When was the last time you went fishing?
Did you know that it is likely that your state (USA) has a free fishing day or days? During these designated times you can fish without the cost of a license. It’s a great time for an ordinary outdoorsman to try out fishing for the first time or get back into it after a long time away. In many cases, there are also free fishing events where the pole and bait are supplied.
Don’t see your state listed? Don’t worry. It’s probably just later in the year. Check our free fishing days page to see if/when your state offers free fishing.
Be sure to check your state’s regulations for complete details.
States with free fishing days in April/May 2017
- Connecticut* // May 13? // unable to verify
- Florida // Freshwater: April 1 -2, June 10 – 11 // Saltwater: June 3 – 4, September 2, & November 25
- Hawaii // marine fishing doesn’t require a license
- Indiana // April 15, May 20, & June 3 – 4
- Nebraska // May 20 // also free State Park entry day // annually the Saturday prior to Memorial Day Weekend
- Ohio // May 6 & 7 // first Saturday-Sunday in May annually
- Oregon // April 22-23, June 3-4, November 25-26, & December 31-January 1, 2018
- Pennsylvania // May 28 & July 4
- Rhode Island // May 6 & 7 // freshwater only
- South Carolina // May 29 (Memorial Day) & July 4
- South Dakota // May 19-21 // search “free fishing” on the calendar // weekend before Memorial Day annually
*States without a link indicate that we found third party information, but were unable to verify the date online.
