The two days after Thanksgiving – Friday and Saturday – are officially “free fishing” days in Oregon when anyone can fish, clam and crab without licenses or tags.
The free fishing days authorized by the Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife apply to both Oregon residents and nonresidents. However, all other fishing regulations apply — including closures, bag limits and size restrictions.
The agency said people should check Oregon’s sport Fishing Regulations for rules and remember to check for any in season regulation changes at the recreation report, especially for salmon and steelhead fishing. The Recreation Report is updated weekly and features the best bests for fishing for the upcoming week.
Prefer to crab or clam instead? MyODFW.com has all the information you need to get started clamming or crabbing. Currently, recreational crabbing is open in bays, beaches, estuaries, tide pools, piers and jetties along the entire Oregon coast.
People should also check with the state’s shellfish safety hotline at 1-800-448-2474 or check the shellfish website before clamming or crabbing.
As of mid-November, the ODFW said there are some razor clamming closures along the coast but those may change by Thanksgiving weekend so check before going.
