Free Fishing Days weekend dates announced by Governor Justice
CHARLESTON, WV (WVNS) — The dates for West Virginia’s Free Fishing Days were announced by Governor Jim Justice.
The Free Fishing Days in the Mountain State will be on June 8, 2024 and June 9, 2024. Those who enjoy fishing are welcome to get their friends and family and fish for free at public streams, rivers, and lakes in West Virginia.
33rd annual Kid’s Fishing Derby to be held at Little Beaver State Park
With school letting out for the summer and vacation season upon us, West Virginia’s Free Fishing Days weekend is the perfect time to get outside and enjoy all the beauty and goodness of our great state. This opportunity only comes once a year, so I want to encourage everyone to take advantage of it and see why West Virginia is surely and truly the best place in the world for families to enjoy a fishing adventure.
Governor Justice
Free Fishing Days is not limited to West Virginia, but spans across the nation as a way for the public to have easier access to fishing. Residents and nonresidents can use the two days to fish without needing a fishing license.
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One of the best things about West Virginia’s Free Fishing Days is that it can be enjoyed by new and experienced anglers and is designed to help current license holders introduce their friends and family to fishing. We hope this opportunity will encourage folks to try fishing for the first time or rekindle their love for the sport.
Brett McMillion | West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Director
Those who enjoy fishing on the Free Fishing Days can buy or renew their fishing license here.
Fishing derbies will be held on June 8, 2024 at Little Beaver State Park and the Bowden Fish Hatchery by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) as a part of Free Fishing Days. The fishing derbies are free and meant for kids that are 3-14 years old. Kids who are involved in the fishing derbies will need to be registered by an adult to be able to participate and receive prizes.
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The fishing derby at Little Beaver State Park will be from 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., and registration will be open from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Kids are advised to bring their own fishing equipment, however a limited amount of bait will be available.
The fishing derby at the Bowden Fish Hatchery is scheduled for June 8, 2024 from 7:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and registration begins at 7:30 a.m. The Bowden Fish Hatchery derby will be slightly different, and will have hour-long fishing sessions for kids separated by grade level.
Preschool and Kindergarten: 8:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.
First and Second Grade: 9:00 – 10:00 a.m.
Third–Fifth Grade: 10:30a.m. – 11:30 a.m.
Sixth–Eighth Grade: 11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
More information about Free Fishing Days in West Virginia can be found here.
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