Add fishing to your President’s Day weekend plans—it’s free to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon on Saturday and Sunday, Feb. 15 and 16. That means no fishing licenses or tags (including a Combined Angling Tag or Columbia River Basin Endorsement or Two-Rod Validation) are required to fish, crab or clam—for both residents and non-residents. Although no licenses or tags are required, all other fishing regulations apply including closures, bag limits and size restrictions. See the Oregon Sport Fishing Regulations to find out more.
The Recreation Report comes out weekly and also features the latest on fishing conditions and opportunities, so check it out before you make your plans. It’s prime winter steelhead fishing season on the north and mid-coast. If you are planning to fish for salmon, steelhead or marine fish, don’t forget to check the zone where you are fishing in ODFW’s Recreation Report for the latest on season and bag limits because regulations for these species change in-season.
For beginner anglers, hatchery trout is a great bet, and a number of locations in the Willamette, Southwest zones and along the mid-coast were stocked this week. Find out more at https://myodfw.com/fishing/species/trout/stocking-schedule
A few locations received larger 3-pound broodstock trout (Henry Hagg Lake-500, St Louis Pond-500, E.E. Wilson Pond-500, Sheridan Pond-150, Willamina Pond-150). As of Feb. 13, crabbing is open along the entire Oregon coast. Razor clamming is closed from Tillamook Head south to the California border. Bay clamming and mussel harvesting are open along the entire coast. Always call the ODA Shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474​ or check ODA’s Recreational Shellfish page before going crabbing or clamming.
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.
Take safety precautions when clamming during the winter. Watch out for rough ocean conditions and sneaker waves and don’t turn your back on the ocean. More clamming safety tips. For tips on how to fish, crab or clam and where to go, visit www.MyODFW.com.