Oregon Salmon Tag Combined Angling Tag Rules Explained
The Oregon “salmon tag” most anglers mean is the Combined Angling Tag. It is required to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut, and it is separate from the base angling license unless your license type already includes it.
This guide explains who needs the tag, 2026 costs, how to record salmon and steelhead, when hatchery tags help, when Columbia or Ocean Endorsements are also needed, and the mistakes that create real problems at the river, bay, jetty or boat ramp.
Fast answer: Oregon requires a valid Combined Angling Tag for anglers of any age who angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut. This is the tag people often call the Oregon salmon tag. It is required to angle for those species, not only when you plan to keep fish.
2026 cost: Adult Combined Angling Tag is $69 resident and $89 nonresident. Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag is $5. Daily and multi-day angling licenses include Combined Angling Tags, but recording rules still apply.
Recording rule: when you take an adult salmon, steelhead, legal-size sturgeon or Pacific halibut, you must immediately record the required species, location, month and day on the MyODFW app or a valid paper angling tag. Salmon and steelhead also require hatchery/wild status. Sturgeon and halibut require length.
Oregon Salmon Tag Picker What You Actually Need
Start with your trip. The base angling license is not enough for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut unless your license product already includes the Combined Angling Tag.
Resident annual salmon trip
Buy Oregon Resident Annual Angling License plus Adult Combined Angling Tag. Add Columbia River Basin Endorsement if fishing salmon, steelhead or sturgeon in the Columbia Basin.
Visitor annual trip
Buy Nonresident Annual Angling License plus Adult Combined Angling Tag. Add Columbia, Ocean or Rogue-South Coast products if your trip requires them.
Daily or multi-day trip
Oregon daily and multi-day angling licenses include Combined Angling Tags. You still must record adult salmon, steelhead, legal-size sturgeon or halibut correctly.
Youth salmon trip
Youth License age 12–17 is not the same as the youth tag. Youth angling for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut need the Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag.
Ocean halibut or bottomfish mix
Halibut needs Combined Angling Tag, and ocean fishing can also require Ocean Endorsement. Salmon/steelhead-only ocean trips have a specific endorsement exception.
Columbia Basin salmon
Plan for angling license, Combined Angling Tag and Columbia River Basin Endorsement. This is one of the most commonly missed Oregon add-ons.
2026 Oregon Salmon Tag Costs Resident, Nonresident, Youth and Daily
The tag cost depends on age and license type. Daily and multi-day products are different because the tag is included.
| Product | 2026 cost | Who uses it | Important tag rule |
|---|---|---|---|
| Adult Combined Angling Tag | $69 resident / $89 nonresident | Annual-license adult salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut anglers. | One Combined Angling Tag per year. Authorizes harvest of 20 salmon or steelhead in any combination. |
| Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag | $5 | Youth anglers targeting salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut. | Separate from the Youth License. Youth License includes several privileges, but the combined tag is still a separate youth tag. |
| Daily / multi-day angling license tag | Included with daily or multi-day angling license | Short-trip anglers using one-day, two-day, three-day or seven-day products. | Recording rules still apply immediately after taking adult salmon, steelhead, legal-size sturgeon or Pacific halibut. |
| Hatchery Salmon / Steelhead Harvest Tag | $43 | Anglers who want to record hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead separately instead of using Combined Angling Tag lines. | Only hatchery salmon and hatchery steelhead may be recorded here. |
| Rogue-South Coast Wild Steelhead Harvest Tag | $20 resident / $40 nonresident | Anglers keeping wild winter steelhead in the Rogue-South Coast area when open. | Wild winter steelhead in that area are recorded on this harvest tag, not the statewide Combined Angling Tag. |
Who Needs the Oregon Combined Angling Tag?
Oregon uses the tag requirement by species, not by whether you are keeping fish. If you angle for the listed species, plan for the tag.
| Situation | Combined Angling Tag needed? | Plain-English answer |
|---|---|---|
| Fishing for salmon | Yes | Needed to angle for salmon. Adult salmon taken must be recorded immediately. Jack salmon are not required to be tagged. |
| Fishing for steelhead | Yes | Needed to angle for steelhead. Rogue-South Coast winter steelhead can add validation and special harvest tag rules. |
| Catch-and-release salmon or steelhead | Yes | The tag is required to angle. Released fish are not normally recorded as harvested fish, but current local rules still control. |
| Fishing for sturgeon | Yes | Needed for sturgeon. Legal-size sturgeon taken must be recorded with length. |
| Fishing for Pacific halibut | Yes | Needed for halibut. Pacific halibut taken must be recorded with length, and ocean endorsement rules may also apply. |
| Fishing only trout, bass, panfish or warmwater species | Usually no | Base angling license may be enough unless another rule, validation, access permit or two-rod rule applies. |
| Crabbing or clamming only | No | Use shellfish license rules instead. Ocean Endorsement is not required when only taking shellfish from the ocean. |
How to Buy the Oregon Salmon Tag Online Step by Step
The safest checkout path is to build the full trip stack before opening the official portal.
