Recreation Report
02/15/2024 09:31 AM PST
Includes updates to fishing, crabbing and clamming
Our Recreation Report needs a facelift
And we need your help! We’re looking for ways to make our Recreation Report even more useful. Take a six-minute survey to tell us what you think the Rec Report should be, and you could win one of three thank-you gifts.
Free Fishing Weekend, Feb. 17-18
This weekend, you don’t need a license to fish, crab or clam anywhere in Oregon. That’s no license, no tag, no endorsement needed.* Take a friend, or two, fishing!
* Area closures, bag limits and all other regulations still apply.
Best bets for weekend fishing
Here are a few ideas for taking a friend or family member out for Free Fishing Weekend.
Winter steelhead season is underway on the:
- North Coast — Nestucca, Wilson and Trask
- Mid Coast – Alsea, Siletz
- South Coast – Rogue, Chetco, Umpqua
- Willamette Valley – Sandy, Clackamas
- Central Zone — Hood
- The spring trout stocking season is underway in the Willamette Zone and several waterbodies were stocked last week.
- Native trout and mountain whitefish are available year-round in central and eastern Oregon rivers. Consider the Deschutes, Fall, Metolius, Blitzen and Wallowa.
- Several previously frozen lakes and reservoirs are melting around the edges, creating excellent bank fishing opportunities for holdover trout.
This list is for demonstration purposes only. Check the zone reports for more options.
Report your 2024 hunts by April 15
If you purchased a tag for a 2024 hunt, you have until April 15 to report – even if you didn’t hunt or harvest. Ways to report your hunt.
Big game harvest statistics
You’ll find links to population, harvest and point summary reports that can help you decide what hunts to apply for.
Shed hunt responsibly
Deer and elk shed their antlers at a time when they’re not finding a lot of nutritious food and need to be conserving energy so they can migrate to summer ranges a bit later in the year. Follow these tips to help protect vulnerable animals.
George Custer lives in Oakridge with his wife Sayre. George is a former smokejumper from his hometown of Cave Junction, a former captain in the U.S. Marine Corps. and ran a construction company in Southern California. George assumed the volunteer duties as the Editor of the Highway 58 Herald in 2022. He loves riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle, building all things wood, and playing drums on the weekends in his office.
