Free Fishing Weekend
June 1-2, 2013
It's reel fun with a catch!
Nearly 2,100 people participated in public Free Fishing Weekend events in 2012. Many of the events were fun-filled youth fishing derbies. Fort Harrison State Park hosted nine families for a family fishing workshop. Other properties provided hands-on fishing related activities like crafts and games. Did you get a chance to check out one of these events? Whether or not you visit a Free Fishing Weekend event or not, we hope that you will give fishing a try and take someone with you.
Youth, age 17 and younger, do not need a fishing license to fish in Indiana waters. Additionally, during Free Fishing Weekend (June 1 -2, 2013), all Indiana residents do not need a fishing license or a trout/salmon stamp to fish Indiana waters. Find out how a Fishing License helps make fishing better.
Load up the car with friends, family and fishing poles and enjoy a FREE weekend of fishing. Check out a new lake or river, or introduce friends and family to a favorite fishing spot.
Fishing can be enjoyed alone on a bank or shared among a boat load of people on the lake. It can be quiet and relaxing or fun and exciting. Fishing can also provide tasty meals, but don’t forget: fishing is not always “catching” fish, but it’s “trying to catch” fish. Click here for tips for fishing with kids.
Don’t know where to fish? Check out the amazing Where to Fish interactive map. View property information for other DNR properties.
To help kids and adults celebrate Free Fishing Weekend, recreation areas located across Indiana are planning fun fishing derbies, knot tying demonstrations, casting clinics and fish cleaning and cooking classes. Some properties require pre-registration. Call your favorite property for details.
Individuals who need reasonable modifications for effective participation in Free Fishing Weekend events at DNR properties should contact the property at least 72 hours before the event. Or call the DNR ADA Coordinator at 317-232-4145.
Properties hosting activities for Free Fishing Weekend
- Brookville Reservoir, Brookville, 765-458-5565
- Buffalo Trace Park, Palmyra, 812-364-6112
- Cagles Mill Lake (Lieber SRA), Cloverdale, 765-795-3552
- Cecil M. Harden Lake (Raccoon SRA), Rockville, 765-344-1412
- Cedar Lake, Cedar Lake, 219-374-6157
- Charlestown State Park, Charlestown, 812-256-5600
- Deam Lake, Borden, 812-246-5421
- Eagle Creek Park, Indianapolis, 317-327-7110
- Falls of the Ohio State Park, Clarksville, 812-280-9970
- Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis, 317-591-0904
- Hardy Lake, Austin/Scottsburg, 812-794-3800
- Hoosier National Forest, Bedford, 812-275-5987
- Hot Pond Park, Lebanon, 765-482-8860
- Hurshtown Reservoir, Fort Wayne, 260-627-3390
- J. Edward Roush Lake, Huntington 260-468-2127
- Lake Waveland Park, Lake Waveland, 765-435-2073
- Mill Race Park, Columbus, 812-376-2680
- Mississinewa Lake, Peru, 260-468-2127
- Monroe Lake, Bloomington, 812-837-9546
- Morse Reservoir, Cicero, 317-984-3475
- Mounds State Park, Anderson, 765-649-8128
- Oakland City New Lake, Oakland City, 812-634-5269
- O'Bannon Woods State Park, Corydon, 812-738-8234
- Ouabache State Park, Bluffton, 260-468-2127
- Patoka Lake, Birdseye, 812-685-2447
- Pokagon State Park, Angola, 260-833-3506
- Prairie Creek Reservoir, Selma, 765-747-4776
- River Preserve County Park, Goshen, 574-535-6458
- Robinson Lake, Hobart, 219-743-0679
- Salamonie Lake, Andrews, 260-468-2127
- Shakamak State Park, Jasonville, 812-665-2158
- St. Patrick County Park, South Bend, 574-277-4828
- Starve Hollow State Recreation Area, Vallonia, 812-358-3464
- Summit Lake State Park, New Castle, 765-766-5873
- Tippecanoe River State Park, Winamac, 574-946-3213
- Versailles State Park, Versailles, 812-689-6424
- Whitewater Memorial State Park, Liberty, 765-458-5565
- Willow Slough FWA, Morocco, 219-285-2704
How does a Fishing License help make fishing better?Who owns the fish in Indiana’s public lakes and streams? We all do. Fish are held in what is referred to as the “public trust.”
But who takes care of the fish? Well, we all do, of course; however, by legislative mandate, the DNR’s Division of Fish and Wildlife (DFW) has the power and responsibility to manage the fisheries resources of the State. Public access and fish management in Indiana is possible through license sales and the Sport Fish Restoration Program, which is administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Indiana receives federal reimbursement through this program for each licensed angler and this money is used for fisheries management and public access. Indiana’s fisheries biologists survey fish populations in our public waters, so they can determine the health of the fisheries. Biologists will then make recommendations for fish stocking or harvest regulations, which makes better fishing for you.
If you enjoyed the activities during Free Fishing Weekend, please consider purchasing a fishing license to help support our programs and to enable you to enjoy fishing throughout the year with your friends and family.
Some properties hosting fishing activities throughout the year
- Brookville Lake, Brookville, 765-458-5565
- Fort Harrison State Park, Indianapolis, 317-562-1338
- Garvin Park Lake, Evansville, 812-838-2927 (Hovey Lake)
- Hoosier National Forest, Bedford, 812-275-5987
- River Preserve County Park, Goshen, 574-535-6458
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