, or about 20,566 acres, per PMEP. It is typed riverine estuary. Its ocean water belongs to the Central Oregon Coast Subarea. North Bend sits roughly 2 miles away.
There are 15 launch sites on the OSMB map here. The shore lists add 6 dock, pier or jetty sites. ODFW publishes a crab and clam guide for it.
Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership estuary extent (PMEP), read November 2, 2026. Census 2023 places.
Launch sites around Coos Bay
- California Street Boat Ramp on Coos BayCoos Bay; 1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; City of North Bend
- Catching Slough boat ramp on Coos BayCatching Slough; trailered launch; parking; Unknown
- Charleston Boat Basin Ramp on Coos BayCoos Bay; 6 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms, use fee, short-term tie-up, fuel; Port of Coos Bay
- Charleston South Slough Paddle Launch on Coos BayCoos Bay; trailered launch; parking, non-motorized boats only; Port of Coos Bay
- Conde B. McCullough S.R.S. Wayside on Coos BayCoos Bay; 1 lane, trailered launch; parking; Oregon Parks and Recreation Department
- Coos Bay City DockCoos Bay; hand carry launch; parking, restrooms, short-term tie-up, pumpout, marina; City of Coos Bay
- Doris Place boat ramp on Millicoma RiverMillicoma River; 1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Eastside Ramp on Coos BayIsthmus Slough; 2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; City of Coos Bay
- Empire Ramp on Coos BayCoos Bay; 2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; City of Coos Bay
- Green Acres boat ramp on Coos BayIsthmus Slough; 1 lane, trailered launch; parking; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Hinch Bridge Launch on Coos BayWinchester Creek; 1 lane, hand carry launch; parking, hand launch; South Slough National Estuarine Research Center
- Myrtle Tree boat ramp on South Fork Coos RiverSouth Fork Coos River; 2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- North Spit boat ramp on Coos BayCoos Bay; 2 lanes, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Bureau of Land Management
- Rooke-Higgins boat ramp on Millicoma RiverMillicoma River; 1 lane, trailered launch; parking, restrooms; Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife
- Shinglehouse Slough boat ramp on Coos BayShinglehouse Slough; 1 lane, trailered launch; parking; Oregon Department of Transportation
Shore fishing around Coos Bay
- Albacore Lane on Coos Bayfishing pier
- Empire Boat Ramp on Coos Bayfishing pier, Owner
- North Bend Boardwalk on Coos Bayfishing pier, Owner
- Coos Bay Boardwalkfishing pier, Owner
- Horsfall Beach, Oregon Dunes NRA on Coos Bayshore site
- North Spit Ramp, Coos Bayjetty
Moorage and marinas around Coos Bay
- Port of Coos Bay – Charleston Marinamarina (Oregon Certified Clean Marina), Charleston, 541-267-7678
- Port of Coos Bay – Charleston Shipyardmarina (Oregon Certified Clean Marina), Charleston, 541-297-2713
- Coos Bay City Dock
Oregon State Marine Board Boating Access Sites layer (OSMB ArcGIS), read November 2, 2026; status as OSMB publishes it. Oregon Coastal Management Program (DLCD) Shoreline Access Inventory (layer) and the ODFW shore access map, read November 2, 2026.
Sloughs and channels in Coos Bay
- Haywood Inletbay
- Day Inletbay
- Coos Baybay
- Cooston Channelchannel
- Haynes Inletbay
- Jordan Covebay
- Kentuck Inletbay
- Marshfield Channelchannel
- Willanch Inletbay
- Ferndale Upper Rangechannel
- Marshfield Range Channelchannel
- Entrance Rangechannel
- Inside Rangechannel
- Lower Jarvis Rangechannel
- Jarvis Turnchannel
- Empire Rangechannel
- North Bend Lower Range Channelchannel
- North Bend Rangechannel
- North Bend Upper Rangechannel
- Ferndale Lower Rangechannel
- Myrtle Tree Holechannel
- Wee House Holechannel
- Pony Sloughgut
- Upper Jarvis Rangechannel
- Browns Covebay
- Hungryman Covebay
- Joe Ney Sloughgut
- South Sloughgut
The named arms of Coos Bay are listed as USGS records them.
USGS GNIS domestic names inside the PMEP estuary extent, read November 2, 2026.
Crabbing and clamming in Coos Bay
ODFW notes on Coos Bay, quoted:
Coos Bay is Oregon’s largest bay. The lower bay (areas from the ocean entrance to the airport) is “marine dominated”, meaning there is little freshwater influence, and offers some of Oregon’s most productive shellfishing opportunities.
