Free Fishing Weekend in Oregon is June 6-7 – making it the perfect weekend to take a friend or family member out fishing, crabbing or clamming.
During this weekend, no fishing licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag and a Columbia River Basin Endorsement) are required to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon.
“We want to make it easy for anglers to take a friend or family member out fishing for a day,” said Rick Hargrave, Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife deputy administrator for information/education. “And with the forecast calling for warm, sunny weather, it’s bound to be a beautiful day on the water.”
Although no licenses or tags are required, all other regulations apply including bag limit and size restrictions.
Free Fishing Weekend also aligns with State Parks Day on Saturday, June 6, so if you’re going camping in an Oregon State Park this weekend, be sure to pack your fishing, crabbing, or clamming gear, Hargrave said.
For the do-it-yourselfer there are hundreds of lakes and rivers, and hundreds of miles of coastline to explore. ODFW’s extensive website offers information about how and where to fish for trout, bass, steelhead and surfperch, to name a few.
Anglers will find:
• The Learn to Fish page describing what you’ll need, how to do it and where to go.
• Weekly updates of current fishing conditions in the Weekly Recreation Report.
• The 2015 Annual Fishing Guide is ODFW’s most comprehensive look at fishing opportunities in Oregon.
• Great spots to take the family fishing in Easy Angling Oregon.
• Trout stocking schedules and Google-based maps of all stocking locations.
• Local guides describing 50 or so places to fish near Bend, Lane County, Medford, Portland and Roseburg.
For the new angler, ODFW and its partners will be sponsoring Free Fishing Weekend events throughout the state.
At most events there will be free fishing equipment first-time anglers can use, and special events planned for children. Volunteers will be available to help, from baiting the hook to landing the catch.
“Even if you’ve never cast a line or baited a hook, we can show you how to fish,” Hargrave said.
For a complete list of events with times and locations, go to the ODFW website.
Free Fishing Weekend is always the first full weekend in June. But remember, it’s always free fishing for kids under 14 years old.
