Free Fishing Days 2026 by State

Free fishing days by month

Free fishing days by state

Every state's 2026 dates at a glance. Tap a state for its full regulations and the official agency link.

• Alabama

  June 13, 2026

• Arizona

  June 6, 2026

• Arkansas

  June 12–14, 2026

• California

  July 4, 2026 · September 5, 2026

• Colorado

  June 6–7, 2026

• Connecticut

  May 9, 2026 · June 21, 2026 · August 8, 2026

• Delaware

  June 6–7, 2026

• Florida

  April 4–5, 2026 (freshwater) · June 6–7, 2026 (saltwater) · June 13–14, 2026 (freshwater) · September 5, 2026 (saltwater) · November 28, 2026 (saltwater)

• Georgia

  June 6, 2026 · June 13, 2026 · September 26, 2026

• Hawaii

  Hawaii requires no license for recreational saltwater fishing — residents and visitors fish marine waters license-free all year. A license is required only for freshwater fishing.

• Idaho

  June 13, 2026

• Illinois

  June 19–22, 2026

• Indiana

  May 10, 2026 · June 6–7, 2026 · September 26, 2026

• Iowa

  June 5–7, 2026

• Kansas

  June 6–7, 2026

• Kentucky

  June 6–7, 2026

• Louisiana

  June 6–7, 2026

• Maine

  February 14–15, 2026 · May 30–31, 2026

• Maryland

  June 6, 2026 · June 13, 2026 · July 4, 2026

• Massachusetts

  June 6–7, 2026

• Michigan

  February 14–15, 2026 · June 13–14, 2026

• Minnesota

  January 16–18, 2026 · May 9–10, 2026 · June 5–7, 2026

  Residents may also fish without a license in most Minnesota state parks year-round.

• Mississippi

  June 6–7, 2026 · July 4, 2026

• Missouri

  June 6–7, 2026

• Montana

  May 9–10, 2026 · June 20–21, 2026

• Nebraska

  May 16, 2026

• Nevada

  June 13, 2026

• New Hampshire

  June 6, 2026

• New Jersey

  June 6, 2026 · September 26, 2026

• New Mexico

  June 6–7, 2026 · September 27–28, 2026

• New York

  February 14–15, 2026 · June 27–28, 2026 · September 26, 2026 · November 11, 2026

• North Carolina

  July 4, 2026

• North Dakota

  June 6–7, 2026 · December 26–27, 2026

• Ohio

  June 20–21, 2026

• Oklahoma

  June 6–7, 2026

• Oregon

  February 14–15, 2026 · June 6–7, 2026 · November 27–28, 2026

• Pennsylvania

  May 24, 2026 · July 4, 2026

• Rhode Island

  May 2–3, 2026

• South Carolina

  May 25, 2026 (freshwater) · July 4, 2026 (freshwater)

• South Dakota

  May 15–17, 2026

• Tennessee

  June 6, 2026 · June 6–12, 2026

• Texas

  June 6, 2026

• Utah

  June 6, 2026

• Vermont

  January 31, 2026 · June 13, 2026

• Virginia

  June 5–7, 2026

• Washington

  June 6–7, 2026

• West Virginia

  June 13–14, 2026

• Wisconsin

  January 17–18, 2026 · June 6–7, 2026

• Wyoming

  June 6, 2026

States without a scheduled free fishing day

• Alaska is the only state with no statewide free fishing day — a sport-fishing license is required year-round (residents 18+, non-residents 16+, with the usual youth and other exemptions). See the Alaska regulations.
• Hawaii needs no license for recreational saltwater fishing at all, so its marine waters are effectively free every day; a license is required only for freshwater. See the Hawaii regulations.
• Several states add a standing break on top of their free days — Minnesota lets residents fish most state parks license-free year-round, and Texas waives the license for fishing inside state parks.

How free fishing days work

• The license is the only thing waived. Closed seasons stay closed, and daily bag, possession, size, and slot limits still apply — a free day is not an open day. Confirm the limits on the relevant species and water-body pages.
• Dates are confirmed for 2026, but most states peg their free day to a recurring rule (a Saturday in June, Father's Day weekend, a holiday), so the calendar date shifts year to year. Each state links to its official agency for the current year.
• A free fishing day applies to everyone — residents and visitors alike. On every other day, the standard resident and non-resident fees apply — or check who qualifies for a discount or exemption.

Related views

• Do I need a license? →
• License discounts & exemptions →
• Non-resident license fees →
• Season openers →
• All state regulation pages →

Frequently asked questions

What is a free fishing day?

A free fishing day is a date a state waives the fishing-license requirement so anyone — resident or visitor, adult or child — can fish public water without buying a license. States schedule them to get new and lapsed anglers on the water, usually around National Fishing and Boating Week in early June, though many states also run a winter, spring, or holiday-weekend free day. The license is the only thing waived: every other rule still applies.

Do bag, size, and season limits still apply on a free fishing day?

Yes. A free fishing day waives only the license (and, in most states, any required stamps for that day) — it does not open closed seasons or lift daily bag, possession, size, or slot limits. If a species is closed or a water has a special regulation, that rule is still in force. Check the species and water-body pages for the limits that apply before you keep a fish.

Which state has the most free fishing days?

Florida offers the most, with separate freshwater and saltwater free fishing days that add up to several license-free dates spread across the year. Several states — including Connecticut, Georgia, Indiana, New York, and Oregon — run three or more free days across winter, spring, and fall rather than a single June weekend. The month-by-month calendar above shows every dated event so you can find the next one wherever you are.

Can visitors and non-residents fish free on these days?

Yes. A free fishing day waives the license requirement for everyone fishing that state's public water that day, resident or not — it is one of the few license breaks that is not limited to residents. That makes free fishing days especially useful for traveling anglers: you can sample a new state's water without buying a non-resident license first. The standard resident and non-resident fees apply on every other day of the year.

Are free fishing days on the same date every year?

Usually the same pattern, not the same calendar date. Most states peg their free day to a recurring rule — the first or second Saturday in June, Father's Day weekend, the weekend after Thanksgiving — so the date moves a little each year. A few are fixed to a holiday like July 4. The dates above are confirmed for 2026; for a future year, confirm against the state agency, which is linked from every state's regulation page.

Does every state have a free fishing day?

Almost. Alaska is the one state with no statewide free fishing day. Hawaii does not schedule one either, but it requires no license for recreational saltwater fishing at all, so its marine waters are effectively free year-round. Every other state holds at least one free fishing day or weekend in 2026 — the calendar and state index above list them all.