Free fishing 1 weekend in June anywhere in WA. Here’s what to know
Fishing will be free in Washington state — no license required for most types of fish — for one weekend in June.
Washington state Fish and Wildlife has two days of free fishing each year on the first weekend after the first Monday in June to help introduce residents to the fun of fishing. This year the weekend is June 7-8.
You also won’t need to pay for parking at Washington state parks, state fish and wildlife areas and state Department of Natural Resources land those two days. No Discover Pass will be required whether you are there to fish or just enjoy the outdoors.
However, you’ll need to know some rules even if fishing is free.
As in the past two years, any species of fish that require a catch card still will require a fishing license. That includes salmon, steelhead, sturgeon and halibut.
If you are heading toward the coast, be aware that shellfish also are excluded from the free fishing weekend.
High interest in harvesting them led to early beach closures this spring, said Kirt Hughes, Washington state Department of Fish and Wildlife fish management division manager.
For fish that will not require a license to catch on the free fishing weekend, anglers must still adhere to fishing season dates, size limits, daily limits, gear rules and recording requirements.
No two-pole endorsements are required on free fishing weekend. The endorsements allow anglers to use two fishing poles on certain lakes and sections of rivers.
Rules can be found on the Washington Fish and Wildlife website or easily checked in the “Fish Washington” mobile app, which is available on Google Play, the Apple App Store and the Fish and Wildlife website. Printed Fish Washington booklets also are available where licenses are sold.
If you are interested in lake fishing, hundreds of prizes have yet to be claimed from fish tagged and released in lakes statewide for the 2025 Trout Derby. Lakes included in the derby are listed at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/contests/trout-derby/lakes.
This year’s fish tags are orange and begin with the letter J. Their prizes are valued at more than $54,000.
