Free Fishing Weekend in Oregon is June 7-8, and for those two days you won’t need a fishing license to fish, crab or clam anywhere in the state. “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. During Free Fishing Weekend, fishing licenses and tags are not required, although all other regulations apply including bag limit and size restrictions. People who already have a combined tag for salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut are encouraged but not required to use it. Also, anglers are not required to purchase a Columbia River Basin Endorsement. Free Fishing Weekend also aligns with State Parks Day, so if you’re going camping or hiking in an Oregon State Park this weekend, be sure to pack a fishing rod or crab pot, 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 also will find: • Weekly updates of current fishing conditions in the Weekly Recreation Report. • The 2014 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. 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 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.
