I have a vivid memory from some point in my childhood of fishing on a pier somewhere with my family. I decided at some point to try out some sort of fly fishing move I’d seen on TV, which ended in my brother getting a hook in his ear and me giving up fishing.
I’m not sure I ever had a fishing license, but I presume my parents took care of one for this ill-fated outdoor activity.
Fishing licenses aren’t insanely expensive, but they are a cost, a cost that you might not want to take on if you’re say, not sure your daughter isn’t going to literally take an eye out with her fishing rod.
If you want to give fishing a try but aren’t quite sure you’re ready to commit, most states offer “free fishing days” where you can hit the water without a license. It could also be a good opportunity to take a child or friend out to give fishing a try without them having to commit to a license just yet.
You can check out the full list by state on this fishing website.
Rules will vary from place to place, so you still may want to reach out to the local state fish and wildlife agency before you bait those hooks.
Even if you’re already an avid fisher, the dates might also come in handy when it comes to vacation planning.
Fishing licenses are handed out by the state, which means your license for Arizona won’t work on your vacation to California and vice versa. It might make sense to book your next fishing vacation for a time when licenses are free so you can avoid paying for a license you only needful a short period of time.