MENDOCINO Co., 7/03/18 — Have you been thinking about going fishing, but haven’t bothered with a license? The California Department of Fish and Wildlife knows you haven’t — and they want you to go fishing anyways. There will be two free fishing days this year, one on this Saturday, July 7, and another on September 1st, near Labor Day weekend, so you can try your hand at fishing without actually paying to get a permit, or take the kids out for the first time.
All the other rules about catching fish apply, and anyone fishing for “steelhead, sturgeon, or spiny lobster anywhere in the state, or for salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems” still needs a permit. The CDFW has also put together a handy fishing guide in case you’re still deciding where to go and how to fish.
Here’s all the details from the press release:
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW) is encouraging all Californians to give fishing a try for free on July 7 and Sept. 1, 2018.
CDFW annually offers two Free Fishing Days, typically around the Fourth of July and Labor Day weekends. On these two designated days, people can fish without having to buy a sport fishing license. Free Fishing Days also provide an easy opportunity for licensed anglers to introduce non-angling friends and children to fishing and the outdoors.
“Free fishing days provide endless opportunities to enjoy California’s wild places with family and friends,” said Charlton H. Bonham, director of CDFW. “Whether catching a trout in a mountain stream or simply enjoying a spectacular sunset, you’ll never regret time spent fishing.”
All fishing regulations, such as bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements and fishing hours and stream closures, remain in effect. Every angler must have an appropriate report card if they are fishing for steelhead, sturgeon, or spiny lobster anywhere in the state, or for salmon in the Smith and Klamath-Trinity river systems.
Anglers residing in urban areas also have opportunities to fish close to home. Some CDFW regions also offer Fishing in the City, a program that allows children to learn to fish in major metropolitan areas. For more information on the Fishing in the City program, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/
fishing-in-the-city. All anglers should also check the rules and regulations at www.wildlife.ca.gov/
regulations for the waters they plan to fish because wildlife officers will be on duty to enforce them. In addition, information on fish planting is available at https://nrm.dfg.ca.gov/ fishplants and a fishing guide can be viewed at www.wildlife.ca.gov/ fishing/guide. For more information on Free Fishing Days, please visit www.wildlife.ca.gov/
licensing/fishing/free- fishing-days.
The first Fishing Guide link in this article is incorrect. It should be http://www.wildlife.ca.gov/fishing/guide without the period on the end.