: These charts depict popular, productive shellfishing areas. Bay clam and crab species occur in other areas within Coos Bay, but may be less popular to access. Additionally, many other species of shellfish, some popular for harvest (e.g., bait shrimp, razor clams, etc.) may be present, but not represented here.
Lower Coos Bay: Includes areas of the North Spit on the west side of the bay and easily accessible areas along Cape Arago Highway.
North Spit: The western side of lower Coos Bay features very popular boat crabbing and gaper and butter clam digging. Access is difficult (4×4 road or boat only). The paved road ends at the former aquaculture facility (access point #6); gaper and butter clams are found densely throughout.
Strawberry Island (SI): This is the only vegetated island in lower Coos Bay. Gaper and butter clams are easily dug along the muddy shoreline and large butter clams can be dug in the gravely beds around the island.
Where to crab & clam in Coos Bay, myodfw.com, read November 2, 2026.
Water level gauges near Coos Bay
NOAA CO-OPS water level, preliminary reading at retrieval; station page for live data.
- EmpireNOAA tide predictions
- Sitka Dock, Coos BayNOAA tide predictions
- Coos BayNOAA tide predictions
- CHARLESTONNOAA tide predictions
Tide timing drives both boating and clamming on Coos Bay.
NOAA CO-OPS stations and tide predictions, read November 2, 2026.
Daily limits at Coos Bay
| Species | Daily limit as printed | Season |
|---|---|---|
| General Marine Species: Rockfish ("sea bass", "snapper"), Greenling (“. | Bag limits are set after this book is printed. Check current regulations before fishing on the Sport Bottomfish Seasons page. Retention of yelloweye and quillback rockfishes is prohibited. | Waters are open 24 hours per day. The offshore long-leader fishery is limited to fishing seaward of the 40-fathom regulatory line. |
| Lingcod (including green-colored lingcod) | 3 fish. | Waters are open 24 hours per day. The offshore long-leader fishery is limited to fishing seaward of the 40-fathom regulatory line. |
| Sablefish (black cod) | 10 fish. | Waters are open 24 hours per day. The offshore long-leader fishery is limited to fishing seaward of the 40-fathom regulatory line. |
| Flatfish (flounders, soles, sanddabs, turbots, and halibuts except Pac. | 25 fish in aggregate. | Waters are open 24 hours per day. The offshore long-leader fishery is limited to fishing seaward of the 40-fathom regulatory line. |
| Surfperch (includes all marine perch species) | 15 fish in aggregate. | Waters open all year, 24 hours per day, unless noted under Management Designations for Marine Areas. |
| Herring, Anchovy, Sardine, Topsmelt, Jacksmelt, and true smelts | 25 pounds in aggregate. | Waters open all year, 24 hours per day, unless noted under Management Designations for Marine Areas. |
| Offshore Pelagic Species: Includes all tuna and mackerel species, swor. | 25 fish in aggregate. White shark, basking shark, mega-mouth shark, and oceanic whitetip shark are prohibited and must be immediately released unharmed. | Waters open all year, 24 hours per day, unless noted under Management Designations for Marine Areas. |
| Striped Bass and/or Hybrid Bass | No limit | Waters open all year, 24 hours per day, unless noted under Management Designations for Marine Areas. |
| Sturgeon | Catch-and-release only. | Open all year. |
| Salmon and Steelhead | Ocean salmon and steelhead seasons and restrictions are set each April by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. Regulations are published each May and are available from license agents. | Ocean salmon and steelhead seasons and restrictions are set each April by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. |
| Pacific Halibut | May be taken by angling with a single line, no more than 2 hooks; and by spear. Pacific halibut seasons are managed and enforced based on port of landing. | May be taken by angling with a single line, no more than 2 hooks; and by spear. Pacific halibut seasons are managed and enforced based on port of landing. |
| Razor Clams | First 15 dug (no sorting or releasing). | Waters open all year, 24 hours per day Exceptions: Razor clams are closed Jul 15 to Sep 30 north of Tillamook Head (Clatsop County) Shellfish harvests may be cl. |
Ocean fishing calendar for Coos Bay
| Fishery and area | Season | Limit |
|---|---|---|
| crab, Bays, beaches, estuaries, tide pools, piers and jetties | Open for crabbing all year, 24 hours per day. | Dungeness crab 12 (males only); 5-3/4" minimum size |
Ocean seasons as published by ODFW (myodfw.com, myodfw.com, dfw.state.or.us, eregulations.com), read November 2, 2026; ODFW changes ocean seasons in season.
