Maryland · Fishing license · Free days
Free fishing days in Maryland
Maryland DNR sets them by a recurring rule rather than a fixed date.
On these days you can fish Maryland waters without a license. Nothing else changes: limits, sizes, seasons and closed waters all still apply.
The rule, not a date
Maryland law exempts "a person who fishes in nontidal waters of the State on free fishing days designated by the Secretary". The Secretary names the days each year — in recent years a pair of Saturdays in June plus Independence Day. Every other rule, size and catch limits included, stays in force.
We found no page where Maryland DNR states this year's dates outright, so the rule stands here instead of a date we worked out ourselves. A calculated date that turns out wrong costs someone a fine.
What a free day does not cover
- Bag limits, size limits and closed seasons are unchanged.
- Waters that are closed stay closed.
- A free day waives the license, not the rules the license comes with.
