Fish for Free in Half the Nation

A recent e-mail reminded me that this Saturday is the second of two Free Fishing Days in my home state of Georgia, which means quite simply that on that day you can fish without a license. The other date was last Saturday. Like many other states, Georgia sets its dates based on National Fishing & Boating Week, which is actually an extended week that takes in two weekends and runs June 1-9 this year.

Most state have one or more Free Fishing Days, and based on a quick survey, it looks like 24 states' dates include this Saturday (June 8). Some are a single day. Others last a week. Some are resident only or limited in the waters they cover. Others are for everyone and everywhere. For details about your own state, check out the great state-by-state listing compiled by Takemefishing.org.

Because I buy a Georgia license (and various others) every year, I admittedly don't think enough about Free Fishing Days. The fact is, though, that a Free Fishing Day provides the ideal opportunity to introduce a neighbor or co-worker to the fun of fishing. Even though most short-term licenses don't cost much, the very fact that that it is not required for a day feels like an invitation from the state to try out fishing to many people.

I've found that more people than I would guess not only would try fishing if asked but would take their own children fishing with a even bit of direction and encouragement. They'd like to take their children, who would like to go fishing. They just don't really know how. Free Fishing Day is a perfect opportunity to get that started by taking them out and providing some basic direction.

Beyond the document listed above, by the way, Takemefishing.org is a spectacular resource for anyone seeking almost any kind of direction about fishing. It offers a wealth of information about where to fish, how to fish, how to get licenses and much, much more.