Looking for free summer activities? Look no further than fishing, one of the most relaxing ways to spend a hot day in the sun. While fishing rods and bait will tap into your budget, you can save some money by fishing when various states offering their free fishing days, when the typical requirement to pay for a fishing license is waived ($25 average cost, depending on the state you live in). It’s a great chance to get people of all ages out on the water with a rod and a reel.
The following list has the free fishing days of each state in 2023, according to TakeMeFishing.org. Many states kicked things off the weekend of June 3 – 4, 2023. If you missed one of the dates, don’t worry — another one should be coming around quickly.
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Free fishing days 2023, by state
Alabama Free Fishing Day
- June 10, 2023 (Second Saturday in June every year)
Alaska Free Fishing Day
- Residents under 18, non-residents under 16 can fish free year-round
Arizona Free Fishing Day
- June 3, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
Arkansas Free Fishing Days
- June 10 – 11, 2023 (Second full weekend in June every year)
California Free Fishing Days
- July 1, 2023
Sept. 2, 2023
Colorado Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (First weekend of June every year)
Connecticut Free Fishing Day
- June 18, 2023
DC Free Fishing Days
- June 10-11, 2023
Delaware Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (First weekend of June every year)
Florida Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (saltwater fishing)
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (freshwater fishing)
- Sept. 2, 2023 (saltwater fishing)
- Nov. 25, 2023 (saltwater fishing)
Georgia Free Fishing Days
- June 3 & 10, 2023
- Sept. 23, 2023
Hawaii Free Fishing Days
- Every day (365 days/year for marine fishing)
Idaho Free Fishing Day
- June 10, 2023 (Second Saturday of June every year)
Illinois Free Fishing Days
- June 17 – 18, 2023 (Father’s Day weekend every year)
Indiana Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023
- Sept. 23, 2023
Iowa Free Fishing Days
- June 2 – 4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
Kansas Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
Kentucky Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 5, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
Louisiana Free Fishing Days
- June 10 – 11, 2023 (Second Saturday and Sunday in June every year)
Maine Free Fishing Days
- June 3 -4, 2023
- Feb. 17 – 18, 2024 (Presidents’ Day weekend every year)
Maryland Free Fishing Days
- June 3, 10 and 13, 2023 (First two Saturdays in June every year)
- July 4, 2023 (Every Fourth of July)
Massachusetts Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 5, 2023 (First weekend in June every year, freshwater)
- June 17 – 18, 2023 (Father’s Day weekend every year, saltwater)
Michigan Free Fishing Days
- June 10-11, 2023
- Feb 17-18, 2024
Minnesota Free Fishing Days
- June 9-11, 2023 Take a Kid Fishing Weekend
Mississippi Free Fishing Days
- June 3 –4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
- July 4, 2023 (Every Fourth of July)
Missouri Free Fishing Days
- June 10 – 11, 2023 (The Saturday/Sunday following the first Monday in June every year)
Montana Free Fishing Days
- June 17 – 18, 2023 (Father’s Day weekend every year)
Nebraska Free Fishing Day
- May 18, 2024
Nevada Free Fishing Day
- June 10, 2023 (Second Saturday in June every year)
New Hampshire Free Fishing Days
- June 3, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
- January 20, 2024 (Third Saturday in January every year)
New Jersey Free Fishing Days
- June 3, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
- Oct. 21, 2023
New Mexico Free Fishing Days
- June 3, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
- Sept. 30, 2023 (Last Saturday in September every year)
New York Free Fishing Days
- June 24 – 25, 2023
- Sept. 23, 2023
- Nov. 11, 2023
- Feb. 17 – 18, 2024 (Presidents’ Day weekend every year)
North Carolina Free Fishing Day
- July 4, 2023 (Every Fourth of July)
North Dakota Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
- Dec. 30 – 31, 2023 (Last weekend in December every year)
Ohio Free Fishing Days
- June 18 – 19, 2023 (Father’s Day weekend every year)
Oklahoma Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
Oregon Free Fishing Days
- June 3 – 4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
- Nov. 25 – 26, 2023 (Thanksgiving weekend every year)
- Feb. 17 – 18, 2024 (Presidents’ Day weekend every year)
Pennsylvania Free Fishing Days
- July 4, 2023 (Every Fourth of July)
- May 26, 2024 (Sunday before Memorial Day every year)
Rhode Island Free Fishing Days
- May 4 – 5, 2024 (First weekend in May every year, freshwater only)
South Carolina Free Fishing Days
- July 4, 2023 (Every Fourth of July)
- May 27, 2024 (Memorial Day every year)
South Dakota Free Fishing Days
- May 18 – 19, 2024 (Every third weekend in May)
Tennessee Free Fishing Days
- June 10, 2023
Texas Free Fishing Day
- June 3, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
Utah Free Fishing Day
- June 10, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
Vermont Free Fishing Days
- June 13, 2023 (Second Saturday in June every year)
- January 27, 2024 (Fourth Saturday in January every year)
Virginia Free Fishing Days
- June 2 – 4, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
Washington Free Fishing Days
- June 10 – 11, 2023 (First weekend after the first Monday in June every year)
West Virginia Free Fishing Days
- June 10 – 11, 2023 (Second Saturday and Sunday in June every year)
Wisconsin Free Fishing Days
- June 6 – 7, 2023 (First weekend in June every year)
- Jan. 20 – 21, 2024 (Third weekend in January every year)
Wyoming Free Fishing Day
- June 3, 2023 (First Saturday in June every year)
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