How to Catch Fish in California without a License

Posted by James Kerry on February 15th, 2020

If you are planning to catch some fish for your family, the good news is that you don’t need a license for that within the State of California. However, there are some rules and regulations regarding that. And in this brief article, we’d like to specifically talk about some of those.

Where you can fish without a license

Generally, the State of California has 2 days every year during which everyone can fish in its inland waters and ocean without being required to produce a license for that. Those free fishing days are normally announced by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife also known as the CDFW.

In 2019, for instance, the free fishing days were July the 6-th and August 31-st. In general, the free shipping days fall in weekends and are a great opportunity for anyone who would like to enjoy fishing before fully committing to the cost of an annual fishing permit.

Still, even during those free fishing days, there are regulations that have to be adhered to. For instance, you’d need to produce an appropriate report card especially if hunting for any of the following:

* Sturgeon
* Steelhead
* Spiny lobster
* Abalone

Other than during those two free days, you can enjoy your fishing hobby within the state all year round from designated spots. And for that, you’ll need to ensure your fishing reels and rods are in top shape.

Fishing all year long

You don’t have to wait for the two designated days for you to enjoy fishing. If you’re an enthusiast, armed with your rtod and lures, you can comfortably fish on any of the California public piers without being required to provide a license.

That said, it is important to note that this freedom does not extend to the piers found on the banks of the state’s inland waterways.

Another thing, you don’t need to produce a license to fish directly from the lakes and oceans if you’re below the age of 16. If you’ve over 16 years of age, you’ll need a license to use fish using a kayak.

Final thoughts

Ultimately, for you to enjoy unlimited fishing, you’ll need to get the official license. This is issued by the relevant authorities within this vast state. But if all you want to do is catch one or two fishes for dinner, you simply need to take a walk to any of the public piers in designated areas armed with your gear.