2024 Oregon Free Fishing Days (Includes Trout Stocking)

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Find the trout stocking schedule for June’s free fishing weekend below.

Here are Oregon’s free fishing weekends in 2024:

• February 17 and 18: President’s Day Weekend
• June 1 and 2: Traditional Free Fishing Weekend
• November 29 and 30: Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving

Oregon has had a Free Fishing Weekend for years. These days, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife offers half a dozen free fishing days over three weekends on its annual calendar.

We’ve told you the days already but stick around for some great suggestions on where to go and cast your lines for your best chances of success.

But first, free fishing means that anglers don’t need a license, tag, or endorsement to go fishing, crabbing or clamming anywhere in Oregon on those designated days.

However, you must still follow all the other rules, such as catch limits, local or seasonal closures, etc. So, our best advice is to study statewide, zone, and specific water regulations before heading out.

The long-standing traditional Free Fishing Weekend is held the first Saturday and Sunday in June, which is when the Oregon State Parks traditionally waives fees at its many locations.

These days, ODFW typically designates additional free fishing days at other times of the year. Best bets in recent years have been near President’s Day in February and just after Thanksgiving in November.

The Oregon State Legislature authorized the additional free fishing opportunities to help introduce more anglers to the sport.

Now, let’s look at some of your best options for catching fish and shellfish during free fishing days in Oregon.

June Free Fishing

This is prime time for many types of fishing in Oregon.

ODFW often stocks a boatload of hatchery-raised trout in waters across Oregon during the spring, including ahead of June’s free fishing weekend.

They also plan a substantial number of events at family-friendly fishing sites to help inexperienced anglers learn to fish, although those events can be canceled as needed.

In June, trout fishing is excellent across Oregon for both stocked and wild fish.

Bass fishing is also a strong draw during these months, and fishing for panfish such as crappie, bluegill and yellow perch is also quite good.

Summer steelhead, shad, sturgeon, spring Chinook salmon and shellfish are also worth looking into in mid-to-late spring. Kokanee fishing is excellent in several deep lakes and reservoirs.

Low tides at the coast could offer good razor clamming, especially on the northern Oregon Coast.

Check with Oregon State Parks to see whether they’re having a free camping event at the same time, as they have some years.

Also see: Oregon’s Best Fishing in June.

Trout Stocking for June Free Fishing

The following lakes, ponds, rivers and creeks will be stocked with trout during the week before Oregon’s Free Fishing Weekend.

The locations that are links will take you to detailed articles about fishing in those spots.

Location	Total
NORTHWEST ZONE
Big Creek Reservoir-1	1,500**
Big Creek Reservoir-2	1,500**
Cape Meares Lake	3,500
Coffenbury Lake	4,500
Hebo Lake	1,250
Lost Lake (Coast Range)	1,500
Nedonna Pond	500
Olalla Creek Reservoir	6,164*
Thissel Pond	2,966*
Town Lake	1,250
SOUTHWEST ZONE
Empire Lake, Upper	1,000**
Expo Pond 1 (Rogue Pond)	1,000
Fish Lake	3,500
Hyatt Reservoir	7,450
Laird Lake	350
Lemolo Reservoir	5,000
Medco Pond	2,000
Rogue River above Lost Creek	2,500
Selmac Lake	1,000
Tenmile Lake, North	3,000
Tenmile Lake, South	3,000
WILLAMETTE ZONE
Alton Baker Canal	1,000
Blue River	600
Blue River Reservoir	1,200
Breitenbush River	2,000
Clear Lake (Upper Mckenzie)	3,000
Detroit Lake	8,000**
E.E. Wilson Pond	850
Estacada Lake	1,000
Fall Creek (Willamette River)	1,200
Green Peter Reservoir	2,800
Harriet Lake	2,000
Hartman Pond (Wahkeena Lake)	1,250
Henry Hagg Lake	4,026
Huddleston Pond	957*
Junction City Pond	1,000
Leaburg Lake	1,400
McKenzie River above Leaburg Dam	1,000
North Fork Reservoir	4,000
Salish Pond, West	1,000
Salmon Creek	1,334
Sheridan Pond	332
Small Fry Lake	200
St. Louis Pond	2,466
Sunnyside Park Pond	1,140*
Timber Linn Lake	1,000
Walling Pond	800
Walter Wirth Lake	900
CENTRAL ZONE
Clear Lake (Mt. Hood)	3,240*
Lost Lake (Mt. Hood)	2,825*
Metolius Pond	300
Olallie Lake	9,335
Twin Lake, North	2,500
Twin Lake, South	2,500
NORTHEAST ZONE
Anson Wright Pond	850
Bull Prairie Reservoir	1,250
Hat Rock Pond	500
McHaley Pond	1,000
Morgan Lake	1,750
McNary Channel Ponds	2,100
Penland Lake	2,300
Twin Ponds	850
SOUTHEAST ZONE
Burns Gravel Pond	5,850*
Heart Lake	200**
Holbrook Reservoir	300**
Krumbo Reservoir	13,000
Lake of the Woods	1,370*
Lofton Reservoir	300**
Summit Prairie Pond	200
Vee Lake	400

November Free Fishing

Many of the trout lakes and ponds come back alive in the fall, especially those that are re-stocked with hatchery trout in the Willamette Valley.

Some likely spots to get stocked around then include Walter Wirth Lake (Salem), Waverly and Timber-Linn Lakes (Albany), Junction City Pond, and Alton Baker Canal in Eugene. Check the stocking schedule and the link to the Weekly Recreation Report at the bottom of this page for current conditions.

A few reservoirs we’d suggest for good fall trout fishing include Lost Creek Lake in Southern Oregon, Cottage Grove Reservoir and Dorena Reservoir in the southern Willamette Valley, Foster Reservoir in the Central Willamette Valley and Henry Hagg Lake near Forest Grove, west of Portland. (Editor’s note: Foster Lake has been very muddy lately due to the extreme drawdown of Green Peter Reservoir upriver.)

Additionally, several reservoirs around the state are nicely stocked a little earlier in the fall and would still be very good options by Black Friday.

Fall salmon fishing is winding down by late November, but there’s still time to catch some of Oregon’s top game fish and perhaps an early winter steelhead.

Catch and release sturgeon fishing can be excellent on the Willamette River.

Late November also can be an excellent time to go to one of Oregon’s best crabbing bays.

Also see: Oregon’s Best Fishing in November.

February Free Fishing

In February, steelhead fishing is going strong with winter runs on the Oregon Coast and in several rivers near Portland.

Trout fishing is just getting started, but expect many lakes and ponds in the Willamette Valley to be stocked with trout.

Ice fishing might be a safe option if the weather has been cold enough in the Cascade Range and Eastern Oregon.

Also see: Oregon’s Best Fishing in February.

Find Your Fishing Spot

To help you choose your fishing spots on free fishing days and all year long, check out our Oregon home page for links to the best fishing in every Oregon county for opportunities near you. Another good resource is our month-by-month Oregon Fishing Calendar.

Either of those sources will take you to additional pages chock full of fishing information tailored to your interests, location, and time of year.

Consult ODFW’s website for updates related to free fishing, often in the form of news releases and through the weekly recreation report. You can find up-to-date regulations online as well.

Oregon Resources

ODFW Weekly Fishing Report
ODFW Trout Stocking Schedule
Oregon Fishing Regulations
National Weather Service