Bays and estuaries such as Coos Bay follow the Marine Zone rows; salmon and steelhead in tidewater follow the river exceptions.
An Oregon angling license ($50 resident, $138 nonresident for 2026) covers anglers 12 and older; ocean fishing from boats, beaches and jetties now also needs the Ocean Endorsement ($9 annual) unless you fish only for salmon or steelhead.
Limits as printed in the 2026 Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations (ODFW, eRegulations edition) (Marine Zone page), read November 2, 2026.
For the rockfish herePiscifun Saltflow offshore rod25% OFFSale $299.99 The ocean area offshore of Coos Bay
Coos Bay boats fish the Central Oregon Coast Subarea; halibut as printed: Spring All-Depth Season: May 1 through July 31, seven days per week, or until the quota is caught.
Neighbouring estuaries measured against Coos Bay
| Bay or estuary | Distance | Acres (PMEP) | OSMB launches | Shore sites | Marinas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Coos Bay | 20,566 | 15 | 6 | 3 | |
| Sunset Bay | 8 miles southwest | 2 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Tenmile Creek estuary (Coos County) | 12 miles northeast | 1,329 | 9 | 0 | 6 |
| Winchester Bay and the Umpqua estuary | 22 miles northeast | 12,418 | 12 | 2 | 4 |
| Fourmile Creek estuary | 29 miles south | 82 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Port Orford Head | 47 miles south | 141 | 2 | 1 | 0 |
PMEP extents, OSMB launches, DLCD and ODFW shore sites, Clean Marina list; read November 2, 2026.
Inland Oregon options near Coos Bay
Streams in the same country as the Coos Bay
- Coos River6 miles
- South Fork Coos River9 miles
- Millicoma River9 miles
- West Fork Millicoma River12 miles
Port districts by Coos Bay
- Port of Coos BayCoos County
Other still water within reach of Coos Bay
- Lower Empire Lake1 mile south
- Upper Empire Lake1 mile southeast
- Bluebill Lake2 miles north
- Butterfield Lake8 miles north
Shops for roe, worms and spinners near Coos Bay
- Bite's on Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Coos Bay, 2 miles
- Y Marina, 1307 Newmark Avemarina, Coos Bay, 2 miles
- Bi-Mart (North Bend)sporting goods store, North Bend, 2 miles
- Bi-Mart (Coos Bay)sporting goods store, Coos Bay, 4 miles
- Ringo's Lakeside Marinabait and tackle shop, Lakeside, 12 miles
- La Playa Marina & Resortmarina, Lakeside, 12 miles
Guide services for Coos Bay
- Betty Kay Charterscharter, Coos Bay, (541) 888-9021
- Pacific Charter Servicescharter, Coos Bay, (541) 378-3040
- Prowler Charterscharter, Bandon, (541) 347-1901
Towns within striking range of Coos Bay
- North Bend2 miles
- Coos Bay3 miles
- Lakeside13 miles
County pages that include Coos Bay
- Coos Countyseat: Coquille
What Piscifun sells for a day spent on Coos Bay
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Know the Coos Bay catch by sight
Photo: Ed Bierman, CC BY 2.0
Photo: gailhampshire, CC BY 2.0
Coos Bay: what Oregon anglers want to know
Where on the Oregon coast is Coos Bay?
You will find it in Coos County, about 2 miles from North Bend.
Is Coos Bay a large estuary?
Close to 20,566 acres of estuary.
Which OSMB launch serves Coos Bay?
California Street Boat Ramp on Coos Bay is among 15 launch sites.
Where do people clam at Coos Bay?
The shellfish band quotes the ODFW guide for it. Shellfish gathering needs its own license.
What may I keep at Coos Bay?
Razor Clams: First 15 dug (no sorting or releasing).
Does a visitor from out of state need an Oregon license at Coos Bay?
An Oregon angling license ($50 resident, $138 nonresident for 2026) covers anglers 12 and older; ocean fishing from boats, beaches and jetties now also needs the Ocean Endorsement ($9 annual) unless you fish only for salmon or steelhead.
Where do bank anglers go at Coos Bay?
The shore lists show 6 shore sites, such as Albacore Lane on Coos Bay.
Where do Oregon anglers buy gear for Coos Bay?
Stop at Bite's on Bait & Tackle, roughly 2 miles away.
When is low tide at Coos Bay?
Open the NOAA predictions for Empire.
Plan a tide on Coos Bay
Licenses, endorsements and water exceptions are on the regulations page.