BEAUMONT, Texas — If you've never fished and just wanna give it a try then Saturday is your day.
Texas' annual "Free Fishing Day," which is always the first Saturday in June, is literally in the rulebook for Texas Game Wardens.
"Pick up a fishing pole, take your kids, a neighbor, friend, and go enjoy free fishing day this Saturday," says Capt. Ryan Hall, who is a Texas Game Warden in Southeast Texas.
The day is open for anyone, even if they're not a Texas resident, to fish without a license in Texas waters.
"Hopefully we can get more folks engaged in the outdoors and enjoying fishing, Hall says. "I think most people will find if they go out and fish for the first time, they're probably going to get hooked. So they're going to come back again."
"Pun intended," he says with a smile.
It also benefits the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department when someone gets "hooked" on Free Fishing Day and then later buys a fishing license.
"We restock the most sought after fish species," Hall says. "In fresh water that's going to be your catfish and your bass. In saltwater, that's going to be the trout, and the redfish."
The Parks & Wildlife Department has an active restocking program that is funded by the sale of fishing licenses, according to Hall.
The Big Thicket National Preserve is partnering with Texas Parks & Wildlife to offer a "Free Fishing Day" event on Saturday morning in Beaumont.
Rangers from the Big Thicket along with "certified angler education instructors" will be available to teach basic fishing skills.
The fishing event will take place at the fishing ponds at LNVA Saltwater Barrier off of Bigner Road and will take place from 8 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Saturday.
Watch for signs to guide you.
Fishing gear will be provided but you should bring bug spray, water, sun protection and closed-toe shoes that can get dirty.
If you enjoy Free Fishing Day on Saturday, you can purchase a fishing license from the TPWD office in Beaumont, or any sporting goods store like Academy.
"A resident fishing license for freshwater is less than $30," he says. "And for saltwater, it's around $40."
However, the day. which begins at midnight on Saturday and ends 24 hours later at 11:59 p.m., comes with some misconceptions each year.
Anglers still must comply with all size and bag limits for the fish species that they decided to keep, Hall explains.
And if you're looking for popular places to fish on Saturday, you won't have to look far in Southeast Texas
"McFaddin Beach, our state park down there along the beach, Sea Rim state park. All those are very popular fishing spots they have a lot of folks that go fish there regularly," said Hall.
There's a couple other ways to fish for free in Texas.
If you're fishing on "waters completely enclosed within private property" such as a lake, pond or stock tank you won't need a license.
Angler can also fish without a license in all 70 Texas state parks.
This is a developing story. We will update with more if and when we receive more confirmed information.
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