Pennsylvania · Fishing license · Free days
Free fishing days in Pennsylvania
May 24 and July 4, 2026
On these days you can fish Pennsylvania waters without a license. Nothing else changes: limits, sizes, seasons and closed waters all still apply.
freshwater
May 24 and July 4, 2026
PFBC sets two free fishing days a year, on which no license is needed to fish Pennsylvania waters.
Confirmed on the agency's own page.
What a free day does not cover
- Bag limits, size limits and closed seasons are unchanged.
- Waters that are closed stay closed.
- Separate permits can still be required — Pennsylvania charges for trout permit, lake erie permit, combination trout and lake erie permit. Check before you rely on a free day.
- A free day waives the license, not the rules the license comes with.
