Ready for free fishing weekend in West Virginia

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Requirements for a license to fish in West Virginia are waived for this weekend. June 10 and 11, 2023 are Free Fishing Days for the Mountain State.

“It’s pretty much open fishing for anyone, regardless of age or anything, on public waters in the state,” said Mark Scott, Assistant Chief of Fisheries for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

The agency plans the free fishing weekend each year in hopes of encouraging people to either try fishing for the first time or if they’ve been fishing before to try it again and be reminded just how enjoyable and relaxing a day on the water can be.

“We should have more time with all of the conveniences we have, but it seems like we have less time for hobbies now. This is a prime opportunity to take a day, without costing you anything, to get out and enjoy the day, the weather, and hopefully some good fishing,” he explained.

The weekend presents an opportunity to take children fishing for the first time or to get out and do a fun activity as a family. Scott said it doesn’t have to be an expensive exercise, especially since the license fee for the two days is waived.

“Rods and reels are pretty cheap. You can get a simple rod and reel combo for just a few bucks, then a few hooks, a couple of bobbers, and some worms. That’s all you need for kids anyway and it’s a great way to get into it,” he said.

Children need action. It’s suggested if you’re taking kids for a first fishing experience to go to a place where there’s a high chance of success, like a pond or small lake with plenty of bluegill. Typically at this time of year, bluegill will be feeding non stop on a steady diet of night crawlers. Every worm you can put in front of them, they’ll take and that will keep a youngster’s attention and enthusiasm rolling for a long time.

“You want to get them interested in something active. They need constant attention. The perfect situation is a bobber with a worm probably in a pond. The bobber is constantly moving and that will keep their attention,” Scott said.

Several fishing events are planned this weekend as part of the free fishing weekend to help kids get started. At those events, you’ll find plenty of knowledgeable people willing to assist with tying on hooks, putting on bait, or unhooking fish. They can also demonstrate to the novice how to use the rod and reel and hopefully land their first fish.

There are plenty of public waters around the state which are open to fishing. You can contact the DNR office in your area to learn more about those waters near you.

The whole idea of free fishing weekend is to realize just how much fun it can be, then for people to buy a fishing license and return to the water for many weekends to come. The wavier applies to anyone, resident or non-resident. All other fishing regulations still apply including creel limits, size limits, and tackle restrictions.





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