ODFW release – SALEM, Ore.—Make fishing part of your three-day weekend plans. Everyone can fish, clam and crab for free in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday of President’s Day Weekend, Feb. 18-19, 2023. No fishing/shellfish licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required those two days. Both Oregon residents and nonresidents can fish for free. All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in season regulation changes at the Recreation Report especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. Click on the zone where you want to fish and then click the “Regulation Updates” tab to see the in-season changes. The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week. For beginners, Easy Angling Oregon is a great guide to getting started fishing in Oregon, and if you live near Portland, Bend, Medford, Roseburg or in Lane County, there are lots of nearby options. Prefer to crab or clam instead? MyODFW has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing. Remember to check ocean conditions and take safety precautions—always clam with a friend and never turn your back on the ocean. As of Feb. 14, crabbing is open coastside but razor clamming is closed along the entire Oregon coast due to biotoxin levels. Remember to call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish page before you go clamming or crabbing. The Oregon Department of Agriculture regularly tests shellfish and closes areas when naturally occurring biotoxins get to levels that make crabs and clams unsafe to eat.