Confirm the target species
If the trip includes salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut, you are in Combined Angling Tag territory. If it is only trout, bass, crappie, perch, crab or clams, a different rule stack applies.
Choose the base license
Annual resident, annual nonresident, youth, daily, multi-day or special-status license changes the price and whether the tag is included.
Add the Combined Angling Tag if not included
Annual adult anglers usually add Adult Combined Angling Tag. Youth anglers need Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag. Daily and multi-day angling licenses include Combined Angling Tags.
Add Columbia, Ocean or Rogue products if needed
Columbia Basin salmon/steelhead/sturgeon can need CRBE. Ocean halibut or marine finfish can need Ocean Endorsement. Rogue-South Coast winter steelhead can need validation and special harvest tag.
Choose paper or electronic tag
At purchase, choose whether you will record in the MyODFW app or on paper. This decision affects how you record fish at the river, bay or ocean.
Buy only through ODFW
Use the official ODFW licensing system, ODFW office or authorized license agent. Save proof before leaving cell service.
Open official ODFW portalHow to Record Salmon, Steelhead, Sturgeon and Halibut
Recording is not paperwork to “do later.” Oregon requires immediate entry when a recordable fish is taken.
Mobile app tagging
- Select the correct species code.
- Select hatchery or wild for salmon and steelhead.
- Enter length for sturgeon and halibut.
- Select angling zone and tag location code.
- Enter month and day.
- Press save in the app before continuing to fish.
Paper tag recording
- Use ballpoint pen only.
- No erasures.
- Enter species code.
- Check hatchery or wild when required.
- Enter location code, month and day.
- Use one line per fish in consecutive order.
Paper Tag vs MyODFW App Which Is Safer?
Both are valid when used correctly. The best choice depends on your phone reliability, weather, fishing location and comfort with immediate recording.
| Option | Best for | Risk | Practical fix |
|---|---|---|---|
| MyODFW app tag | Anglers who keep phone charged and can use the app confidently. | Dead battery, wet screen, forgotten login, poor signal, phone left in truck. | Open app before leaving home, confirm license/tag display, bring power bank and waterproof phone pouch. |
| Paper angling tag | Remote rivers, rain, older anglers, guides who prefer physical proof. | Wet paper, wrong pen, erasures, illegible entries, tag left at home. | Carry ballpoint pen, waterproof sleeve and make entries immediately in order. |
| Daily / multi-day tag | Short trips and visitors. | Assuming “included tag” means no recording duty. | Treat it exactly like an annual tag for recording adult salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut. |
Species Codes and What Must Be Entered
Use this as a field reminder. Always verify the current official code page for the exact location code before recording.
| Fish | Species code / entry | Extra details required | Field ID tip |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chinook salmon | 1 | Hatchery or wild, location code, month and day. | Chinook, king or blackmouth has black lower gum line. |
| Coho salmon | 2 | Hatchery or wild, location code, month and day. | Coho or silver has white lower gum line. |
| Other salmon | 3 | Hatchery or wild if applicable, location code, month and day. | Includes pink, chum or sockeye. All sockeye are considered adults. |
| Steelhead | 6 | Hatchery or wild, location code, month and day. | Rogue-South Coast wild winter steelhead can have special tag rules. |
| Pacific halibut | Use official tag entry page | Length in inches, location/port code, month and day. | Ocean season, quota and endorsement rules matter. |
| Legal-size sturgeon | Use official tag entry page | Length in inches, location code, month and day. | Many sturgeon fisheries are catch-and-release only. Verify before retaining. |
Hatchery Salmon / Steelhead Harvest Tag When It Helps
This is not a replacement for every salmon tag rule. It is a specific harvest-recording option for hatchery salmon and hatchery steelhead.
What it records
Only hatchery salmon and hatchery steelhead may be recorded on the Hatchery Salmon / Steelhead Harvest Tag.
2026 cost
The Hatchery Salmon / Steelhead Harvest Tag is listed at $43.
What it cannot record
Do not record wild salmon, wild steelhead, sturgeon or halibut on the hatchery harvest tag.
