Free Fishing Days by State
On a free fishing day a state lets people fish without a license; other rules such as limits and seasons still apply. These are the dates each state agency posts on its own pages, with its wording and the date we checked, most recently Oct 21, 2026. A state that has not posted its next dates is shown as not yet announced, with the agency’s standing rule where it states one; we do not work dates out from a rule. A day on which the agency gives out a free licence that must still be obtained is marked as such.
Coming Up
| State | Dates | Details and Source |
|---|---|---|
| New York | Wed, Nov 11, 2026 | Free Fishing Day Agency text: “Wednesday, November 11, 2026 is designated as a free fishing day to coincide with Veterans Day.” dec.ny.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Oregon | Nov 27–28, 2026 | Free Fishing Weekend Area closures, bag limits and all other regulations still apply. Agency text: “November 27-28 (Friday & Saturday), Thanksgiving Weekend” myodfw.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Minnesota | Jan 16–18, 2027 | Take A Kid Ice Fishing Weekend · Residents fishing with a child Agency text: “Saturday, Jan. 16, through Monday, Jan. 18, 2027” dnr.state.mn.us ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Wisconsin | Jan 16–17, 2027 | Free Fishing Weekend Please consult the trout regulations or your local fisheries biologist for exceptions. Agency text: “Free Fishing Weekend - Jan. 16-17, 2027” dnr.wisconsin.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Jun 5–6, 2027 | Free Fishing Weekend Please consult the trout regulations or your local fisheries biologist for exceptions. Agency text: “June 5-6, 2027” dnr.wisconsin.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Idaho | Sat, Jun 12, 2027 | Free Fishing Day Agency text: “Scheduled Free Fishing Days are: June 13, 2026 June 12, 2027” idfg.idaho.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Washington | Jun 12–13, 2027 | Free Fishing Weekend Licenses are still required to fish for or harvest salmon, steelhead, sturgeon, halibut, and all shellfish. Agency text: “The next Free Fishing Weekend is June 12–13, 2027, when fishing licenses are not required to fish for many species in Washington.” wdfw.wa.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| California | Sat, Jul 3, 2027 | Free Fishing Day On Free Fishing Days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for: steelhead sturgeon or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity River Systems. Agency text: “Free Fishing Days for 2027 are Saturday, July 3, and Saturday, September 4.” wildlife.ca.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Sat, Sep 4, 2027 | Free Fishing Day On Free Fishing Days, every angler must have the appropriate report card if they are fishing for: steelhead sturgeon or salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity River Systems. Agency text: “Free Fishing Days for 2027 are Saturday, July 3, and Saturday, September 4.” wildlife.ca.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
Not Yet Announced
| State | Next dates | This year and the agency’s rule |
|---|---|---|
| Alabama | Not yet announced | Sat, Jun 13, 2026 (passed) outdooralabama.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Alaska | Not yet announced | |
| Arizona | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| Arkansas | Not yet announced | Jun 12–14, 2026 (passed) agfc.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Colorado | Not yet announced | Jun 6–7, 2026 (passed) cpw.state.co.us ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Connecticut | Not yet announced | Sat, May 9, 2026; Sun, Jun 21, 2026 (free licence required); Sat, Aug 8, 2026 (free licence required) (passed) portal.ct.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Delaware | Not yet announced | Jun 6–7, 2026 (passed) news.delaware.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Florida | Dates not posted; rule below | Agency’s rule: “License-free freshwater days First consecutive Saturday and Sunday in April Second consecutive Saturday and Sunday in June License-free saltwater days First consecutive Saturday and Sunday in June First Saturday in September Saturday following Thanksgiving” myfwc.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Georgia | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| Hawaii | Not yet announced | |
| Illinois | Not yet announced | Jun 19–22, 2026 (passed) dnr.illinois.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Indiana | Not yet announced | Sun, May 10, 2026; Jun 6–7, 2026; Sat, Sep 26, 2026 (passed) in.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Iowa | Not yet announced | Jun 5–7, 2026 (passed) iowadnr.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Kansas | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| Kentucky | Dates not posted; rule below | Jun 6–7, 2026 (passed) Agency’s rule: “Kentucky’s Free Fishing Weekend takes place the first full weekend in June each year and allows anyone to fish without a license or permit.” fw.ky.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Louisiana | Not yet announced | Jun 6–7, 2026 (passed) wlf.louisiana.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Maine | Not yet announced | Feb 14–15, 2026; May 30–31, 2026 (passed) maine.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Maryland | Dates not posted; rule below | Sat, Jun 6, 2026; Sat, Jun 13, 2026; Sat, Jul 4, 2026 (passed) Agency’s rule: “hosts license-free fishing every year on the first two Saturdays of June and on Independence Day” news.maryland.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Massachusetts | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| Michigan | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| Mississippi | Not yet announced | Jun 6–7, 2026; Sat, Jul 4, 2026 (passed) mdwfp.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Missouri | Not yet announced | Jun 6–7, 2026 (passed) mdc.mo.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Montana | Not yet announced | |
| Nebraska | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| Nevada | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| New Hampshire | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| New Jersey | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| New Mexico | Not yet announced | |
| North Carolina | Not yet announced | |
| North Dakota | Not yet announced | Jun 6–7, 2026 (passed) gf.nd.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Ohio | Agency page unreadable | |
| Oklahoma | Agency page unreadable | |
| Pennsylvania | Not yet announced | Sun, May 24, 2026; Sat, Jul 4, 2026 (passed) pa.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Rhode Island | Agency page unreadable | We could not read the agency’s page, so its dates are not confirmed here; check with the agency. |
| South Carolina | Not yet announced | |
| South Dakota | Not yet announced | |
| Tennessee | Not yet announced | Sat, Jun 6, 2026; Jun 6–12, 2026 (passed) tn.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Texas | Dates not posted; rule below | Agency’s rule: “On the first Saturday in June of each year, everyone can fish recreationally without licenses or endorsements.” tpwd.texas.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Utah | Not yet announced | Sat, Jun 6, 2026 (passed) wildlife.utah.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Vermont | Not yet announced | Sat, Jan 31, 2026; Sat, Jun 13, 2026 (passed) vtfishandwildlife.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026, vtfishandwildlife.com ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Virginia | Not yet announced | Jun 5–7, 2026; Sep 25–27, 2026 (passed) dwr.virginia.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026, dwr.virginia.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| West Virginia | Not yet announced | Jun 13–14, 2026 (passed) wvdnr.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
| Wyoming | Dates not posted; rule below | Sat, Jun 6, 2026 (passed) Agency’s rule: “Each year, Game and Fish designates the first Saturday of National Boating and Fishing Week as a free fishing day” wgfd.wyo.gov ↗, checked Oct 21, 2026 |
Dates are copied from the agency’s own page and checked weekly for changes. Some days apply only to residents or to adults fishing with a child, as noted. Confirm with the agency before you go.