Despite the socio-economic importance of recreational fishing across many coastal communities, a well-defined conceptualization for place-based recreational fishing communities has remained noticeably absent across the U.S. West Coast. Following the framework of natural-resource dependence, this study constructs and evaluates recreational fishing indices, which serve as tools for assessing the involvement and impact of recreational fishing within different communities at the scale of the Census Designated Place. Components of the indices are selected to construct an engagement index of the overall economic activity related to recreational fishing, while a reliance index considers engagement per capita. The indices were then conceptually validated through correlation analyses with proxies for participation and interest. Temporal variations in both indices were evaluated in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic through a series of mixed-linear models, providing the first detailed assessment of the pandemic's impact on recreational fishing activity across the region. Despite shifts in individual angler participation and interest, the indices remained stable, with engagement declining following the pandemic. Additionally, the communities are evaluated with regard to their social vulnerability, finding communities with higher engagement as less vulnerable than those with higher reliance. Overall, this work provides valuable insights for identifying and assessing recreational fishing communities, potentially informing more sustainable and socially equitable management approaches. Display omitted •Conceptually guided construction of recreational fishing community indices.•Validation via correlation with participation and interest proxies.•Despite individual angler shifts, indices were stable during COVID-19 pandemic.•Social vulnerability highlights community differences offering management insights.