Fish without penalty

Want to relax? Go fishing.

The Oregon Department of Fish & Wildlife offers the perfect opportunity to go fishing with your family and friends June 10-11. Licenses or tags are not required in Oregon on Free Fishing Weekend. However, all other regulations including bag limits still apply.

Approximately 48 sites across the state will be offering events for children. Some locations have loaner rods and reels available and volunteers are on hand to help with tackle and bait. More information may be found at the ODFW Web site at http://www.dfw.state.or.us or by calling local ODFW offices.

Prime spots for budding anglers include Loon Lake, a few miles outside of Reedsport; Eel Lake, just north of Lakeside; and Jon Topits Park in Coos Bay.

Go fish on the beach

Warm, sunny days are perfect for jetty or surf fishing. Live sand shrimp makes good bait for catching surf perch or striped bass from the beach. It also works well for hooking lingcod or rockfish from the jetty. Shrimp, clams and mussels are also effective, as are a jig head and rubber worm.

Some fishermen prefer to use a surf pole, which is usually between nine and 12 feet long, and 15- to 20-pound test line when fishing from rocks, jetties or the beach. Stop in at local bait shops for licensing information and tips on hauling in a day's catch.

It's a good idea to bring warm clothes. There's often a brisk wind at the height of summer. The only other things necessary are a bucket or other container for your catch, a fishing license, a little bit of patience and a lot of common sense. Also, sneaker waves didn't get their name from being predictable. Watch your step and watch the ocean. Wave surges can be dangerous.

Catch and cook a crab

Mmmm... Dungeness crab is a local favorite for visitors and residents on the South Coast.

Catching and cooking your own crab is easy: Bait a trap, catch a crab, cook it and eat.

First, you need a recreational shellfish license and a crab ring or crab trap; several local businesses rent or sell them and also have the licenses, tide books and regulations.

Crabbing is legal year-round, but at Winchester Bay, the crab are most abundant in August and September. October and November can be even better if the rains hold off. The best time to try your luck is an hour or two before or after high tide. Some ports also have dedicated fishing and crabbing piers from which to try your luck.

You also need bait: Frozen fish carcasses are usually cheap and sold at several outlets. Frozen turkey thighs also work.

Once you've found a spot, be sure to tie off the free end of the line; a few crab traps have been lost because the loose end of the rope escaped the owner's fingers.

You won't have to wait long before some of the Dungeness or red rock crab find your bait. When hauling back the trap, pull the rope quickly. The critters in the ring will try to escape.

Only male crab are legal to keep and they must be at least 53’ÅÑ4 inches across the back - and watch out for the claws. Crab can really pinch!

To cook the crab at home, boil a deep pot of water. Add three or four tablespoons of salt. Many people also add a splash of vinegar and/or a handful of pickling spices to the bath. Toss the crab in live and cook them for 20 minutes. Take the big shell, the back, off the crab and clean out the gills and guts, then use a nutcracker to crack the shells of the body meat and legs. Enjoy!