Get outdoors with friends and family and enjoy free fishing, crabbing and clamming on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 28 and 29. Statewide free fishing days are a great chance to take someone new fishing and celebrate Oregon’s natural resources.
No fishing or shellfish licenses or tags (Including the Combined Angling Tag, Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required those two days. All other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. Both Oregon residents and non-residents can fish for free.
It is a perfect excuse to spend time at a favorite river or beach. ODFW will stock trout in several popular lakes in the Willamette Valley in anticipation of the event, which draws both experienced fishers and those learning the sport. Check the Weekly Recreation Report features the best bets for fishing, crabbing and clamming, including water levels, fishing hot spots and alerts.
See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in-season regulation updates too, especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. Click on the Zone where you want to fish to see regulations updates.
For beginners, Easy Angling Oregon is a great guide to getting started fishing in Oregon. Click on Easy angling article for suggestions and recommendations. 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? My ODFW.com 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.
Call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check their Shellfish closures 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.
Crabbing is open in bays, beaches, estuaries, tide pools, piers and jetties. Ocean crabbing is closed every year from Cape Blanco to the Washington border from Oct. 16- Nov. 30.
As of mid-November, razor clamming is open from the WA border to Cape Blanco and closed from Cape Blanco to the CA border. Bay clams and mussels are open from the WA border to the CA border. Closures may change by Thanksgiving Weekend so check before you go.
Source: ODFW