Ohio is known for its world-class fishing, and on May 2 and 3, you can experience it for free.
All Ohio residents are invited to take part in Ohio’s annual free fishing weekend, without purchasing a fishing license, according to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR).
Ohio’s Free Fishing Days are open to all Ohio residents and extend to all of Ohio’s public waters, including Lake Erie and the Ohio River.
An estimated 1.3 million people fish each year in Ohio and the ODNR Division of Wildlife stocked more than 43 million fish in 2014.
Ohio’s waters are populated with a wide variety of fish species so anglers might hook steelhead trout, walleye, saugeye, crappie, yellow perch, bass, bluegill and catfish.
The Free Fishing Days weekend offers Ohioans of all ages the chance to experience the fun of catching a fish. Here are some helpful tips for taking a youngster out fishing.
• Keep the trip simple by considering a child’s age and skill level.
• Choose a pond, lake or stream where children will be able to easily catch a few fish.
• A spin-cast reel is usually the easiest for kids to use.
• Bring a camera, and keep the trip fun and short.
• Be patient – plan on spending time untangling lines, baiting hooks, landing fish and taking pictures.
Anglers 16 years and older are required to have a valid fishing license to take fish, frogs or turtles from Ohio waters, when not fishing on Ohio’s free fishing weekend. An Ohio resident fishing license is only $19 a year for residents.
Ohio residents born on or before Dec. 31, 1937, can obtain a free license at any license outlet or online at wildohio.gov.
Residents age 66 and older who were born on or after Jan. 1, 1938, are eligible for a $10 reduced-cost senior fishing license.
A one-day fishing license is available for $11, an amount that can later be applied toward the cost of an annual fishing license.
Fishing licenses are available at participating agents and wildohio.gov.
