HOUSTON – Saltwater or freshwater, it’s all free on June 3 -- Texas Parks and Wildlife’s annual Free Fishing Day.
Each year on the first Saturday in June, anglers across the state can cast a line sans a license.
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Fishing enthusiasts, take note. Free Fishing Day applies only to public bodies of water. That doesn’t include federal waters in the Gulf or on privately owned properties. You have been warned.
To help celebrate Free Fishing Day, TPWD offers an extensive list of resources and tips to help anglers of all levels:
- Fishing 101 - Learn fishing basics with tips and a variety of videos. Find resources for how to get started, safety, supplies and gear, casting and baiting, cleaning and storing fish on the TPWD Learn to Fish webpage.
- Find a place to fish close to home – The Lake Finder page on the TPWD website can help anglers find lakes by region or alphabetically. Access to information and fishing tips on more than 150 lakes are available. Consult the River Fishing page for information on where to access the state’s flowing waters.
- Saltwater fishing from a pier – There are numerous wheelchair accessible fishing piers available for public use up and down the coast. Piers are a great place for the entire family to try saltwater fishing without the need for a boat. Public access sites can be found in every bay system.
- Fishing in the city – TPWD’s 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes provide urban angling access across the state: five in Dallas-Fort Worth, four in the Houston area, two each in the Austin and San Antonio areas, and one each in Amarillo, College Station, San Angelo, Waco, and Wichita Falls. Information on lake locations and how-to fishing videos can be found on the Neighborhood Fishin’ website.
- Go kayak fishing on a Texas paddling trail – With more than 3,700 named streams, 15 major rivers and some 3,300 miles of tidal shoreline along the Gulf Coast, Texas offers unlimited possibilities for paddling adventures and angling opportunities of all types. Enjoy improved and maintained fishing and paddling access to rivers, creeks, lakes, ponds, bayous and bays on any of the 78 official Texas Paddling Trails available throughout the state.
- Fish in a State Park – Although June 3 is designated as Free Fishing Day in Texas, fishing is free year-round at every Texas State Park.