Destination:
Florence, Oregon

Fishing Paradise

Florence fishing is year-round, it's everywhere, and it's a way of life. With the Pacific Ocean, Siuslaw River, 17 freshwater lakes , and 75 creeks ringing the area, you'd be hard-pressed to exhaust your options here, whether you're chartering a fishing yacht, hanging off a dock, or crawling through a mudflat.

Some of the best trout and bass fishing in the state can be found in the area's freshwater lakes, which teem with fish of all sizes. Huge salmon, trout, shad, large-mouth bass, catfish, perch, sturgeon, blueback, and steelhead pack the waters of the Siuslaw, testing the will and strength of the most serious of anglers.

Florence's coastal proximity also makes it a perfect jumping-off point for deep-sea fishing adventures. You can charter a fishing vessel in town and voyage to the best deep-sea fishing spots on the mighty Pacific. The seasonal coho salmon, Chinook, halibut, and surf perch are caught by the thousands every year off the coast. Bottom fishing is also popular with sportsmen throughout the year.

The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife requires all fishermen to be licensed to fish in the state, except for crabbers and clammers.

Crabbing and Clamming

Clamming is a favorite pastime in Florence, and you certainly couldn't ask for better clamming than along the Siuslaw mudflats east of town. Grab a bucket, pull up your pants legs, and before you know it, you'll have everything you need to whip up that delicious clam chowder recipe.

Although there is no license required to go clamming, you must follow the Fish and Wildlife Department regulations, which can be obtained from any license dealer in the state. At low tide, dig six to sixteen inches below the tidal flat surface in the estuary areas north and south of the North Fork bridge on Highway 126. Look for the holes left where the clams have retracted their necks, and dig carefully beside the hole to avoid breaking the shell. Each clammer is required to dig their own clams and have their own bucket.

Crabbing is a little more complicated, as it requires you to get your hands on some crab rings and a crab gauge and to spend some time hanging off a dock or the side of a boat. However, your reward will be great, as the Dungeness crabs native to the local waters are some of the tastiest in the world, and are even better when you catch them yourself. Keep in mind that the Fish and Wildlife Department requires all crab catches to measure a minimum of 5-3/4 inches. Only male crabs may be kept. All females (which have a short, wide sternum and wide "tab" on their underside) must be thrown back, along with all soft-shelled crabs.

Crabbers are recommended to try their sport about an hour before or after high or low tide. The best time of year to try is during the months of August and September.

Fishing, Crabbing, and Clamming Locations

Chamber
of
Commerce
Visitor's Center
270 Hwy 101,
Florence, Oregon 97439
(541) 997-3128
Email

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