ODFW Recreation Report


by OR Department of Fish & Wildlife Staff
5-31-2024
Website

Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming

 

Free Fishing Weekend, June 1-2

On FFW you won't need a license, tag, validation or endorsement to experience some of the best fishing of the year. Take a friend fishing at a recently stocked pond, or make it a family affair at a Free Fishing Weekend event.‌

Coyote-palooza in Portland on June 1

A day of discovery and learning dedicated to one of nature's most adaptable creatures! The free event will be in Portland on Saturday, June 1 from 8:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. Find more details.

Let young wildlife stay wild

This is the time of year outdoor enthusiasts start finding seemingly abandoned or orphaned wildlife babies. But young animals are rarely orphaned, so leave them where you find them. Chances are good mom is nearby, just waiting for you to leave before she returns to her baby. Here's what to do if you find young animals alone in the wild.‌

Best bets for weekend fishing

Free Fishing Weekend is coming up this weekend. If you've got a friend or family member that's always saying "I'd love to go fishing with you sometime," now's the perfect time.‌

  • There are spring Chinook being caught…, well, all over the place. Here's a partial list: Tillamook and Nestucca bays, and middle/upper Rogue, Sandy, Clackamas, North and South Santiam, Hood and Snake rivers.
  • Extra days have been added to the Chinook fishery in the lower Columbia. Find more details here.
  • Summer steelhead fishing has been good in the Lower McKenzie, Middle Fork Willamette, and the North and South Fork Santiam, with inklings of fish in the Nestucca, Wilson, Sandy and Clackamas.
  • Anglers have been catching cutthroat trout in the Chetco, Elk and Sixes rivers. If you've never fished these small streams, they can be a hoot. Learn more about why you should give them a try.‌
  • Anglers are targeting shad in the Coquille, Umpqua and Columbia
  • Trout fishing has been very good at Hyatt, Howard Prairie and Fish Lake.
  • Kokanee are biting at Lake Billy Chinook, Odell, Paulina and Wickiup.
  • Bass fishing has started to pick up in all three Hells Canyon reservoirs.
  • When ocean conditions permit, anglers have been landing some salmon and halibut.
  • Finally, thousands of trout will be stocked this week in anticipation of Free Fishing Weekend.

These examples are for demonstration purposes only. Check the zone reports for details and more options.‌




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