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MT file photo Bradley Meyerding, shown here with this father, Gene, caught a trophy trout during last year's Free Weekend at Cole Rivers Hatchery. This weekend, the hatchery will hold an invitation-only event for developmentally disabled anglers. Fishing's free this weekend Tips, poles and snacks are available By MARK FREEMAN From Special Olympics anglers casting in a concrete pond at Cole Rivers Hatchery to seasoned fishermen trolling the waters of Hyatt Lake, Free Fishing Weekend this week will bring out thousands of anglers across Southern Oregon. Several events are planned for Free Fishing Weekend across the the region beginning Saturday, including an event billed as the largest fishing derby in the Pacific Northwest. More than 1,000 kids are expected to line the shores of Lake Selmac in Josephine County, making it the largest of its sort in Oregon and Washington, according to county parks officials. One of the smallest events is at Cole Rivers Hatchery, where students with mental and physical challenges come to fish for trout in an invitation-only derby. And one of the most successful derbies is at Hyatt Lake, where a host of families get to camp for free and feast on two breakfasts cooked by local teachers of Oregon's hunter-education programs. "Seeing all the kids' smiles makes me come back," says Ron Bauman, a Medford man who has organized the Saturday and Sunday breakfast for more than 500 Hyatt anglers each year. "You'd be surprised how many kids wouldn't be able to go fishing if not for events like this." Free Fishing Weekend is a two-day event held statewide billed as a chance for angling's newcomers, and those former anglers now lost to the sport, to come back and try their hand at fishing. Saturday and Sunday, no license is required for fishing, but people must obey all other fishing laws. Those who hold salmon/steelhead, sturgeon or halibut tags must record their catches. However, those without tags can keep their legal limits as if they had tags. Camping in Bureau of Land Management and Forest Service campgrounds is also free all weekend, as is camping Saturday night at Oregon State Parks locations. At most Free Fishing Weekend events, free bait is available to event participants, and all kids must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times. Here are some of the events planned in Southern Oregon. All are on Saturday unless otherwise noted. LOST CREEK LAKE : 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.; Stewart State Park, off Highway 62, 34 miles north of Medford -- fishing lessons; free pop and snacks; First Fish certificates; bait provided; prizes for largest and smallest fish; raffle prizes; and "loaner" fishing rods available. SELMAC LAKE : Sunrise to 2 p.m.; off Highway 199 near Selma in Josephine County -- raffle prizes; free bait available; volunteer instruction for beginners; free hot dogs and sodas for kids; First Fish Certificates available; entertainment; and several "loaner" fishing rods. HYATT LAKE : 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday and Sunday; off Highway 66 about 15 miles southeast of Ashland -- free breakfast; free camping at BLM campgrounds; prizes for kids; bait provided; and "loaner" fishing rods available Saturday only. EXPO PONDS : 7:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.; Jackson County Fairgrounds. Take I-5 to Exit 33. Go east on Pine Street, then left on Penninger Road to Gate 5. The event is at the pond immediately north of the Expo -- raffle prizes; free bait available; volunteer instruction for beginners; and several "loaner" fishing rods. Parental supervision is required. FISH LAKE : 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; off Highway 140, 35 miles from Medford -- spin-casting contest; aquatic ecology presentation; fishing lessons and ethics; free pop and snacks; Frank the Fish; welcome and interpretive talks; 10 "loaner" fishing rods available. WILLOW LAKE : 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 10 miles southeast of Butte Falls -- fishing lessons; free refreshments; and 10 "loaner" fishing rods and bait available. MEDCO PONDS : 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.; 15 miles northeast of Butte Falls off Butte Falls-Prospect Highway -- spin-casting and derby contests; fishing assistance for beginners; free ice cream, with hot dogs and soda for sale; prizes for all kids; and Big Fish, Smallest Fish and Largest Stringer contests with prizes for all age groups. (Staff writer Mark Freeman covers the outdoors for the Mail Tribune. He can be reached at 541- 776-4470.) Outdoor Journal main page Mail Tribune Copyright � The Mail Tribune 1999, Medford, Oregon USA