In Wisconsin, residents and nonresidents 16 years and older must have a valid fishing license while fishing. However, every year the Wisconsin DNR hosts Free Fishing Weekends on the third full weekend of January and the first full weekend in June when the license requirement is waived.
In 2025, the Free Fishing Weekends are January 18-19 and June 7-8. For these special weekends, fishing licenses, trout stamps, and salmon stamps are not required in order to fish in Wisconsin, however all other regulations remain in place, so grab a pole and your family head out to give fishing a try. Need some gear? Visit the DNR Free Fishing page to find out where you can get some loaner tackle.
 |
If your kids “catch” the fishing bug, it is just $5 for first-time buyers (or those buying a license for the first time in 10 or more years) to purchase an annual fishing license for ages 16 and older so the fun can continue all year long! Visit https://dnr.wisconsin.gov/permits/FirstTimeBuyersFish.html to purchase online.
We hope you have loads of fun and lots of luck!
Be sure to check out our 7 Tips to Get Your Kids Hooked on Fishing.
Love this article and want to get more info on fun things to do with your kids? Join hundreds of families in the Fox Valley and surrounding areas who receive our weekly newsletter of local family events ... http://appleton.macaronikid.com/subscribe/.
