During Take a Kid Fishing weekend (Friday, June 9 to Sunday, June 11) Minnesota residents can fish without licenses if they take children 15 or younger along, and participate in one among many ways to enjoy June as the 2023 Great Outdoors Month.
“Connecting kids and families to the outdoors is a professional priority and a personal passion for me,” said DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen. “With so many shore and pier fishing opportunities across our state, fishing is a fun and easy way to get outside and spend time together. I hope Minnesotans across the state take the opportunity this weekend to get outdoors and introduce the next generation to fishing.”
Youth 15 and younger do not require fishing licenses at any time of the year, though they must observe all fishing seasons and other regulations. Take a Kid Fishing weekend allows adult Minnesotans to fish without a license as long as they take a child fishing with them. Minnesota residents also may generally fish in state parks without a fishing license if the body of water does not require a trout stamp.
“Fishing is fun and it’s a great way to spend time outdoors together with kids,” said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Going fishing can be as simple as finding some rods and reels, finding or buying worms for bait, and heading to a nearby lake to give fishing a try.”
Take a Kid Fishing Weekend is one among many other outdoor opportunities available to Minnesotans during Great Outdoors Month. During the month, Gov. Tim Walz and the Minnesota DNR are encouraging Minnesotans to get out in nature and enjoy the state’s outstanding outdoor opportunities including fishing, riding all-terrain vehicles on state ATV trails, and visiting state parks and recreation areas to hike, bike, camp, swim, paddle or go birding. The proclamation of Great Outdoors Month cites the health and wellness benefits of spending time outdoors as one of the many reasons to encourage Minnesotans to get outdoors.
Learn to fish resources
The DNR’s Learn to Fish page covers fishing basics, where to fish, how to catch different types of fish, and the importance of fishing ethics and being stewards of Minnesota’s natural resources.
In the Twin Cities area, people can find accessible piers and shore fishing locations, and lakes stocked with fish, by going to the DNR’s Fishing in the Neighborhood webpage. For anglers across Minnesota, the DNR has an online map of piers and shorefishing sites. Parking at these locations is generally located within 300 feet of the pier or shore fishing site, with a hard surface path from the parking area. Most are designed to meet the needs of people with disabilities.
Adults who want to learn about fishing ahead of Take a Kid Fishing Weekend can view a recorded webinar that details the DNR Fishing in the Neighborhood Program and other resources to help people take advantage of the weekend fishing opportunity. To find the webinar, simply type “kids” in the search box after reaching the webinar webpage.
Anyone 16 or older can buy fishing licenses online. The investment in a license supports management of the state’s fishing resources and habitat that benefits fish and aquatic systems.
Share photos and stories by uploading Minnesota fishing photos using the DNR photo uploader, for possible use in DNR social media, in email notifications and on the DNR website.
Those fishing from shore or fishing piers are also reminded to dispose of unwanted bait, worms and fish parts in the trash. When keeping live bait, drain any bait containers and replace with bottled or tap water. Other information on preventing aquatic invasive species is available on the DNR website.