Free Fishing, Clamming, Crabbing Coming Up This Weekend In Oregon

THE FOLLOWING IS A PRESS RELEASE FROM THE OREGON DEPARTMENT OF FISH AND WILDLIFE

Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday, June 5-6.

No fishing licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required by Oregon residents or nonresidents to fish, crab or clam in Oregon on those dates.

Although no licenses or tags are required these two days, all other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations to find out more. Remember to check for any in-season regulation changes (especially for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and marine fishing) in the Zone where you will be fishing by visiting the Recreation Report, https://myodfw.com/recreation-report/fishing-report/

Also see the Recreation Report, published every Thursday, for suggestions on where to fish this weekend. Several ponds in the Willamette Valley will be stocked for the last time this season, and stocked trout are a good option for beginners (see Rec Report for details and our How to fish for trout video series for tips).  If you live near Portland, Bend, Medford, Roseburg or in Lane County, there are lots of nearby options (see links for guides) or check out Easy Angling Oregon, https://myodfw.com/articles/easy-angling-oregon-introduction for other locations.

With Oregon facing a serious drought this summer, warmwater fishing is a good choice for Free Fishing Weekend and throughout the summer.

Currently, razor clamming is closed on popular Clatsop beaches due to toxin levels, but is open from the south jetty of the Siuslaw River, in Florence, to the California border. The MyODFW.com crabbing and clamming page has lots of information about how to and where to, https://myodfw.com/crabbing-clamming. Always call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at1-800-448-2474 or check ODA’s Recreational Shellfish page (https://www.oregon.gov/ODA/programs/FoodSafety/Shellfish/Pages/ShellfishClosures.aspx ) before you go shellfishing to make sure the area is not closed due to toxins.

Keep in mind there are still recreation areas closed after last year’s fires; “know before you go” and check the interagency status map for details on closures; the site includes a boat ramp status map.

Oregon will have one more Free Fishing Weekend in 2021—the two days after Thanksgiving, Friday and Saturday, Nov. 26-27.