Why anglers use it
It can preserve Combined Angling Tag harvest lines for other fish while separately recording hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead.
Annual limit effect
Hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead legally recorded on a Hatchery Harvest Tag do not count toward the annual salmon and steelhead limit on the Combined Angling Tag.
Who should consider it
Frequent hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead anglers who expect multiple legal harvest opportunities should compare it before the season.
Annual Limits, Jack Salmon and Possession Rules
The Combined Angling Tag is a harvest-tracking tool, but it does not replace daily bag, possession, size, hatchery/wild or zone rules.
| Rule | Plain-English meaning | Trip-day mistake to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| 20 salmon / steelhead annual limit | The Combined Angling Tag authorizes harvest of 20 salmon or steelhead in any combination. | Thinking a new river or zone resets the annual limit. |
| Hatchery Harvest Tag exception | Hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead legally recorded on Hatchery Harvest Tag do not count toward the annual salmon/steelhead limit. | Recording wild fish on the hatchery tag. |
| Jack salmon | Anglers are not required to record the harvest of jack salmon. | Misidentifying adult vs jack length. Check current zone and species rules. |
| White sturgeon annual limit | Annual white sturgeon limit is listed separately from salmon/steelhead. | Assuming catch-and-release sturgeon water allows harvest. |
| Pacific halibut annual limit | Annual Pacific halibut limit is listed separately and ocean quota rules can close fishing. | Buying tag but ignoring season, quota, port and marine rules. |
Columbia River Basin Endorsement When the Salmon Tag Is Not Enough
If the trip is for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon in the Columbia Basin, the Combined Angling Tag is only one layer.
When required
Required when angling for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon in the mainstem Columbia River from Buoy 10 upstream and in rivers and tributaries flowing into the Columbia River.
2026 cost
Listed at $9.75 when purchased with an annual license, $11.75 separately, or $1 per day with daily licenses.
Free upon request cases
Youth, youth under 12, resident pioneer and resident disabled veteran anglers can be issued the endorsement free upon request when fishing covered Columbia Basin species.
Ocean Endorsement and Oregon Salmon Tag
Ocean fishing can add another layer. The ocean endorsement rule depends on what you are fishing for and retaining.
| Ocean trip | Combined Angling Tag? | Ocean Endorsement? | Practical answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ocean salmon or steelhead only | Yes | Not required under the salmon/steelhead-only exception | You still need the tag and must follow ocean salmon rules, seasons and recording rules. |
| Halibut | Yes | Usually yes | Record halibut with length and check quota, port and season rules. |
| Salmon plus rockfish, lingcod, tuna or other marine finfish | Yes for salmon | Yes if retaining other marine finfish | The salmon exception does not cover a mixed retained ocean catch. |
| Crab or clams only | No | No | Use shellfish license rules and shellfish safety closures instead. |
Rogue-South Coast Winter Steelhead Special Tag Trap
This is one of Oregon’s easiest tag mistakes. Winter steelhead in the Rogue-South Coast area can require more than the statewide Combined Angling Tag.
To fish winter steelhead
All anglers fishing winter steelhead in the Rogue Basin or south coast from Dec. 1 to Apr. 30 need Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation in addition to license/tag requirements.
Validation cost
Rogue-South Coast Steelhead Validation is listed at $4 resident and $8 nonresident.
To keep wild steelhead
A Rogue-South Coast Wild Steelhead Harvest Tag is required to keep wild winter steelhead where open. Listed cost is $20 resident and $40 nonresident.
Oregon Salmon Tag Mistakes That Cause Trouble
Most problems are not because anglers refuse to buy a tag. They happen because the tag stack or recording step is incomplete.
Buying mistakes
- Buying only an angling license and forgetting the Combined Angling Tag.
- Thinking Youth License automatically means no youth combined tag.
- Using the annual tag price when a daily/multi-day license would include the tag.
- Forgetting Columbia River Basin Endorsement on Columbia Basin salmon or steelhead trips.
- Forgetting Ocean Endorsement on halibut or mixed ocean finfish trips.
- Buying Rogue-South Coast Validation too late because guest checkout cannot solve every validation problem.
Recording mistakes
- Recording after driving away instead of immediately.
- Using pencil or erasable ink on paper tag.
- Leaving hatchery/wild box blank for salmon or steelhead.
- Forgetting length for sturgeon or halibut.
- Using wrong location code because you guessed the waterbody.
- Recording wild Rogue-South Coast winter steelhead on the wrong harvest tag.
