To celebrate our nation’s 250th birthday, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (CDFW)invites you to go fishing without a sport fishing license by taking advantage of the first of two 2026 California Free Fishing Days on Independence Day, Saturday, July 4. One of the oldest pastimes enjoyed by Americans, fishing gets you outside to experience, explore and appreciate the great outdoors.
While no sport fishing license is required, all fishing regulations — including bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, fishing hours and stream closures — still apply. CDFW encourages potential anglers to check rules and regulations for each water they plan to fish. The second of the two California Free Fishing Days for 2026 lands on Sept. 5. For more information, visit CDFW’s Free Fishing Days web page.
For those new to fishing, this is a chance to experience a rewarding and exciting new hobby. For licensed anglers, this is a chance to introduce or reintroduce someone else to the joys of becoming an angler. Free fishing days are also a perfect time for former anglers to return and reconnect to the sport.
Children 15 and younger can fish for free every day of the year in California, but Free Fishing Days offer a time when families and friends can experience the hobby together.
Those interested in fishing California’s lakes, streams and rivers can find information about inland fishing locations and species on the CDFW website. Information is also available about year-round free fishing opportunities found on specific piers, jetties and breakwaters along the coast. Other helpful tools for anglers include the fish planting schedule, fishing guide and Recruit, Retain, Reactivate (R3) Program resources.
A variety of offerings are also available throughout the year from CDFW’s Fishing in the City program, which focuses on teaching Californians how and where to fish in metropolitan areas. General information about the Fishing in the City program can be found on the CDFW website.
Dozens of bodies of water across the Golden State await anglers with catchable-size trout recently stocked by CDFW hatcheries staff. Some of those waters include the Santa Ana River in San Bernardino County, June Lake in Mono County, Kings River in Fresno County, Pinecrest Lake in Tuolumne County, Kangaroo Lake in Siskiyou County and the Sacramento River in Shasta County. CDFW’s online Fish Planting Schedule shows dates and locations of fish plants.
New anglers interested in continuing to pursue the hobby can purchase an annual sport fishing license online. Revenue generated from license sales helps conserve fish populations and habitats while supporting California's longstanding angling opportunities for future generations. Annual sport fishing licenses are now valid for a full 365-days from purchase. More information on licenses, validations and fees can be found on CDFW’s sport fishing licenses web page.
###
Media Contacts:
Krysten Kellum, CDFW Communications, (916) 825-7120
Taylor Williams, CDFW R3 Initiative, (916) 203-1362