Bait the Hook, Drop the Line, Here Comes Free WA Fishing Weekend

Bait that hook, drop that line and lets troll a while, because if it's free, it's me.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife is casting out a reminder for area anglers. We are on the cusp of a 'Free Fishing Weekend', officially beginning tomorrow, Saturday June 12, 2021 and concluding Sunday June 13, 2021, when fishing licenses are not required of anyone to fish in Washington.

While no licenses are required on Free Fishing Weekend, it's still important to check the regulations for other rules such as size limits, bag limits, catch record card requirements and area closures that will still be in effect.

For future reference, 'Free Fishing Weekend' always falls on the first weekend after the first Monday in June.

Also NOT required on Free Fishing Weekend are Vehicle Access Passes, however a Discover Pass will be required on Department of Natural Resource lands, but NOT on Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife lands this weekend. Plus being waived this weekend is the Two-Pole Endorsement.

This endorsement allows anglers to use two fishing poles on most freshwater lakes, ponds, a few sections of certain rivers, and a few marine areas. The two-pole endorsement option applies to the majority of the 8,000 fishing lakes, ponds and reservoirs in Washington State.

There are exceptions, no two-pole endorsements will be granted at Kennewick's Columbia Park Pond in Benton County; in Walla Walla County - Jefferson Park Pond in Walla Walla and Lions Park Pond in College Place and in Yakima County, Clear Lake, Leech Lake (White Pass area), Mud Lake, Myron Lake, Sarge Hubbard Park Pond and Yakima Sportsmen's Park Ponds.