(Minnesota) — June 6, 2022 — During Take a Kid Fishing weekend (Friday, June 10 to Sunday, June 12) Minnesota residents can fish without licenses if they take children 15 or younger along.
“Fishing together with kids is a fun way to spend time in the outdoors,” said Benji Kohn, volunteer mentor program coordinator with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “Making great memories can be as easy as finding some rods and reels, finding or buying worms for bait, and heading to a nearby lake to give fishing a try.”
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 adults 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.
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 — look under “Outdoors” and select “Opportunities” — which details the DNR Fishing in the Neighborhood Program and other resources to help people take advantage of the weekend fishing opportunity.
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 the fun
Share photos and stories by uploading Minnesota fishing photos using the DNR photo upload, for possible use in DNR social media, in email notifications and on the DNR website.
Through the #MyMNOutdoorAdventure campaign, the DNR invites people of diverse backgrounds to share photos, memories and stories of connection from their outdoor adventures. These stories just might inspire others to discover new stories and personal connections to Minnesota’s outdoors. Share stories on the DNR website.
