The fishing fun is free this weekend.
Byline: MIKE STAHLBERG The Register-GuardAsk people to identify June's biggest holiday, and most would probably say it's Father's Day. But some dads, and their kids, may actually look forward with more anticipation to a relatively new June "holiday" that doesn't even earn mention on most calendars.
That would be Free Fishing Day, an event that proved so popular that the Oregon State Legislature turned it into a two-day annual affair.
Oregon will observe its 13th free-fishing period Saturday and Sunday, offering all comers a chance to sample, at no cost, the fishing in its many lakes, rivers, streams and coastal waters.
Anyone can fish free in Oregon this weekend. No license or tags are required. The only caveat is that state regulations regarding tackle, bag limits and so forth still apply. Copies of those regulations are available free at sporting goods stores.
As with most holidays, Free Fishing Weekend can be observed quietly (perhaps by dunking a worm in a pool along a remote section of Salmon Creek), or it can be a major party-atmosphere event.
The biggest Free Fishing event in eastern Lane County will no doubt be Leaburg Hatchery's third annual Free Fishing Day Celebration, scheduled for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at the hatchery, alongside the McKenzie River east of Leaburg.
Nearly 1,000 youngsters participated in the event last year, according to hatchery manager Tim Wright.
The attraction? A chance to fish in hatchery ponds that are "off limits" even to paying anglers the rest of the year.
Kids up to 13 years old are welcome to fish in the hatchery's "show pond," which holds trout weighing up to three pounds.
Youngsters age 5 and under will be able to fish in one of the "raceways" used to rear legal-size trout for release in other area waters.
In addition, fly-fishing instruction will be available for kids of all ages at the upper display pond. And educational displays will be set up on the hatchery grounds.
When Wright first opened the "show pond" to Free Fishing Day anglers two years ago, the turnout created a two-mile traffic jam behind vehicles attempting to funnel across the single-lane road atop Leaburg Dam.
Last year, however, special traffic-control and crowd management measures were implemented, and the result was a smoothly running event in which "every kid caught fish," Wright said.
The same rules will be used this year. They include:
No parking will be allowed at the hatchery or at nearby EWEB Park. Rather, Lane Transit District will run free shuttle buses between the hatchery and two parking/registration sites - the LTD Thurston park-and-ride station near Albertson's on East Main Street in Springfield and the Leaburg ballfield, located near the fire station on Leaburg Drive. (That Albertson's will also be selling grilled Johnsonville Brats as a fund-raiser for the state's Aquatic Angler Education Program.)
All participants must register before boarding the bus.
No personal fishing gear will be allowed. All fishing tackle and bait is provided by event sponsors. The hatchery events provide plastic bags and ice in which to carry home the catch.
Anglers are limited to two trout apiece.
Similar youth-oriented fishing events are scheduled at more than 50 other sites around Oregon, including: Shelter Cove Resort at Odell Lake, Willamette Hatchery in Oakridge, Honeyman State Park south of Florence, Clear Lake Resort at Clear Lake, Blue River Reservoir, and Dolly Varden Campground on Fall Creek.
A list of ODFW-sponsored events may be found on the Web site: www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/InfoCntrFish/ffwsites_2002.htm. Forest Service events are at: www.fs.fed.us/r6/willamette. Meanwhile, Wright said he still needs a few more volunteers to help with this year's event. Call 896-3294 for details.
As usual, the state fish and wildlife agency will also beef up its trout-stocking program for Free Fishing Weekend because it wants the occasional or first-time angler to catch fish and get hooked on the sport so they'll want to buy an angling license.
More than 35,000 hatchery trout are slated for release in Lane County waterways prior to Saturday. Most are pan-sized (8- to 10-inch) rainbows. Some, however, are larger (12- to 14-inch) "trophy" trout.
Included in the release are 11,000 trout to be released on the upper McKenzie River (from Forest Glen boat ramp near Blue River downstream to the head of Leaburg Lake). It is the first full stocking of the McKenzie since just prior to opening day of trout season in April.
The amount of cloudiness in the McKenzie has dropped significantly in the past week, and trout have been observed surface-feeding on insect hatches, according to district fish biologist Jeff Ziller.
"We're feeling pretty good about how the river is shaping up," he said.
The remainder of the stocking schedule for area waterways this week is as follows:
Alton Baker Park Canoe Canal - 2,500 legal-size trout, plus 500 "trophy" trout;
Blue River stream (above the reservoir) - 2,000 legals;
Blue River Reservoir - 3,000 legals;
Carmen Reservoir - 2,500 legals, 500 "trophy" trout;
Cleawox Lake - 2,000 legals, 250 "trophy" trout;
Fall Creek (above the reservoir) - 3,000 legals, 500 "trophy" trout;
Junction City Pond - 900 legal, 100 "trophy" and 25 surplus broodstock trout;
Leaburg Lake - 2,500 legals;
Middle Fork Willamette River - 1,500 legals;
Salmon Creek - 2,500 legals;
Salt Creek - 700 legals;
Trail Bridge Reservoir - 3,000 legals.
FREE FISHING FACT FILE
WHAT: Free Fishing Weekend, during which the requirements for state fishing licenses and tags are waived. However, all other regulations still apply.
WHEN: Saturday and Sunday.
WHERE: Any Oregon waterway normally open to angling. Special fishing clinics are scheduled at Leaburg Hatchery and at more than 50 other sites around the state. For a listing, see the Web site: www.dfw.state.or.us/ODFWhtml/InfoCntrFish/ffwsites_2002.htm.
WHY: Free Fishing Day was established by the Oregon Legislature in 1990 to promote sport angling; in 1996, the Legislature later expanded it into Free Fishing Weekend. Now there's even a National Free Fishing Day, which is Saturday.
BONUS FREEBIES: U.S. Forest Service recreation sites will waive their normal recreation fees and "Forest Pass" requirements on Saturday, in observance of National Free Fishing Day.
- The Register-Guard
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| Title Annotation: | Recreation |
|---|---|
| Publication: | The Register-Guard (Eugene, OR) |
| Date: | Jun 6, 2002 |
| Words: | 1044 |
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