California anglers will get to cast a line without a license this Independence Day. The California Department of Fish and Wildlife is offering its first Free Fishing Day of 2026 on Saturday, July 4th, part of the agency’s celebration of the nation’s 250th birthday.
The no-license fishing day applies statewide, though all other regulations remain in effect. Bag and size limits, gear restrictions, report card requirements, hours and stream closures still apply, and CDFW is urging anglers to check rules for each specific body of water before heading out.
A second Free Fishing Day is scheduled for September 5th.
Officials are looking at the event as an entry point for newcomers and a way for lapsed anglers to get back into the sport. Licensed anglers are also encouraged to use the day to introduce friends or family members to the sport. Children 15 and younger can already fish for free year-round in California, but organizers say the designated days give families a chance to fish together.
CDFW has also pointed anglers toward several waterways recently stocked with catchable-size trout. Those include the Santa Ana River in San Bernardino County, June Lake in Mono County, the Kings River in Fresno County, Pinecrest Lake in Tuolumne County, Kangaroo Lake in Siskiyou County and the Sacramento River in Shasta County. A full list of stocking dates and locations is available through CDFW’s online fish planting schedule.
The agency also runs a Fishing in the City program aimed at teaching residents how to fish in urban and metropolitan areas, with resources available year-round. Anglers who want to keep fishing beyond the free days can purchase an annual sport license online. Licenses are now valid for a full 365 days from the date of purchase rather than expiring on a fixed calendar date. Revenue from license sales goes toward conserving fish populations and habitat across the state.
More information on regulations, locations and licensing is available on CDFW’s website.