The first Saturday in June each year is designated as Free Fishing Day in Texas. Texans can fish on any public waterbody in the state without a fishing license on June 6, 2020. Everyone can fish (while practicing social distancing, of course) without a state fishing license on Oklahoma’s Free Fishing Days June 6 -7, 2020. If you are fishing on Lake Texoma, you will need a Lake Texoma or Texas fishing license for June 7th.
All of Lake Texoma is open for free fishing June 6, but free fishing will only apply to the Oklahoma portion of the lake June 7. Anglers must abide by all Texas fishing license and permit requirements when fishing the Texas portion of Lake Texoma on June 7.
“Free Fishing Day is a wonderful opportunity for anglers to share their knowledge, skills, equipment, and love for fishing with a new participant, yet it’s also more than that,” said Craig Bonds, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department inland fisheries director. “We hope those trying fishing on this special day will also learn that purchasing a license is an act of conservation. A fishing license purchase is one of the simplest and most effective way people can support fisheries science and management.”
“These are some of the best days to take a newcomer or youth fishing with you,” said Skylar St. Yves, fishing coordinator for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation. “There’s no state fishing license requirements, so someone who has never been before can just wake up in the morning and head out for a fun day of fishing. And someone from out of state can visit and enjoy what Oklahoma’s waters have to offer without worrying about having a state fishing license.”
Even though the outdoors are always open on Lake Texoma, the Wildlife Departments encourages everyone to heed health officials’ recommendations for staying safe during the COVID-19 outbreak. For anglers, it’s easy to distance yourself from other by the length of an adult’s fishing rod.
License sales are one of the primary sources of funding for the Wildlife Departments of Texas and Oklahoma. Sportsmen and sportswomen pay for conservation projects when they buy a license. The Department’s Free Fishing Days can help us introduce new anglers and ensure that great fishing and habitat work will continue for years to come. There’s no excuse not to take someone fishing on June 6 and 7. The weather is usually nice, the fishing is great and, best of all, it’s free.