Trip-day field mistakes
- Phone battery dies before showing electronic tag.
- Paper tag gets wet and unreadable.
- Ballpoint pen is missing.
- Angler assumes a guide or friend records fish for them.
- Angler keeps fishing after reaching a daily or annual limit.
Smarter habits
- Open MyODFW app before leaving home.
- Carry paper backup or power bank on remote water.
- Save official regulations PDF to the phone.
- Check emergency regulation updates the morning of the trip.
- Record fish before photos, cleaning or moving locations.
Helpful Related Oregon Fishing License Guides
These internal links are included only where they help the user solve the next related task.
Oregon Fishing License Guide
Use this for the full license, shellfish, endorsement and online purchase overview.
Open main license guideOregon Fishing License Cost
Use this for complete resident, nonresident, youth, senior, shellfish, tag and endorsement price comparisons.
Open cost guideOregon Daily Fishing License
Useful because daily and multi-day angling licenses include Combined Angling Tags.
Open daily guideOregon Resident Fishing License
Best for resident salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut trip stack planning.
Open resident guideOregon Nonresident Fishing License
Best for visitor salmon trips, annual vs short-term math and nonresident tag cost.
Open nonresident guideOregon License Requirements
Use this for age, residency, ID, youth, special status and proof rules before checkout.
Open requirements guideOfficial Oregon Tag Help, Address and Map
Use official links for purchase, account, current regulations, reporting, code lookup and in-season changes.
ODFW headquarters
4034 Fairview Industrial Drive SE, Salem, OR 97302-1142
Main phone: 503-947-6000
Toll-free: 800-720-6339
License staff
License help: 503-947-6101
Online account issue: ODFW.Websales@odfw.oregon.gov
Expired paper tags
ODFW instructions say expired paper tags may be returned to ODFW headquarters or deposited with any ODFW license agent.
Oregon Salmon Tag FAQ
What is the Oregon salmon tag called?
The Oregon salmon tag is officially the Combined Angling Tag. It is required to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut.
How much is the Oregon Combined Angling Tag in 2026?
The 2026 Adult Combined Angling Tag is listed at $69 for residents and $89 for nonresidents. The Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag is listed at $5.
Do I need a Combined Angling Tag for catch-and-release salmon?
Yes. Oregon requires a valid Combined Angling Tag to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut. Recording rules apply when a recordable fish is taken.
Are Combined Angling Tags included with daily licenses?
Yes. Oregon states that Combined Angling Tags are included with daily and multi-day angling licenses. You still must record fish correctly when required.
Do kids need an Oregon salmon tag?
All anglers, regardless of age, need a valid Combined Angling Tag in possession to angle for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon or halibut. The Youth Angling Combined Angling Tag is listed at $5.
Do I record jack salmon on the Oregon tag?
Oregon states that anglers are not required to record harvest of jack salmon. Adult salmon recording rules still apply.
Can hatchery salmon be recorded on a hatchery tag?
Yes. Hatchery salmon or hatchery steelhead can be recorded on the Hatchery Salmon / Steelhead Harvest Tag, but only hatchery salmon and hatchery steelhead may be recorded there.
Do I need Columbia River Basin Endorsement too?
Yes, if you are fishing for salmon, steelhead or sturgeon in the Columbia River Basin. It is in addition to the fishing license and Combined Angling Tag.
Do I need Ocean Endorsement for ocean salmon?
You do not need Ocean Endorsement if you are only fishing for and retaining salmon or steelhead in the ocean. If you retain other marine finfish such as halibut, rockfish, lingcod or tuna, Ocean Endorsement can be required.
What do I enter when recording salmon?
For salmon, enter the species code, hatchery or wild status, location code, month and day. Use the official ODFW app or paper tag instructions.
Can I record a fish later at home?
No. When a recordable adult salmon, steelhead, legal-size sturgeon or Pacific halibut is taken, the required information must be entered immediately.
Who do I call for Oregon fishing tag help?
Call ODFW licensing staff at 503-947-6101. For general ODFW help, call 503-947-6000 or 800-720-6339.
Final Practical Advice
Do not treat the Oregon salmon tag as a simple checkout add-on. The safe stack is: correct base license, Combined Angling Tag, correct recording method, species and location code, possible Columbia River Basin Endorsement, possible Ocean Endorsement, possible Rogue-South Coast validation or harvest tag, and current regulation update check.
Best workflow: choose species → choose annual or daily license → confirm whether Combined Angling Tag is included → add Columbia/Ocean/Rogue products if needed → choose paper or app tag → buy through ODFW → record immediately when required.