Ecola Creek estuary Fishing
A coastal estuary in Clatsop County, about 54 acres of tidal habitat.
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The quick picture on Ecola Creek estuary
PMEP maps Ecola Creek estuary at about 22 hectares of tidal habitat, near 54 acres, in Clatsop County. Class: riverine estuary. Boats crossing out enter the Columbia River Subarea. Cannon Beach, near under a mile off, is the closest town.
2 dock, pier or jetty sites let you fish without a boat. There are 3 marine reserves or protected areas close by.
Pacific Marine and Estuarine Fish Habitat Partnership estuary extent (PMEP), read November 2, 2026. Census 2023 places.
Launches that reach Ecola Creek estuary
You will not find Ecola Creek estuary in the OSMB launch layer.
Fishing Ecola Creek estuary from shore
- Ecola State Park on Ecola Creek estuaryshore site
- Cannon Beach on Ecola Creek estuaryshore site
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.
Keepers allowed out of Ecola Creek estuary
| 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. |
Halibut and salmon seasons in Ecola Creek estuary
| 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.
Marine Zone limits cover Ecola Creek estuary; check any river line for salmon.
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.
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Beyond the bar at Ecola Creek estuary the Columbia River Subarea rules apply; halibut: All-Depth Season: Closed for the remainder of 2026.
Marine protected areas around Ecola Creek estuary
- Cape Falcon Shoreside Marine Protected AreaAllowed take: recreational take of fish by hook-and-line from shore., 0.24 sq mi
- Cape Falcon West Marine Protected AreaAllowed take: salmon by troll, crab., 7.37 sq mi
- Cape Falcon Marine ReserveNo extractive activities allowed., 12.36 sq mi
ODFW Marine Reserve and Marine Protected Area Boundaries (layer), read November 2, 2026; full rules on oregonmarinereserves.com.
Ecola Creek estuary beside other Oregon bays
| Bay or estuary | Distance | Acres (PMEP) | OSMB launches | Shore sites | Marinas |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecola Creek estuary | 54 | 0 | 2 | 0 | |
| Nehalem Bay | 15 miles south | 5,253 | 8 | 2 | 1 |
| Tillamook Bay | 26 miles south | 14,028 | 10 | 9 | 3 |
| Lower Columbia River estuary | 27 miles northeast | 135,902 | 11 | 16 | 6 |
| Netarts Bay | 34 miles south | 2,634 | 1 | 2 | 0 |
| Sand Lake | 43 miles south | 1,177 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
PMEP extents, OSMB launches, DLCD and ODFW shore sites, Clean Marina list; read November 2, 2026.
More Oregon water a drive from Ecola Creek estuary
Other Oregon rivers near the Ecola Creek estuary
- Necanicum River8 miles
- North Fork Nehalem River12 miles
- Klaskanine River16 miles
- Nehalem River16 miles
Nearby lakes worth a look after Ecola Creek estuary
- Cullaby Lake13 miles north
- Sunset Lake13 miles north
- Nedonna Lake18 miles south
- Coffenbury Lake19 miles north
Stores that outfit trips to Ecola Creek estuary
- Bi-Mart (Seaside)sporting goods store, Seaside, 7 miles
- Wheeler Marinabait and tackle shop, Wheeler, 15 miles
- Skipanon Landingmarina, Warrenton, 19 miles
- Port of Astoriamarina, Astoria, 20 miles
- Port of Garibaldi Harbormarina, Garibaldi, 24 miles
- Port of Astoria Marina Mooringmarina, Astoria
Guided trips on Ecola Creek estuary
- Astoria Fishing Charters and Guide Servicecharter, Astoria, (503) 436-2845
- Charlton Deep Sea Charterscharter, Warrenton, (503) 861-2429
- Tiki Charters-Astoriacharter, Astoria, (503) 325-7818
Oregon towns to sleep in near Ecola Creek estuary
- Cannon Beachunder a mile
- Seaside6 miles
- Gearhart9 miles
County fishing pages tied to Ecola Creek estuary
- Clatsop Countyseat: Astoria
A Piscifun kit worth stowing before you head to Ecola Creek estuary
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What the Ecola Creek estuary species look like
Photo: Patrick Briggs, CC BY 2.0
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Ecola Creek estuary, the usual questions settled
Where is Ecola Creek estuary?
Aim for Clatsop County, under a mile from Cannon Beach.
What size is Ecola Creek estuary on the map?
Roughly 54 acres (22 hectares) on the PMEP layer.
Where do crab boats put in at Ecola Creek estuary?
No OSMB launch is mapped here.
Does ODFW cover clamming at Ecola Creek estuary?
No ODFW shellfish write-up exists for it. Bring a shellfish license.
Which rules apply at Ecola Creek estuary?
Razor Clams: First 15 dug (no sorting or releasing).
Do I need the Ocean Endorsement at Ecola Creek estuary?
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 can I fish Ecola Creek estuary from an Oregon dock or jetty?
2 shore sites are mapped, including Ecola State Park on Ecola Creek estuary.
Where can I buy an ODFW license near Ecola Creek estuary?
Try Bi-Mart (Seaside), roughly 7 miles away.
Can I fish the reserves near Ecola Creek estuary?
Check the rules for Cape Falcon Shoreside Marine Protected Area, Cape Falcon West Marine Protected Area and Cape Falcon Marine Reserve.
Pack the crab rings for Ecola Creek estuary
Read the zone rows, then choose the launch closest to your water.