The event is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in June for Texans and out-of-state visitors.
AUSTIN, Texas — The tradition of Free Fishing Day is coming back to Texas this weekend.
People can fish for free – without a fishing license – at public waterways across the state this Saturday, June 7. The event is celebrated annually on the first Saturday in June for Texans and out-of-state visitors.
“Free Fishing Day is an annual event that encourages Texans to get outdoors, enjoy nature, and go fishing with family and friends,” said Tim Birdsong, director of Inland Fisheries at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department. “Our hope is that experienced anglers will use this opportunity to take others fishing and share their knowledge, skills, equipment and love of the sport to recruit new anglers.”
Texas has 6 million acres of public waterways that offer high-quality fishing opportunities. These waters support recreational opportunities for 2 million licensed anglers, spending about $9 billion annually on fishing-related expenditures. According to TPWD, this leads to an economic impact of $14 billion annually and sport fishing supports an estimated 78,040 jobs.
The purchase of a fishing license assists with conservation efforts like fisheries monitoring, fish stockings, fish habitat improvements and angler access improvements. Information about a fishing license can be found at the TPWD license page.
For more information about Fee Fishing Day, visit TakeMeFishing.org. For those fishing on federal waters, they should remember that a license is needed for the private recreational angler red snapper season.