Oregon hosts three Free Fishing Weekends annually, set for mid-February, early June, and Thanksgiving. While the winter and fall weekends can be unreliable, the June Free Fishing Weekend — this year, June 7 and 8 — stands out as the most popular because this event occurs when nearly every fish species and aquatic creature in Oregon’s waters is most active, making it an ideal time to cast a line.
During these weekends, you don’t need a fishing license, tag, or harvest permit to catch and keep any species of freshwater or saltwater game fish, including crabs and shellfish. However, all fishing regulations still apply, including closures, bag limits, and size restrictions on wild species.
Here in the southern Willamette Valley, we’re fortunate to have numerous quality fishing spots and a diverse range of fish species to target. Lane County is unique in that it stretches from the crest of the Cascades to the Pacific Ocean, providing access to both inland and coastal edible aquatic species.
In our area, you can fish for salmon, steelhead, and trout. Let’s take a closer look at the latest fish counts at the Willamette River Falls in Oregon City. Nearly 12,000 spring chinook and around 2,300 summer steelhead have successfully navigated the falls, heading toward the McKenzie River and the Middle Fork of the Willamette River. Some of these fish – including both salmon and steelhead – have already been caught by early-season anglers exploring the local waters.
The number of spring salmon is expected to grow through June, which is promising. This year’s count of 12,000 spring salmon is significantly higher than last year’s figures, where we didn’t see similar numbers until mid-June. This gives hope for a turnaround compared to past seasons, which faced early salmon closures in both 2023 and 2024 due to low return numbers.
In contrast, the outlook for summer steelhead is less encouraging. Only about a third of the summer steelhead have made it over the Willamette Falls as compared to the same timeframe last year. This decline is worrying, and it may mark the last summer we see significant numbers of steelhead returning to the upper Willamette Basin, particularly due to the cessation of funding from the Army Corps of Engineers for the hatchery run in 2023.
While I remain hopeful for an increase in numbers for the 2024 run, it’s disheartening to see the summer steelhead population dwindling.
On a brighter note, there will be an ample supply of trout available. Trout fisheries in the Southern Willamette Valley will be stocked to near full capacity for Free Fishing Weekend. The McKenzie River will receive hatchery trout through a specialized stocking process using a raft equipped with a retractable basket. This allows for a controlled release of fresh trout into promising habitats while minimizing releases in less suitable areas.
Free Fishing Weekend is a statewide initiative. In addition to the McKenzie River, nearly 12,000 hatchery trout will be released in preparation for this weekend across various locations within Lane County and beyond. There are too many locations to mention, but rest assured, hundreds of other fisheries will participate in this statewide event, ensuring a great experience for all fishing enthusiasts.
More info: myodfw.com/fishing/species/trout/stocking-schedule
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