AUSTIN – The annual Texas tradition of Free Fishing Day arrives at public waterways throughout the state on Saturday, June 6. Texans and out-of-state visitors can cast their lines without a fishing license on a public waterway each year on the first Saturday in June.

“Free Fishing Day is an annual event that encourages Texans to get outdoors, enjoy nature, and go fishing with family and friends,” said Tim Birdsong, Director of Inland Fisheries at Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD). “Our hope is that experienced anglers will use this opportunity to take others fishing and share their knowledge, skills, equipment and love of the sport to recruit new anglers.”

Anglers help sustain sport fishing opportunities through their purchase of a fishing license, which is one of the primary sources of funding available to TPWD for fisheries resource conservation. Management efforts such as fisheries monitoring, fish stockings, fish habitat improvements and angler access improvements are driven by the purchase of fishing licenses, and these efforts help keep Texas one of the best places in the country to go fishing. For more information on licensing, visit the TPWD license page.

For anglers to make the most of Free Fishing Day, TPWD offers multiple resources to provide fun, high-quality fishing opportunities to folks of all skill levels and ages.

1. Fishing 101 – Learn the basics of fishing 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.
2. Visit the Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center (TFFC) – Grab your family for a day of free fishing from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Texas Freshwater Fisheries Center is offering free admission for everyone, and visitors will have a chance to catch a tagged catfish and win a prize of their choice during “Fish Tag Friendzy”. The event will also feature hourly drawings for summer pass packages and visitors can watch the dive show at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., followed by hatchery tram tours immediately after each show. Visitors may bring their own fishing tackle or borrow gear from the TFFC.
3. Find a Place to Fish Close to Home – Texas offers numerous lakes and rivers with access to fishing throughout the state. The Lake Finder page on the TPWD website can help anglers find lakes by region or alphabetically. Information and fishing tips on more than 150 lakes are available. Check out the River Fishing page to find out where to get access to Texas’ flowing waters.
4. 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.
5. Go Fishing in the City – TPWD’s Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes provide urban angling access for the entire family across the state. All 18 Neighborhood Fishin’ lakes provide a great opportunity to catch channel catfish, including five lakes 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.
6. Community Fishing Lakes – Check out all the community fishing lakes in Texas which can be great options for Free Fishing Day and year-round.
7. 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 83 official Texas Paddling Trails available throughout the state. Kayak fishing opportunities also abound through TPWD’s River Access and Conservation Areas (RACA) program.
8. Fish in a State Park– Gudalupe River State Park, Lake Arrowhead, and Lyndon B. Johnson State Park and Historic Site are offering a variety of Free Fishing Day events. Check out the state parks event calendar for more information. Although June 6 is designated as Free Fishing Day in Texas, fishing is complementary year-round at every Texas State Park.
9. Fishing’s Future National Take a Friend Fishing Month – Fishing’s Future is conducting a National Take a Friend Fishing Month event throughout June. For more information visit the official event website.
10. Buy a License – If you enjoy the benefits of fishing, please consider purchasing a fishing license to support natural resource conservation. The Year-from-Purchase All-Water Fishing Package for Texas residents is a great value, allowing anglers to fish in fresh and salt water. It’s valid from the date of purchase through the end of the purchase month of the next license year. (Example: License purchased on March 13, 2025, expires March 31, 2026.)

Learn more about Free Fishing Day at TakeMeFishing.org.

If you plan on fishing in federal waters, keep in mind that a license is needed for the private recreational angler red snapper season that opened May 22.