There’s no such thing as a free lunch, but there is such a thing as free fishing – free meaning no fishing license required.
The Virginia Department of Game & Inland Fisheries is betting that if they allow you to fish for free during their Free Fishing Days from June 3 through June 5 (statewide) that you will enjoy yourself so much that you’ll eventually cave to the call of the waters and buy a fishing license.
Fishing licenses aren’t all that expensive to start with – just $23, which extends one year from the date of purchase and allows fresh water fishing in each and every county in Virginia. The Fee Fishing offer, however, does not apply to the put-and-take trout waters. For that, you would need a Trout Stamp.
The license fees go towards purchasing and maintaining Game Department owned lands and lakes – such as Lake Orange. The fees are also used to fund our Conservation Police Force, wardens who are the first responders during swimming or boating accidents. So, it’s for a good cause and the reward of putting a mess of crappie on a stringer or tangling with a 15-inch smallmouth makes the $23 tab seem mighty small.
If you haven’t fished in a while, or if you have never fished, give it a try this weekend. It’ll cost you nothing but a little time. Better yet, spend that time on the water with a child.
